Schoolteacher completes epic challenge by running across Africa

Schoolteacher completes epic challenge during summer holidays by running across Africa

• 4000 km over 3 months
• Running coast-2-coast from Namibia to Mozambique

Adventure runner and schoolteacher Brendan Rendall has spent the summer holidays running across Africa from Namibia to Mozambique. Rendall began this epic challenge in Hentie’s Bay on the Namibian coastline on 3^rd June 2018 and ran northeast through Namibia, Zambia, Malawi before crossing Mozambique to reach the east African coastline. He was struck down with a parasite infection in the final week, which delayed progress by several days, but finally dipped his toes into the Indian Ocean on 8^th September 2018.

Rendall, and his team were self-supporting – camping en-route. The primary aim of the challenge was to raise £75k to build vital hostel accommodation for vulnerable orphans at the ‘Friends of Mulanje Orphans’ (FOMO) secondary school in Malawi.

Running between 40 and 50 km most days meant rising at 4am to beat the mid-day heat.

“Physically, it is was an enormously tough challenge” said Rendall; “I had to combat sand storms, wild animals, extreme temperatures and illness, but the purpose of the fundraising kept my mind focussed on the final goal.”

“It was my first time visiting many of these countries and the stunning landscapes took my breath away … but the most remarkable part of the journey was definitely the kindness and generosity of the people I met along the way – this was extremely overwhelming; strangers invited me to stay in their homes, mended my equipment and welcomed me to their family dinner tables – I own these people a debt of gratitude that I will never be able to repay.”

Namibian star athlete and Commonwealth Gold Medal holder (Marathon 2018), Helalia Johannes, sent a message of good luck and said of Rendall “You are a true legend and an inspiration to us Africans.”

Notes for Editors

Brendan Rendall, 39, is a schoolteacher, specialising in children with special educational needs. Originally from Somerset, now resides in Manchester (United Kingdom).

Not a natural athlete, he started running following a drunken bet to enter a half marathon. Overweight and very out of shape, he ran at night so no one would see him training. He became addicted to the natural buzz he got from running and started competing in longer races before entering his first marathon a few years later. He is an ambassador for Yeovil College where he studied and recently returned to full-time education to complete his PGCE in Special Needs Education having recently himself been diagnosed with dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder.

Brendan speaks very openly about his struggle with being overweight and his challenges at school and university because of dyslexia; he continues to inspire people who can relate to his story on a personal level and speaks very passionately about striving to overcome his limitations.

In 2016 Brendan became the first person to run the length of Malawi. Running 27 marathons in 27 days; he returned to the UK to run the length of Great Britain just 4 weeks later.

In total he has raised over £70k for charity.

Rendall started this current challenge on the 3rd of June 2018 at Hentie’s Bay on the Namibian coast

Total distance = circa 4000km

Brendan ran at least one marathon (42km) most days and compensated for 7 sick days by increasing his daily mileage. Average miles per day overall = circa 25 miles.

Friends of Mulanje Orphans (FOMO) is a UK based charity who run a number of support centres and a secondary school for children in Mulanje District of Malawi, many of whom are orphans or destitute because of extreme poverty. Mary Woodworth and her husband Keith founded the charity in 2000, and since then they have grown rapidly and now support over 5000 orphans in Malawi. Through their community outreach programme and secondary school, they provide clothing, food and education.

High-resolution images/ video:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jf2almlczqe0yzk/AACQMJWhn9KWXvCvrkojhv4pa?dl=0

Contact:

Name: Brendan Rendall

Telephone: +258 86 456 5359 (Mozambique cellphone/ SMS)

Telephone: +44 77 4324 3231* (UK cellphone/ whatsapp) * RETURNS TO UK 11/09/18

Email: brendanrendall@gmail.com

Web: http://brendanrendall.com

Facebook: Brendan Rendall

Instagram: @helpfomo35

Twitter: @helpfomo35