The challenge of walking uphill for 26 miles is just beginning to sinking in for five teams preparing to take on the Three Peaks Challenge in a charity fund-raiser.
The climbers from across the WH Smith Group will be taking up the challenge on September 9 and 10.
The seven climbers, with the support of two drivers, will tackle Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon, the three highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales, within 24 hours.
The WHSmith Three Peaks Challenge is a partnership between the WHSmith Trust and the Mitchemp Trust, that has been running high quality and safe mountain challenges both within the UK and overseas.
Each team will be challenged to raise £5,000 to support the work of both charities. The WHSmith Trust supports education and the efforts of WHSmith staff in their local communities and The Mitchemp Trust helps to build the confidence and self esteem of vulnerable young people.
One of the company's teams, 7up is based at the WHSmith News depot at Wednesbury. The members include climbers Gorav Verma, Shaun Hulme, Rashid Qureshi, Danny Wright, Philip Hancher, Chris Jones and Adeeb Qureshi. The drivers will be Ian Venebles and David Chamberlin, who both served in the Army.
Mr Hulme said: "Dave has climbed these mountains and is giving us support with training and guidance in how to prepare for the challenge.
"We decided to do this as we were all looking for a challenge and this was a worthy cause. It also gave an incentive for the less fit members of the group to get fit. We now need to get used to walking 26 miles uphill."
Fitness First have given the team free membership plus training jackets that are being used around three or four times a week.
Shaun said: "We really hope more companies will be able to give us their support so we can reach our £5,000 target." For more details call Shaun on 0121 556 7483.
Meanwhile, hundreds of youngsters will be getting physical next week in the annual Fit for Fun initiative.
Cares, Business in the Community's employee volunteering initiative, is running its biggest ever annual Fit for Fun action day across five West Midlands sites.
10 bus loads of year 6 pupils will take part in the event along with 500 volunteers from 38 leading local businesses including, Heinz, Zurich Commercial and HSBC Bank. Its aim is to demonstrate to the children, and often the employees, that healthy eating and regular exercise can be fun.
The venues hosting the events include Alexander Stadium at Perry Barr, The University of Birmingham, Alan Higgs Centre in Coventry and Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton. Boxing champ Richie Woodall will lead the warm up session at Oakengates Leisure Centre in Telford.
The day will challenge the youngsters to tackle physical and mental activities devised and run by teams of employees from local companies.
