Marathon challenge for charity

A full-time MBA student from Warwick Business School (WBS) will be running the Virgin London Marathon this year for charity organisation VICTA (Visually Impaired Children Taking Action).

Xiaotong (Tornar) Yang has secured a Golden Bond charity place in the race, which demands a high level of commitment from each individual.

Receiving the Golden Bond, Xiaotong has pledged to raise £1500 for the charity and according to the legal agreement signed upon receipt of this bond he will have to make up any shortfall.

After 3 weeks of fundraising, 22 people had donated £375 – 25 per cent of the minimum amount – leaving 8 weeks of fundraising to make up the rest of the total.

Xiaotong spoke to the _Boar_ about his training, the charity and how he has managed to juggle it all with his studies:

“I am training 4 times a week, through a combination of long runs, fartlek (alternating fast and slow running) and cross training (swimming or cycling),” he said. “My target is to finish the run in 4 hours.”

Charity has always been important to Xiaotong and this fundraising effort is not his first.

“I used to help organise an annual charity event called the Terry Fox Run (a Canadian charity) in Dubai,” he said.

“I also organised a dozen charity events when I was doing my undergraduates in Dubai. But this will be my first time doing a complete 42km run.”

With regards to the work/training balance, Xiaotong admitted that he takes on a lot.

“People often ask me how I manage to fit this commitment into my already hectic schedule, and honestly even I don’t know,” he said.

“Besides my studying and the training, I am also going for a dance competition in Blackpool next week and rehearsing for the role of Tybalt in the new Romeo and Juliet at WBS.”

VICTA provides aid for and runs engagement activities with blind and partially sighted children, young people and their families. Fundraising from participants in the London Marathon is VICTA’s main source of funding every year.

Anybody wishing to donate can do so at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/tornar