Lytham dad-of-two Chris Morton has found turning 40 tougher than he thought it was going to be!
Chris, a senior business partner in the Finance Department at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, began planning for his big birthday at the start of the year when he and wife Emma came up with a series of challenges for him to mark the occasion.
The latest of these has been a Tough Mudder in Manchester’s Heaton Park, which had Chris tackle 20 plus obstacles over a six mile run.
Chris used the event to raise £680 for Lancashire Teaching Hospital Charity’s Children’s Fund, which supports improvements to children’s in and outpatients at the Royal Preston Hospital and also, at all other children’s facilities managed by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Chris was inspired to support the fund by his seven-year-old “very boisterous” son Wilfred, who took part in a one-mile Lidl Mudder at the same time.
Chris, who has also been cannoning in the Lake District and has an upcoming quarry abseil to contend with, said: “Making these plans over a New Year glass of wine seemed a good idea at the time!
“I hit the big 4-0 in June. The challenges are about crossing off a few things from my bucket list and proving to myself that age is just a number!”
He added: “I enjoyed the tough mudder but I am going to need quite a few days to recover. I am very grateful to everyone who sponsored me. It was great Wilf was able to do the Lidl Mudder. He’s very boisterous, which has led to past A&E visits. This is why I wanted to support the Children’s Fund.”
Cheerleading in Heaton Park for Chris and Wilfred, who is a regular in the junior park run at Park View Park and a pupil at Ansdell Primary School, were Emma and the couple’s daughter, four-year-old Elsie.
To find out more, become involved or make a donation to the Children’s Fund, go to www.lthcharity.org.uk/childrensappeal
