Eric's Steeple Chase

Setting off before dawn (which is at 7:40 am) and finishing not later than sunset at 6.08pm, I hope to run, jog, walk or, if need be, hobble past 25 mainly Anglican historic churches in Dorset to raise money for the work of Christian Aid worldwide.

The churches on this 72km route are: Sherborne Abbey, Sherborne Cheap Street, Sherborne Castleton, Oborne, Poyntington, Corton Denham, Sandford Orcas, Trent, Nethercompton, Overcompton, Bradford Abbas, Thornford, Lillington, Beer Hackett, Yetminster, Ryme Intrinseca, Chetnole, Leigh, Hermitage, Glanvilles Wootton, Holwell, Bishops Caundle, Longburton, Folke and finally the church where I worship, Sherborne St Paul’s.

Two thirds of the route will be relatively flat (by Dorset standards, not Dutch!) and one-third will be ‘off-road’ including  farm tracks, grassed hillsides and forest trails. My record so far stands at 66.6km on the day I was 66 years and 6 days old when I ran to raise funds for the Salisbury Diocese’s Sudan Medical Link.

My fundraising target is £2,000, which is the same amount which any person who gets selected on the Christian Aid team for the 2025 London Marathon is required to raise.

It won’t be a walk in the park; ‘success’ is not guaranteed.  On my last 56 km training run for the Dorset Historic Churches Trust on 14 Sep 2024 from Sherborne Abbey, (see picture above), for which I had support from at least one of my mates of the Sherborne Running Club SPFit, I had to change socks four times to deal with my chronically neuropathy-affected feet. But I would not want to step out of ‘the race for Christian Aid’ just because the going is a little tough - I really would want to complete the 12 hours of this challenge.     

This option of stopping when it’s tough is not available to the people Christian Aid support, whose lives are a constant and relentless battle to survive. 

How can you support my effort for Christian Aid?

1. You can sponsor me by ‘hitting’ the Donate button. Your gift can be gift-aided.
2. Pledge an amount per kilometre which I manage on the day. It will encourage me to go the extra mile, the cut-off time of 12 hours permitting. (Please email your pledged amount to ericjager56@gmail.com; I’ll be in touch with you how far I got after 19 October)
3. Introduce your child or grandchild to the joy of giving, and sponsor them for doing a walk or jog for Christian Aid, and tell us the story. No amount is ever too little!  

4. Jog or walk with me for part of the route, and make a donation if you enjoyed the experience! 
   Please email ericjager56@gmail.com and I will send you the details of the approximate time I will be at each of the 25 churches.  The route is split up in six legs, (each next leg at a slower average pace), and each leg will be led by a couple of my seasoned running mates who will be looking after you, as well as me.

You can sponsor me by hitting the Donate button. Your gift can be gift-aided.