Gruelling challenge raises much needed funds for Cancer Research

Personal trainer Reece Donovan recently completed the David Goggins Challenge and ran four miles (6.4km) every four hours for 48 hours in aid of Cancer Research UK, raising over 2,000 euros in the process.

He presented a cheque for 2,025 euros to Giovi Viñales from Cancer Research UK Gibraltar at the World Trade Center on Saturday morning after the corporation donated 400 euros to the cause.

Not only had he completed a total distance of 48 miles (77 kms), he also finished the challenge off with an impressive 1000 push ups.

All of the funds raised by the Gibraltar branch of Cancer Research UK go to the UK.

Ms Viñales explained that the research the charity conducts is important and is something that everyone benefits from.

“Research has no boundaries or frontiers, so the minute there is a breakthrough in anything, everyone will benefit worldwide,” she said.

“The amount is amazing and a massive thanks to Reece because he contacted me and told me about the challenge he was doing, I was like ‘Oh my God this is absolutely brilliant’ because of the times we are in.”

“Basically, fundraising has had a massive pause over the last 12 months and it has been detrimental to the charity.”

“Not only this charity but you can see all charities are suffering and Cancer Research UK has very sadly lost millions towards research.”

Mr Donovan decided to take on the challenge as a way to better himself and opted to raise funds for Cancer Research as everyone can relate to it as most people have been affected by cancer in some form.

“In the times that we are living in now, when there is so much going on, I wanted to pick something that could bring us all together,” he said.

On the difficulty of the challenge, he noted that while it was tough, it was easier than he thought it would be.

“I felt better than I thought I was going to feel,” he said.

“I think the hardest part was the night time runs, getting up at one in the morning and five in the morning and not knowing where you are.”

“Apart from that, I had so much support from everybody and that is what got me through it.”

“I wanted to pick something that would challenge me and something that not everybody would be willing to do, a bit crazy to push myself.”

He was not alone on every run.

His friend, Louis, joined him, as did his father and sister. It was only during the night time runs that he was lonely, which he remedied with headphones and “going on autopilot.”