Runner set for 240-mile desert test
AN ULTRA runner from Cardiff is to become the first Welshman to compete in a 240-mile footrace through an American desert.
Scott Jenkins will join 150 people on October 11 at the starting line 4,000ft above sea level as they prepare to run through the Moab desert in Utah.
The course will cover an incline on a par with trekking Mt Everest, gaining 29,467ft as the runners pass through desert, slick rock, canyons and mountain trails over the five-day race.
Ultra running is any distance greater than marathon distance.
Scott is no stranger to ultra running and has been competing in the long tests of endurance for 2010, raising money for various charities in the process.
This year, Scott is raising money for Operation Smile, an international charity that provides free surgical procedures for children and young adults born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities.
Raising money for the charity is one of Scott’s main motivations and something that keeps him going through the tough physical endurance of the race.
“Ultra running is about living a life of adventure, experiencing the epic scenery the world has to offer and to help people along the way” he said.
“You endure with other ultra runners during a race, support one another, there is a sense of camaraderie in ultra running with your competitors that I’ve not experienced in any other sport.”
The race has a 112-hour cut-off, but Scott’s personal aim is to complete the course in just 80 hours.
“I am keen to push myself in the hope of raising lots of money for Operation Smile as it is a charity that touched me personally after I was lucky enough to go on a mission in 2015 to Ethiopia,” added Scott.
“Being a typical guy, I rarely cry, but when recounting the experience to my wife about a little girl called Mezarai, I started to cry as I told her about the five-day journey her and her mum made to the aid station in the hope, not with guarantee, that her cleft lip could be repaired.
“The impact post-op was unbelievable. To see someone see themselves smile for the first time and the sheer joy that accompanied it was amazing.
“That moment is what I will hold onto in my dark moments during Moab, for which there will be many.”
Scott will face sleep deprivation, high altitudes and even hallucinations as he makes his way through the desert.
■ You can follow Scott’s journey on Instagram @scottjenkins.
■ If you wish to donate to Operation Smile you can do so at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/scottJenkins2