On the weekend of 26th June 2021, team “Lizzie” took on the first half of the Cotswold Way challenge a 53km walk through the magical Cotswolds providing a stunning setting for a testing challenge – with some of the best views in England on route and tough hills in between! It’s was an early Saturday morning start for the team of 3 (Brian, Richard & Andy) along with 1500 other like minded adventurers some who set out to complete 100km of footpaths & trails continuously! – Most walking but many jogging and running.
Being new comers’ to endurance events, and certainly not seasoned hikers we were all up for a memorial walk and celebration in memory of our beautiful Sister Lizzie Bullingham (39), who unfortunately passed away on October 13th 2020 from what we now know was sudden arrhythmic death syndrome.
The shock of losing a “fit and healthy” loved one and younger sibling and the overwhelming moments and waves of grief that hit you over the days and months following led us to want to find positive energy and raise awareness into the cause for others to hopefully benefit from a wider knowledge of SADS .
The event started at the Royal agriculture college in Cirencester and our route would take eventually 53km later to Wotton Under edge. With solo training walks through the winter and spring around the Forest of Dean and the Stroud valley’s for Brian, Andy and Richard walking the Derbyshire Dales we had hopefully enough “miles” in the legs to carry us through to the finish.
Early start rising at 05:15am we set off to a “wet” Cirencester for our allotted start time of 07:40am, as COVID restrictions are still with us all protocols were in place for staggered starts to limit numbers through the day.
Our early pace was good 6km an hour and although carrying a few training injuries and previous football injuries in Andy’s case we were feeling good. We were also caught at the 1st rest stop 12km by Richards’s long-time friend and Ultra challenge veteran Dan Brooks who was completing the continuous 100km (Dan eventually finishing in 21.5hrs). We pushed on to our halfway point at Painswick still feeling good and as we cheered for the 1st quarter finishers which included one young lady of 5 years old who completed 24km!
Within the next hour we would be joined on the walk for a few km by family walking down through the vineyards at Stroud before continuing to the last rest stop at Coaley peak view point. The weather by now had cleared and so had the horizon, with views of the Malvern’s, the black mountains of Wales and the Severn Vale that was all the inspiration we need to continue the last 15km to the finish.
As we dropped into Dursley 9.5 hours into the walk we were again joined by family for support and cheered on by our parents Bob and Pat and Lizzies husband Jamie and daughter Maisie.
One last push and a further 1000 feet of climbing and we were at North Nibley and Tyndale Monument with more stunning views of both Severn Bridges, Bristol, and the South West.
The finish line for us was insight and as we walked in the evening sun towards the finish the emotion and pride was bursting. With some last words looking at the blue sky to our wonderful and beautiful, bubbly Sister “Lizzie” through the generosity of friends family and colleagues we had raised for CRY to date over the platforms of Facebook and Just giving approximately £2,500 (not including gift aid).
Below from left to right Andy, Richard & Brian. Completed 53km in 11.5 hours.
