Hi, I am Kim. I am 35 years old and I am raising money this year for the Down’s Syndrome Association (DSA). I am taking part in five events across the year, all of which will push my physical and mental abilities.
I chose the DSA as my boss at work has a son aged six who has Down’s syndrome. He is a gorgeous little boy and his smile just gets to me every time. I could see what the support does for them as a family and thought I’d like to help raise money. I don’t have anyone directly in my family with Down’s syndrome, but the knowledge I have gained from the DSA website is fantastic and has made me even more proud to be able to raise money for such a fabulous charity.
I normally take part in one event per year maximum, but this year I have chosen five as I want to try and raise as much money as possible. I am doing the following:
- May – Yorkshire Three Peaks
- June – Snowdon Challenge (17km cycle, hike and summit Snowdon, 5k kayak)
- June – SW Coast to Coast Hike (100km, Minehead to Dawlish)
- July – Peak District Cycle Sportive (72.5km with a load of hills!)
- October – A 5km mud run……with my dog Hattie (she gets a rosette at the end)
In January I caught Covid, which really set back my training, I couldn’t walk up my stairs without having to sit down at the top to catch my breath, I was really worried that I would have to pull out of the events, however, the thought of raising money for the DSA just made me more committed to get back on track and make sure that I finish every event. I feel a lot stronger now than a few months back, but still have a little way to go.
If I had to say which event I was worried about the most, I’d say all! I have hiked mountains before, cycled 50km, however all of these are beyond the limit that I have ever done with each discipline before. I have never kayaked, so I am a little worried about that but have been getting loads of upper body strength practice in. The 5km mud run with my doggo Hattie is probably just as worrying… you should try bathing her after she gets muddy!
I am really looking forward to all of the events to be able to push myself through them, I know that mentally I am going to have to push through some barriers to make sure that I can push through. The Coast to Coast is estimated at 23-hours hiking non-stop, which I am really looking forward to doing, but also think that this is going to be my hardest mental challenge.
Hattie is a cockapoo, she could probably do all of the above in one day, the energy she has is out of this world, which I absolutely love. If I take her on a three-mile walk, she will get home and throw her ball at me because she hasn’t had enough fun, so I often take her to the Peak District, Malvern Hills etc so we can both get outside, this means she gets to burn loads of energy and I get to get my hiking practice in. She definitely helps me get the miles in, and I love spending time with my little buddy, this is why I had to find an event that she could take part in as well, as she has trained with me every step of the way.
I would love to raise as much money as possible for the DSA. You only have to see the smiling faces of the families they support to know how amazing this charity is.
You can sponsor Kim (and Hattie!) here
You can follow Kim’s journey on Instagram or Strava by searching Kim Savage