Two brothers from Worcester have taken part in advanced physical testing at the University of Worcester, as they prepare for a two-man continuous relay run from John O’Groats to Land’s End in support of Help for Heroes.
Alfie and Joe Pritchard will set off from the most northern tip of Scotland on 18 May and run alternating shifts around the clock as they travel towards Cornwall on foot. They’re aiming to run it in just eight days.
“At first we’ll run half an hour on, half an hour off, as the other travels in a van,” said Alfie, 27. “After that, we’ll move into blocks of either two or four hours, and one of us will always be running while the other is in the car, either resting, or sleeping.”
Alfie added: “We’re feeling really good about it. We’ll be running through a lot of major cities, and we’re hoping people will come out and cheer us on”
It’s not the first time the two have undertaken extreme physical challenges: Joe, 24, previously completed a 24-hour treadmill running challenge, and the brothers have taken part in other events including a fundraising rugby match.
To support preparation for the upcoming run, the brothers visited the University of Worcester for a session of physiological and performance analysis. Under the supervision of expert staff, the runners underwent detailed assessments, including lactate threshold and maximal oxygen uptake, or VO2max test, to give them personalised performance profiling to help them understand how their bodies respond to different exercise intensities.
“Having the full data behind what we’re doing is so valuable,” said Alfie, 27. “The setup here at the University is unbelievable, and the insight we’ve gained will make a massive difference to us as we prepare for the relay.”
Dr Matthew Cook, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science, led the analysis. He said: “This kind of testing gives a very accurate picture of how the athletes bodies respond to intense exercise, and it helps with planning for fuelling exercise, recovery, training improvement and more.”
He continued: “The good news is that both Alfie and Joe are in great shape. They both have an excellent level of fitness, and they both showed strong running efficiency, meaning they use oxygen effectively at different running speeds, which is an important marker for endurance performance.”
“We also get information on how much carbohydrate and fat they utilise at their target running pace,” said Dr Cook. “That information is essential to inform their nutritional plans, and how they’ll fuel themselves when they run.”
Both brothers were put through their paces on the treadmill as part of their analysis.
“The team here and the students have been brilliant.” Said Alfie. “They really motivated us, especially toward the end when we were running flat out. We really can’t thank them enough, as it has been such a great experience.”
The pair are raising money for Help for Heroes and have set a target of £10,000.
“We really love the charity and what it stands for,” said Alfie. “Giving back to our veterans means a lot to us, and running the length of the UK feels like the perfect challenge for a charity that supports veterans across the country.”
To find out more about the challenge and to donate, follow this link to their fundraising page.
For information on courses at University of Worcester visit www.worcester.ac.uk or for application enquiries telephone 01905 855111 or email [email protected]