Our CORE Challenges
Together We're Stronger
Core Challenge 1:
20k Heatwave Challenge
In December 2019 we took on an untrained 20km run (on treadmills) in a 30 degree centigrade room at the EPiC Gym in Portishead. Matt Roberts and Sam Sowden completed the feat in 2 hours raising £3,144 for Bristolian kickboxing athletes to compete at a world championships.
Core Challenge 2:
Weight Of The World Challenge
On Easter Sunday 2020 Matt Roberts and Sam Sowden completed 1002 burpees (chest-to-floor), Matt in a 20kg weighted vest. It took the best part of the day to complete. Both athletes took some time to recover from this one! They raised £345 for the NHS.
Core Challenge 3:
3000 IN 3 Challenge
A month after the Weight of the World challenge (above) Matt and Sam took on the 3000 in 3 challenge. This challenge has a 3-hour time limit and consists of completing 1000 Press Ups, 1000 Sit Ups and 1000 Squats. This event raised £1283 for Neonatal Intensive Care Units South West.
Core Challenge 4:
Death Row Challenge
In June 2020 we completed our 4th Core Challenge which was named 'Death Row Challenge'. Essentially this was a challenge with a 4-hour time limit and you have to row 42,195m (a marathon) on a rowing machine. Fun fact, this was the only challenge that Matt Roberts soloed from start to finish! This challenge raised £730 for the Southmead Hospital Charity.
Core Challenge 5:
Capital Gains Challenge
On Halloween in 2020 our team completed their fifth challenge and fourth of 2020! This was a tough challenge where there was a 7-hour time limit to clock up 117.7 miles on an assault (aka air or devil bike). Matt Roberts and Sam Sowden completed this challenge at the EPiC Gym in Portishead with just 8 minutes to spare! The event raised £3,189 for Mentoring Plus, a local Bath-based charity who offer mentoring services to children.
Core Challenge 6:
Some Like It Hot Challenge
There was a 14-month gap in challenges between challenge 5 and 6 but we were back in December 2021 with a new team member, Lee Evans. We completed our first challenge as a trio in a sauna! Our challenge was to complete a 100-minute consecutive spell in 80C+. All 3 (Matt, Sam and Lee) completed the challenge and raised £1357 for Ronald McDonald House Bristol Charity.
Core Challenge 7:
On The Prowl
This 25-hour ordeal was the second challenge as a trio and involved loading a prowler (sled) with their respective bodyweights on. They had to push the weight for the equivalent distance of a half marathon. This equated to 1625 lengths of the prowler run at the EPiC Centre in Bradley Stoke in August 2022. The team raised £2029.23 for Mentoring Plus. The team started the push at 7.00am on the Saturday morning. Lee and Sam had to retire into the late hours of the challenge through injuries and pure exhaustion, giving everything they could for the cause. Matt pushed the final leg at 8.09am on the Sunday morning.
Core Challenge 8:
The Race Against Silent Darkness
2023's Race Against Silent Darkness marked a massive step up in the events, preparation, media presence and ultimately the donations achieved. The event raised £15,593.41 for The Norrie Disease Foundation (NDF) for research into preventing the hearing loss, primarily for people who live with Norrie Disease. The event saw Matt, Sam and Lee joined by Cameron (who has Norrie Disease) and his parents Adam and Carla.
The event itself saw Matt and Adam carry Cameron in a specially designed carrier sent from the USA up to just under 1000m on Ben Nevis in Scotland. At the time it was believed to be a record for someone with Norrie Disease on Ben Nevis. Cameron had to turn back down, Matt took some of the team to the summit to put a Cameron doll on the summit to mark the occasion and for the NDF.
Once they were all safely down, Matt solo cycled 521 miles from Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis to Bristol in 4.5 days. Sam completed the milage on a bike at the EPiC Gym in Portishead and Lee completed the miles between the gym and on a bike at home.
Core Challenge 9:
The Extra Mile
The Extra Mile is 2024's event and is the biggest yet, it is scheduled to take place from April 26th until May 11th. The challenge aim is to raise awareness for physical health and £40,000 for societal resources to battle mental health. The 4 charities are MIND. WISH, Andys Man Club and LBGT Hero.
The event is split into 2 sub-events. The 100,000 miles together Challenge for the nation and the British Isles 5 Challenge that Matt Roberts is partaking in its entirety and Lee Evans for Phase 3-5.
Phase 1: Climb the Carrauntoohil (highest peak in Ireland) and then cycle to Northern Ireland.
Phase 2: Climb Slieve Donard (highest peak in Northern Ireland) and then cycle to the ferry port. Get the ferry to Scotland.
Phase 3: Cycle to Ben Nevis, climb it and then cycle back to England.
Phase 4: Cycle to Scafell Pike, climb it and then cycle to the welsh border.
Phase 5: Cycle to Snowdon and climb it.
Over 1000 miles of cycling and 17000 feet of vertical ascent.
