Highland teenager to run along Great Glen Way to benefit pupils at Glen Urquhart High School
A Highland teenager has set himself the challenge of running a distance of more than two marathons to benefit younger pupils at his school.
Shannon Thorp, an S6 pupil at Glen Urquhart High School, in Drumnadrochit, hopes to run a 56.4 mile route following the Great Glen Way from Fort William to his school within a time of 12 hours later this month.
The sporty 17-year-old - who has also played cricket and football for Scotland - will be joined along the way by his headteacher and others.
Shannon, who is in his final year, says it is his way of giving something back to the school as the money raised will go towards helping to renovate the canteen and seating area into a more open area with pool and air hockey tables.
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Shannon hopes to raise £5600 - £100 for each mile - and has set up a crowdfunding appeal for people donate.
“I have had a thought in my head for a while now, and it's something that I have been asking myself over the last five-and-a-half years of being in this school, is can we have more entertainment in the school,” he says.
“My idea is to bring a pool table or two to the school, as well as an air hockey table but that is not all.”
The plan is to introduce soft seating and large tables where pupils can sit eat, and chat.
“For me though, this isn’t just about the pool and air hockey tables,” Shannon continues.
“This is about giving something back to the school, as I feel they have given a lot to me so can I give back by leaving the pupils in the years below me with enjoyment of using the pool and air hockey tables but with money for them to spend on things they want to bring to the school too.”
He will be doing the challenge between February 23 and 24.
“I have always wanted to do something like this just to challenge myself,” he said.
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“I happened to see a video a couple of months ago that the school wanted a pool table and to do a bit of renovation to make it a better place for children to learn and have fun at the same time.
“I thought running the Great Glen Way back to school would be achievable.”
As part of his preparation, he is running 40 miles each week.
When he initially discussed the run with his headteacher Tjeerd Van Loon, he envisaged doing it over two days.
But having spoken to others, he now feels it could be possible to do it in one day.
Headteacher Mr van Loon who will join Shannon on the challenge admitted he is unsure about his own capabilities in completing the entire route which amounts to more than two marathons!
“I have never done a marathon before,” Mr van Loon said.
“I did a half marathon about three years ago.
“I am a shinty player. I am a football player.
“This is Shannon’s Big Run with support.”
But he also revealed the pair have a sporting connection.
Both won the Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC - Small Schools League Senior Boys Shield - 30 years apart.
He said he was proud of what Shannon was doing for the school.
“This place is run on community involvement,” he said.
“I have been here 10 months as headteacher and I was here as a kid when it ran as a community partnership but not in a formal way.
“We run a lot of events on getting the community involved and this is another example of that.”
He said the aim was to revamp the school’s social area and make it a more welcoming space for pupils.
“It is all about getting the pupils to enjoy the school as a place not just about coming to learn,” he said.
The Big Run is not Shannon’s only community-spirited gesture.
In December, he became the first pupil at Glen Urquhart High School to receive the Gold Hoodie for his Sports Leadership Award.
Presented by Steve Walsh, chief executive of High Life Highland, it recognised Shannon’s 500-plus hours of volunteering in the school and throughout the community, supporting young and old in varying sports and events.
Three years ago, he made his debut for the Scotland under-15 cricket squad.
He first got involved in cricket when he joined the junior section at Northern Counties when he was five.
He currently plays for Huntly which is in the North-East Championship.
