THEY suffered heatstroke, broken toes and stumbling through woodlands in the pitch dark.
But two intrepid care workers are planning to take part again in one of the country’s toughest charity walks.
Sian Ellis and Andrena Andrews have signed up for the 100k Trek to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society.
The pair will walk non-stop from London to Brighton, covering 56 miles in just over 24 hours.
Last year, Sian suffered severe heatstroke and she and Andrena carried a fellow competitor for 10 miles to the finishing line after she broke her toes.
Now they are in training to take part in the gruelling marathon hike which starts at 7am on Saturday May 24, finishing at lunchtime the following day.
“We will have a map, a torch and plenty of food and water just in case,” laughed Sian, 25.
“The route takes you across fields and through woods, often in the middle of the night. There are also massive hills to climb so it really is quite tough.
“Last year the weather was really sunny, and I ended up with very bad heatstroke. There was very little shelter then our colleague broke her toes so we walked with her, carrying her ten miles so she could cross the finish line.
“Despite all that it was a great experience and we raised over £1,500 for charity so it was definitely worth it.”
Sian is a team leader at the Alexandra Grange Care Home in Wokingham while Andrena is the Dementia Lead.
The pair have been walking up to 10 miles a day in training although Sian says they do almost as much during their jobs.
“I have the same trainers I wore last year so I am getting used to them. I am taking every opportunity to get some training in.
“We work with people with dementia and Alzheimer’s so we have first-hand experience just how cruel it can be. “We are hoping to raise as much money as possible to help the lives of the people who battle every day with dementia.
“There are 850,000 people with dementia in the UK, with numbers set to rise to over one million by 2025. Every little donation would help so please dig deep as we would be grateful for your support.”
The Trek 100 starts in Richmond and follows a picturesque route that goes along the Thames onto the North and South Downs before ending on the coast at Brighton.
To support Sian and Andrena, visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/andrina-andrewsalexandragrange
