Lowestoft man takes on iron man challenge in memory of his brother Taylor High

Rowing the equivalent length of the channel, swimming the equivalent width of Loch Ness, cycling 50 miles and running a marathon.

Curtis High in training for his seven day ultimate iron man. Pictures: Courtesy of the High family - Credit: Archant

That may sound like a bucket list of fitness goals to achieve in a lifetime – but one Lowestoft man is preparing to complete seven of these extreme challenges, back to back, over seven days next month.

Personal trainer Curtis High has set himself the impossible challenge – a seven day ultimate iron man fundraiser – in memory of his brother who died six years ago.

Curtis, who is well known around Lowestoft for helping people achieve their goals, has taken it one step further as he sets his own targets with a major challenge. Mr High, 30, a personal trainer at Bannatyne's in Lowestoft, will take on seven extreme challenges between April 17 and April 23 as he raises funds for the Taylor High Memorial Fund.

Taylor and Curtis' parents Elaine and Gary High set up the fund in Taylor's memory, after the popular teenager died in a crash in west Norfolk in 2011. Since then the fund has raised more than £93,000 for deserving causes and made more than 80 donations to deserving people, community projects and organisations across Waveney.

Curtis High said: 'In January 2017 I turned 30 and to celebrate I decided I wanted to push my body to its limits and raise as much money as possible for charity along the way. I really wanted to do something special to raise money for my brother's memorial fund. So I asked a few people for some tough challenges – they came up with marathon, iron man, skydive – and I thought, yes, they sound tough but the problem was I thought I could do them. So the thought of doing them back to back for seven days straight seemed ridiculous.....so that was it, and the challenge was set.'

He will take part in seven gruelling challenges, one every day of the week, next month. These are a tandem skydive, rowing the length of the channel on a water rower, swimming the width of Loch Ness in a swimming pool, climbing the height of the Eiffel Tower on a climbing wall, cycling 50 miles on an exercise bike, competing in the East Anglian Triathlon and then finishing the week by running the London Marathon. Curtis will be raising funds for the Taylor High Memorial Fund and PSPA. To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/curtishigh