Chris Grenfell practising for his seven-day Ironman challenge. SUR

British triathlete to attempt gruelling challenge for MND

56-year-old Chris Grenfell will attempt a 70.3 Ironman triathlon for seven consecutive days to raise funds for Saca la Lengua a la ELA

Friday, 21 April 2023, 12:56

A British expat, who has lived on the Costa del Sol for almost 35 years, is to undertake a gruelling triathlon challenge to raise funds for Saca la Lengua a la ELA, a non-profit association that supports people with Motor Neuron Disease (MND).

Chris Grenfell, a 56-year-old personal instructor, will attempt a half Ironman every day for seven consecutive days, starting with the official 70.3 Ironman in Marbella on Sunday 7 May. The triathlon will include a 1.9km swim, a 90km bike ride, followed by a 21.1km run, which the energetic former builder will repeat for the remainder of the week because he "likes a challenge".

Chris is no stranger to demanding challenges for worthy causes. Previous fundraisers include carrying a fridge from Puerto Banús to Elviria for the Debra butterfly children charity; a 150-round non-stop boxing match for Darkness into Light; and an ultra-Ironman to help raise funds to buy prosthetic limbs for a quadruple amputee from Marbella.

Chris, who is also a rugby fan, explained to SUR in English that he decided to use his latest challenge to attempt to raise 7,000 euros in seven days for 'poke your tongue at MND' because the "number seven is significant".

"The rugby union coach, Kevin Sinfield ran seven marathons in seven days in an attempt to raise 77,777 for ex-Leeds teammate Rob Burrows, who is severely suffering with MND. Rob played at number seven, so I decided to do mine for a week, starting on 7 May, and I nicknamed the event the Magnificent Seven," Chris explained.

Chris, who describes himself as a "non-conformist maverick with a thirst for fun adventure", has set up a Facebook page (christopher.grenfell.3) and he is hoping that people will get behind his challenge in order for him to reach his target.

"I really need to pull on the heart strings and get people to donate a few quid. I want people to see the damage that this disease does to people. I chose the MND charity because the person who set it up was a triathlete himself before being diagnosed with the disease in 2018," Chris said.

Chris is now training to get ready for the task, which he says he is "absolutely confident" he will complete.