He’s run the London Marathon in a rhino suit‚ now Johannesburg adventurer and rhino activist John Black is preparing to climb Mt Vinson in Antarctica in December.
Yes‚ he will be wearing his suit resembling the endangered animal.
Black is raising money for rhino conservation through the fund-raising platform GivenGain. All funds will be donated to the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT).
“As it’s World Rhino Day‚ it will also be almost three months to the day until I leave on 26 December‚ so the timing works out well‚” he said.
“The idea is to fundraise for the EWT‚ and if my target of R250 000 is reached‚ I will then attempt to climb the highest mountain‚ on the coldest continent in a rhino suit.
“This will be the conclusion of my Seven Summits endeavour — climbing the highest mountain on each continent‚” he said.
Black raised almost R100 000 when he ran the London Marathon in 2013 in his rhino attire.
“The suit [for Antarctica] is not yet finalised‚ but it will not be identical to the one used in London.
His training has focused on cardio and endurance training — running‚ trail running and cycling‚ “with some strength training thrown in the mix”‚ he said.
“In an effort to get accustomed to dragging a sled on the lower slopes of the mountain‚ I also train by walking up the steep hills near my house‚ dragging a heavy tyre to simulate a fully loaded sled on ice.”
by Suthentira Govender
TMG Digital
