Dubai: Fundraising for Jonathan Beeton who was critically injured in a boat fall on June 17, may have surpassed Dh300,000 in a testimonial match last weekend but that figure is still set to rise with the announcement of a Jebel Hafeet run.
Marcus Smith and Mike Jackson, teammates of Beeton and the friends responsible for his ‘Studente' nickname now plan a 12km run up Jebel Hafeet in the players' honour on July 22 starting at 5am.
Anyone can join, collecting sponsorship monies for the Beeton cause using whatever mode of transport necessary, be it roller skates or bicycles to just plain running shoes.
Smith said: "The Beeton family has been through a hard time in recent weeks and this is the least we can do to show our solidarity with them. We probably shouldn't be doing this during the summer in 40 degree heat but I thought lets run up it and see what happens. It's a nice start to a Friday, if you can call it that."
In a sentence that could come around to haunt him, Smith said: "If we feel alright at the top we may spin around and run back down."
Initially intended as fitness training test for his next attempt at the CrossFit Games, where he made the regional qualifiers in Japan this year but fell short of the finals in Los Angeles, Smith turned a weekend run between two mates into a fundraising initiative following news of Beeton's tragic accident.
"We wanted to keep the fundraising momentum going after the testimonial match last weekend and thought there was nothing better than running for such a beneficial cause. We put the idea out there among friends on Facebook and the response has been fantastic."
Beeton's fall from the back of a boat at a friend's birthday party left him brain dead and doctors have told his family he will never regain consciousness. Funds will now go toward meeting medical and logistical costs for the family. Beeton was 27 and leaves a wife of just six months.
"We may not raise Dh300,000 like they did at the weekend, but whatever we make will be something for his family to recover the costs of Jon's hospitalization."
Smith, founder and owner of a physical and psychological fitness group called Inner Fight, tested his wits recently in hilly Athens and Santorini and envisages Jebel Hafeet as being pretty tough. He reckons the whole run will take an hour and a half.
"It's not a race and there will be no prizes for first place," said Smith, who stresses Beeton's cause will be the true winner that day.
Those interested in taking part or volunteering as support staff should email winning@innerfight.com.
