Challenging Summer For Head Of Operations At YMCA Guildford

Published on: 16 Aug, 2019
Updated on: 21 Aug, 2019

The head of operations at YMCA Guildford is two thirds of his way through a gruelling triple challenge this summer.

Paul Napthine, 41, has completed Chase the Sun, Ride London and has Half Iron Man in September to finalise his trio of challenges, all to raise money for YMCA Guildford.

Paul Napthine – quick stop en route.

Paul took part in the 205-mile Chase the Sun Isle of Sheppey to Burnham-on-Sea cycle challenge in June, which he completed in just 13 hours and 10 minutes despite leaving almost two hours late.

Riding with colleagues Chas Walker and Pete Colmer, Paul said: “We only just made it before the sun went down because our bikes went missing for two hours but we did it with just four minutes to spare.”

The van carrying their bikes got stuck in a M26 road closure on way to the start point. But they managed to claw back the time with sheer determination, shorter breaks and hard riding to ensure they got there before sundown.

They arrived at the seafront finish post at Burnham-on-Sea with just four minutes to spare, enabling them to claim victory!

Ride London on Sunday, August 4, saw Paul and some colleagues on their bikes again. The ride took Paul around some roads he knows very well with an epic finish in the Mall.

He completed the 100 mile course in 4 hours 51 minutes and said it was exhausting but he was pleased with his time.

Paul has one more challenge to do this year. “The first two hurdles are done, the next on September 22 is Outlaw X, a Half Ironman consisting of a 1.9km swim, 90km (56 miles) bike ride and then a half marathon (21km).”

He said he wanted to raise as much as possible adding: “It’s such a privilege to work with the young people at Y.”

Paul can be sponsored via: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/paul-napthine-summerchallenge