After the successful launch of Team Sheppard on BBC Gloucestershire Radio Kevin Sheppard is now preparing for the biggest battle of his life – and it’s all to help bereaved children and their families.
Kevin Sheppard is preparing to take part in the Polar Challenge, a 350 mile race across the Arctic to the magnetic North Pole. Only 42 people worldwide are selected for the trek each year, and it’s been described as the toughest race in the world.
“Skiing across icy Arctic wastes pulling all my supplies in a sledge – all in temperatures that can drop as low as minus 45 degrees C. I’ll be battling against extreme dangers including falling through thin ice, hypothermia, frostbite and encountering one of the world’s most dangerous predators – the polar bear,” said Kevin, who’s 38 and from Churchdown.
Kevin’s Polar Challenge starts in April 2010, but after the slog of finding the financial sponsorship to allow him to join the race he’s already in serious physical training.
“After completing my first training competition on Sunday 10th May in the Cotswold Super Sprint Triathlon said Kevin. The event consisting of a 400metre Swim, 20K Bike followed with a 5km run around the Keynes Country Water Park Nr Cirencester.
Afterwards I felt in really good shape when I crossed the finish line. During start of swim I had my face kicked a few times in the water and I was swam over the top of with the mass of competitors jostling for positions in the lake! I held my own and managed to pick up a respectable time of just over 8 minutes to leave a good deal of the field behind me before I started the second leg of the event – which was the 20k bike race”.
The bike was my strongest of all three disciplines said Kevin and was pleased to of recorded a fast time of around 33 minutes. I was feeling really strong and relaxed going into the 5km run which was consisted of a 2 lap course around a lake. The course was very fast and grueling and I managed to post a time of just over 1hour 11minutes to complete the Triathlon”.
Kevin is now increasing his physical training and will be undertaking Cheltenham Circular Walk on 14th June in which he plans to be dressed in something spectacular and all will be announced soon!!
“As well as helping bereaved children through Winston’s Wish, my longer-term aim is to turn Team Sheppard into an inspirational educational organization that will make a lasting difference to the lives of all sorts of children by helping them to realize that they, too, can do anything they want to if learn to believe in themselves.”
Kevin is already in the process of arranging to undertake later this year motivational talks in Schools and Colleges in and around Gloucestershire to help inspire young children with his plight to make a difference.
Anyone interested in sponsoring Kevin to help Bereaved children or following his build up to the Polar Challenge and the event itself in 2010 can find out more on his website. www.teamsheppard.co.uk
if you can spot me?
