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BBC Radio 1 presenter Greg James has announced an epic five day challenge for Sport Relief 2016.
The presenter broke the news of the BBC Radio 1 Gregathlon for Sport Relief to the audience and viewers at the National Television Awards. The daunting challenge will see him attempting to complete a triathlon a day for five consecutive days, around five different UK cities. The gruelling target means Greg will cover more than 50 miles a day - a supreme effort in the middle of winter.
Not content with having a go at just one sport, Greg is arguably facing his toughest challenge yet with a total incline climb of 16,888ft, whilst running and cycling, plus swimming around a mile a day. Despite his training, keeping the momentum going each day will undoubtedly take its toll as he aims to raise as much cash as possible for Sport Relief.
The incredible feat kicks off in Belfast on Monday 8th February, with BBC Radio 1 listeners and Sport Relief supporters able to track Greg as he broadcasts his show between 4pm and 7pm from a new city every day. Over the course of five days he will criss-cross his way around the nation via Cardiff, Glasgow and Sheffield before storming across the finish line in Norwich on Friday 12th February. Each of the five locations, will be the flagship cities of the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games and Greg will be encouraging the public at home to sign up to the event, which takes place from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th March.
Taking in the sights with Greg along the way will be fellow presenters of BBC Radio 1, including Nick Grimshaw, and BBC 1Xtra.
In the lead up to his challenge, Greg will visit a nursery in a refugee camp in Jordan. He will see first-hand how the money raised through Sport Relief is used to help displaced families and children in the country to receive access to education, whilst maintaining an all-important sense of community.
“It will come as no surprise to you that I'm not a professional athlete” Greg says. “So the prospect of doing one triathlon is daunting enough. Doing five in five days, in five different cities, is madness. I want this to be one of those challenges no one following it would want to do. It needs to be genuinely horrible for me so that people buy into it and donate their hard earned money to this incredible cause."
“The public can follow the story all day on BBC Radio 1 and then I'll also be doing my own show at 4pm each day at the end of each triathlon. That'll be an interesting listen! Training has been tough, wet and so horribly cold but I'm determined to accomplish this so that Sport Relief will be able to direct some much needed money to support people who really need it. I’m looking forward to the fantastic Great British public’s support to keep me going in each city. It's going to be a mad week!"
Money raised from The Gregathlon will be spent helping people living unimaginably tough lives, with half of the money raised used to make a difference right here in the UK. The other half is used to transform lives across the world’s poorest communities.
