The last time Liam Manning found himself in the Brecon Beacons, civil war had broken out in Wales and he had to navigate a 10-hour hike in a relentless storm while rescuing several of his colleagues from danger.
Okay, it was a role-playing exercise which formed part of the Premier League’s ECAS (Elite Coach Apprenticeship Scheme) programme, but there remains a certain association with hardship when discussing that particular area of the country.
Something that’s only likely to be enhanced next month when he, his coaching staff and other individuals connected with Bristol City such as BBC Radio Bristol’s Joe Sims attempt to trek Pen y Fan 10 times inside 24 hours, which is around 40 miles, just under the distance from Everest Base Camp to the summit.
The weather should be considerably better, although Chris Hogg’s north east roots have him pining for howling wind and rain to add to the overall difficulty, but it still makes for an imposing challenge. By his own admission, Manning likes a walk, to help clear the mind and get out in the open. But this is a little different.
Training has started in earnest, with participants squeezing in as much time outside of the regular timetable as they can before the trip by multitasking on the bikes at the HPC, studying footage, and analysing the opponents.
Of course, the motivations are much more than personal grief; they are participating in order to collect funds for Charlton Farm, which is located slightly more than a mile from the High Performance Centre and is a component of Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW). Though it has a long history with City, the charity and refuge has had a big impact on Manning and his players this year.
Charlton Farm, which opened in 2007 and was originally constructed on the Wraxall Estate from old barns and farm buildings, offers hospice care for children and
Because of the type of care provided and what they do, Manning said, “we obviously came here right before Christmas as a group and naturally you’re a little bit uneasy in terms of what to expect, but all of us left here going, ‘wow, what a place’ and not just the place but the people here.”
Given that it’s so close to where we are, we wanted to establish a relationship and link and try to build on some amazing work that’s done here. They had a significant impact on the group as a whole, which is why we didn’t want to make it a one-time event at Christmas or a token visit.
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