Rhubarb 2017

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27 ST EDWARD’S r hubarb
sporting and recreational activities for children
and adults with special needs.
‘Committing to a goal is often easier said
than done, however, there are ways that can
be followed in order to make reaching that
goal more achievable. The goal may seem
hard to achieve as a whole, so that is why
it is important to maintain a good balance
in life and split your training into smaller,
achievable bitesize chunks. The importance
of eating well, sleeping well, maintaining your
lifestyle and socialising are all key elements
towards success. Remember reward - you
have to make training enjoyable. It may be
running a 5km or an ultra-marathon, taking
part in a triathlon or an ironman, perhaps
even running the Marathon Des Sables, but
you must remind yourself why. Enjoy the
experience of training, learn about your
body, enjoy meeting and training with others.
Get your friends and families involved with
your training. Make each training session
different so it does not become monotonous.
Do it for a cause, ideally something close to
you or your family that will add that extra
motivation to your efforts.’
2001
Andrew Hall aka Hill-Hall (F, 1996 – 2001)
is making 2017 a year of extreme resolution.
‘I have not shared any news with the OSE
since I left School however I have embarked
on a series of challenges this year which I
would like to write about given they are driven
by charitable motivations. My father died of
cancer on 30th May 2015. I wanted to do
something significant in his memory and whilst
doing so raise money for Sobell House Hospice
Charity, an Oxford-based palliative care
hospice who looked after him so well in his
final days and Cancer Research UK, a cancer
research and awareness charity in the UK.
‘Having been inactive from a fitness
perspective since 2012 when I ran the
27th Marathon Des Sables, a 250km ultra
marathon across the Sahara Desert, I wanted
to test my limits again and have committed to
complete the following challenges:
1. The Isle ofWight Challenge: Many sail
around it, thousands have ‘rocked’ at its
festivals, and now I plan to run 100km
around it on 29/30th April 2017.
Expected duration - 15 hours.
2. The Rat Race Coast to Coast Challenge
in September 2017. This is a 168km
race starting in Nairn in the north-east
and finishes in Ballachulish in the west.
It follows a route through the Scottish
Highlands, including a stopover in
Fort Augustus.
Expected duration - 12 hours.
3. ChaseThe Sun , a cycle challenge held
on the longest day of the year, starting
at sunset and finishing at sunrise riding
coast to coast from the Isle of Sheppey
in Kent to Burnham on Sea in Somerset.
This race is over 300km and by poignant
coincidence I will be crossing the finish
line on Father’s Day.
Expected duration - 17 hours.
4. No alcohol for 12 months. Dryanuary
is over and I have now been on the
bandwagon for roughly 60 days and
counting. So far so good, but now as
everyone’s wheels start to fall off and
summer approaches, the real test begins!
Expected duration - 8760 hours.
‘The new training regime, abstinence and
charitable motivations have been life changing
and in only two months I am already noticing
the positive impact it is having in all aspects
of my life. What started as a personal
challenge has evolved into a respectable
fundraising campaign. Case and point is to
have Sherlock Parties come on board as my
first corporate sponsor and I am currently
in talks with several other boutique brands
about supporting the challenge.
I am now trying to take advantage of this
momentum and would like to attract further
support and awareness of what I am trying
to achieve. I have raised £7,362 since the
beginning of the year and have set a target of
£20,000 which I hope can be far exceeded!’
You can find out more, follow progress,
donate or pledge at or
alternatively contact me directly on email at
2003
Chris Carey (C, 1998-2003) writes: ‘The
day before their marriage last summer, the
wife of my good friend Alastair Simmie (C,
1998-2003) was diagnosed with an extremely
rare form of cancer known as EHE. It affects
the lining of the blood vessels and is currently
incurable given the rarity of the cancer and
the subsequent lack of funding it attracts.
To help raise funding for research, Alastair
led our team of seven, including three other
O S E N E W S
Andrew Hall