Vertical Marathon Challenge in Glasgow

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Vertical Marathon Challenge in Glasgow

Supporting Princess of Wales Hospice Glasgow

It’s all up in the air! Battling Scot Stephen goes for vertical marathon world record

Starts just after midnight on Thursday, 14th November.

It’s not the stairway to heaven – and former professional footballer and inspirational businessman Stephen Tennent may find that a daring world record bid next month puts him on the stairway to hell.

For the gruelling, spirit-sapping, back-breaking, quad-sapping challenge he has set himself is to run a vertical marathon – 26.2 miles straight up – by burning his way up the 21 storeys of the south stairwell of the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow an astonishing 671 times, traveling up 14,091 storeys and a total of 238,205 stairs covering over 103 miles in the process, that is 80 miles of stairwell and 23 miles of transition.

The total vertical ascent is two miles higher than daredevil Felix Baumgarten reached for his dramatic Stratos jump, five times higher than Mount Everest and 31 times higher than Ben Nevis. He expects it will take him 67 hours

As well as making people aware of the benefits of just taking the stairs in their everyday life and encouraging others to make their own attempt for a world record, Stephen, (47) aims to raise more than £50,000 for charity.

He said: “I really can’t take much credit for the idea but due to my recent history in ultra and extreme marathons the philosophy of My Vertical Marathon was not too alien to me.”

A business professional, Stephen, who has held senior posts in advertising and marketing since retiring from professional sport, will burn 70,000 calories – compared to the normal daily burn of 2500 – as he plugs his way up the stairwell of one of Glasgow’s smartest hotels.

But the bold and bruising, calorie-busting My Vertical Marathon has a serious purpose – to make people think twice about the place fitness has in their lives and to encourage them to take simple steps such as using stairs instead of taking escalators or the lifts.

His efforts are being supported by Tennent Caledonian Breweries (TCB) as part of their policy of charitable / community investment across Scotland. The association with vertical marathon sees the continuation of TCB’s 30 year association with the Prince and Princess of Wales Glasgow Hospice.

The world record bid – no one else has ever completed such a demanding and breathtaking task – will take place from just after midnight on Thursday, 14^th November.

His plan is to run in blocks of three hours, followed by a 45 minutes spell for physiotherapy, food and sleep. He expects to finish his vertical marathon around 7.00pm on Saturday, 16^th November.
Anyone wishing to accompany Stephen in one or more of his 677 ascents can register to do so at www.humanachievementzone.com. A minimum donation of £25 is required to secure a place, all of which will go to charity.

All proceeds from Stephen’s Vertical Marathon will go to the Hilton Community Foundation which will donate to the Prince and Princess of Wales Glasgow Hospice “Brick by Brick Appeal”.

For further information, contact Stephen Tennent on 07801 719 397.
Donate via Just Giving:
www.justgiving.com/myverticalmarathon
My Vertical Marathon:
www.humanachievementzone.com
Sign Up to support the run:
www.humanachievementzone.com/#!take-part–support-mvm/cd0i

See the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9XGn57rQWY&feature=youtu.be