Marathon Des Sable 2010
This is the hardest event I have ever taken part in, 6 Days – 152 miles across the Sahara Desert in Morocco, heat in the region of 50 degree c. running across, hills, sand dunes and rocky regions. One race day took all day and all night non stop 56 miles!

Self sufficient carry your own food, clothing, cooking equipment, sleeping bag Water given at checkpoints. You also have to carry a flare, anti venom kit (if the sun don’t get you the snakes and scorpions might!) and essential medical kit i.e. treat blisters all in one rucksack, your total rucksack weight is approximately 10- 12kg.

Approximately 10 percent of entrants either had to withdraw due to health or exhaustion problems. Although the toughest event I have ever completed also the most satisfying, especially when I managed to raise over £5k for Swindon therapy centre for MS and Swindon Downs Syndrome group.

Macmillan Cancer Relief New York Marathon 2005
Swindon Macmillan Cancer relief runner Les Slinn has completed the gruelling 26 mile New York Marathon in aid of the appeal raising over £2,000. In temperatures of 68 degrees Les ran through the 5 boroughs and 4 bridges setting a completed time of 4hrs 4mins and finished in the top third of the field. The New York times stated "this marathon is the most challenging both physically and mentally".
Over 36,000 runners took part in the race coming from all over the world. The majority running for charities like Macmillan raising much needed funds.
Les stated, "the New York public were fantastic, over 2 million along the route cheered all of us to the finish line, at 22 miles we all needed that boost due to it being so warm and it really did make a big difference,". Macmillan also had a big cheering section just coming off Queensborough bridge at 16 miles.

The day before the big race Les and his now wife Clare entered a 4 mile friendship run for all overseas runners this gave him a taste of what the atmosphere was going to be like on race day.
Whilst out there Les was talking to Macmillan race organisers and was asked if he would perhaps think about running the London or Edinborough marathon for the charity next year. His answer "let me get over this one first!"

Chenobyl Childrens Charity 2006
Back in 1986 the Chernobyl Nuclear disaster hit the Belarussian people the hardest; the radioactivity was 90 times greater than Hiroshima. Even today more than 2 million people are still affected with no access to clean food. The emerging picture of the impact on the children with childhood cancers, leukaemia, tumours and thyroid cancers are rife.
The Chernobyl Children Lifeline charity was formed to help the children of Belarus, in which it raises funds to bring groups of children to the UK for respite care. The Swindon Link was formed in May 2006 and is run by Gin McGiffin.

Recently a group of children came to Swindon to host families and were given a whole months worth of activities which included a mornings Swimming and Kids Fit session at JJB Swindon with Les. All of the children enjoyed themselves and had fun. Les said "it was lovely to meet them, we all had a great time and I hope we can do this again when they come over in the summer!"
For more information please log onto www.chernobylchildlifeline.co.uk

Martial Arts Festival for Disabled Performers
On Wednesday 15 June 2005 at Cotswold Leisure Centre, Les was invited by Alan Reid (Festival Co-ordinator for Cotswold District Council) to be the Karate and Pad work Instructor. This event is the only one of its kind in the South West and approximately 250 Children, young adults all with disablities were able to get taster sessions in Karate, Kung Fu, Judo, tai chi and self defence.All the participants really enjoyed the day, had fun and went away with certificates, some even went away with well earned medals.

Radio Gloucester and local papers were on hand to help promote the hard work Alan and his team had put in. Les was more than happy to help and is looking forward to next year when we can make it a much bigger event.