Albion season-ticket holder Craig Peters is to attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most chest to ground burpees in 24 hours.
With the current record standing at 9,600, Craig, who lives in Worthing, must average 400 burpees per hour throughout the challenge. The event will be held at Optimus Gyms, Rustington, West Sussex, on Saturday 3 December and will raise money for the fetal medicine unit at St George’s Hospital, London.
In February 2014, Craig’s wife Kyrie was diagnosed with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), which occurs in just ten per cent of multiple pregnancies. TTTS affects only identical or monozygotic twins and occurs when the flow of blood in the placenta blood vessels between the twins is out of balance.
One twin receives too much blood, putting a strain on the heart, whilst the other receives too little which can affect their growth and survival.
As a result, the pair had to undergo emergency laser ablation surgery. Craig’s boys made it through the procedure and to give something back he completed over 67,000 burpees in 2016 and 6,500 burpees in 24 hours, raising £17,000 in the process. This enabled St George’s to receive the fetal endoscopic set to improve clinical outcomes following treatment for (TTTS). Now Craig is going for one last fundraising challenge.
He has been preparing for this event through a gruelling training regime overseen by strength and conditioning coach Oliver Dowding of IN2FIT Personal Training. Craig is also now a sponsored athlete of Optimus Gyms which has been supporting him throughout his training both in and out of the gym.
Craig said: “Firstly, I must thank everyone who is supporting me. Optimus Gyms have been incredible and I can’t speak highly enough of them. They have become friends, as has my coach Ollie. When he speaks to me, he makes me want to run through a brick wall for him, he’s that good. And of course my family who have been so patient and supportive of me during my training for what I’ve promised is one last attempt.
“We know we are one of the lucky families. Some face TTTS with often tragic consequences. Therefore, I’m determined to give absolutely everything for them and the hospital staff. They are the reason I have my twin sons. It’s really that simple. That’s what motivates me.”
Craig has just begun fundraising and his Just Giving link can be found here.