We want to go the extra mile in 2012 for our friend

IT is a mammoth fundraising challenge taking place on water, foot, and bike, across four countries and over two continents.

Friends Brian Taylor, who lives in Newington, and Roz Currie, from Leith, are aiming to complete 12 events in 12 months during 2012 in a bid to raise funds for the charity Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

One of their best friends, 33-year-old Anders Gibson, a former James Gillespie’s High pupil, suffers from the life-threatening disease and is the inspiration behind their year-long challenge.

Although five of the events are Edinburgh-based, the pair will travel to compete in the Chicago half-marathon.

Brian, 32, said: “We’ll be running 61k, canoeing 18k, cycling 249k, climbing 5.6kand travelling 12,800k.

“I met Anders through a youth event when we were 12 years old and we’ve been friends since then. I have seen him deteriorate over that time.

“When he was 12, he had physio and took pills but he could pretty much run around like a normal 12-year-old boy. Now he can’t run around at all. He can’t spend too long walking around outside because it can take its toll.”

The “12 in 12 in 2012 challenge” will kick off with Brian, a senior risk manager for the Scottish Government, and Roz, who works as an educational psychologist for the city council, taking part in the Great Winter Run (5k) in Edinburgh on Saturday.

It will be followed by the “ultimate gym class challenge” on February 3, which involves completing all the gym classes – ranging from body pump to spinning – over a six-hour period at Fitness First on Glasgow’s Cathcart Road.

Brian said: “We’ll do it in fancy dress with leotards and I’ll probably be looking slightly ridiculous in a 70s moustache.”

The Bradford 10k will follow on March 25, before the friends prepare for what will be one of their toughest challenges on April 7 – canoeing the length of Lake Windermere.

Brian and Roz, who have started a blog to record their efforts, will then take part in the Great Manchester Run (10k) on May 20, before cycling from Glasgow to Islay in June.

July will see the friends take on the Three Peaks Challenge – Snowdon in Wales, Scafell Pike in England and Ben Nevis in Scotland – before they hop on their bikes again the following month for the Glasgow to Edinburgh Bike Ride.

Next up is the half-marathon in Chicago on September 9 and the Great Edinburgh Run (10k) in October.

Brian said: “In November, we’ll walk the seven hills of Edinburgh in fancy dress. We’ll be tandem biking between the hills.”

Roz, 31, said: “I’m looking forward to the challenge but I’m carrying an injury at the moment.”

The final event will be the Great Edinburgh Santa Run in December.

Log on to www.justgiving.com/teams/FCF to Sponsor Brian and Roz.