Dove Step 2 saw us enact our version of a triathlon – a 700 mile sea kayak, cycle and walk. This time it's a duathlon; a cycle – run effort taking us to Spurn and specifically Migfest.
Dove Step 3.1 will see Nick Moran and myself cycle 160 miles from Thetford to Migfest at Spurn – around 50 miles further than either of us has cycled in one day before. Then, the next day run 26.2 miles – a marathon.
We will be joined by our support crew; Mr Malcolm Fairley (of Dove Step 3 and UK birding infamy) and Mr Charlie Moores (long distance cyclist and natural world broadcaster). It promises to be a challenge should be that ... challenging.
We have no idea how our bodies will feel at the 100- or indeed 150-mile mark of the cycle ... then no guarantee our legs will be in a state to run the next day.
Why are we doing this? A number of reasons:
- We should all go to Migfest! The late great Martin Garner and Andy Roadhouse have a left a legacy which has become one of the birding events of the year;
- To boost this year's Dove Step fundraising;
- Migfest is a celebration of migrants and the monitoring of migration by the BTO, SBOT and humble birders like you and I ... European Turtle Dove is a star migrant;
- To remind you to log your European Turtle Dove records via BirdTrack so that they're available for conservation;
- So that you never forget European Turtle Doves (and you don't forget Dove Step!).
You can find out more at dovestepthreepointone.home.blog or, to make a donation to help our imperilled European Turtle Doves, visit the JustGiving page. Our most recent podcast can be listen to below.
