420 km for One YMCA: Team Hailo-Ops on the 140 Challenge

Three of us walked and ran 140 km each this September for young people who need a safe place to live. We passed our fundraising target with ten days still to go.

By Dennis Hector, Co-Founder · 3 min read

140 km each, across September
3 of us: Dennis, Pedro and Andy
420 km combined
£1,173 raised against a £420 team target

Total from our JustGiving team page on 26 September 2026, plus £194.25 Gift Aid.

Why 140?

One YMCA is 140 years old this year. To mark it, the charity asked supporters to cover 140 km during September, the distance that links its three community hubs in Watford, Bedford and High Wycombe. Every participant commits to raising at least £140.

One YMCA's three hubs: Watford, Bedford and High Wycombe, joined in a loop of about 140 km — ≈ 140 km. The loop between One YMCA’s hubs in Bedford, Watford and High Wycombe. The challenge asked each of us to cover that distance in a month, on our own routes. Straight-line distances between the three towns.

Why we signed up

Young people in supported housing are facing a mental health crisis, driven by daily choices between heating, eating and paying for basic utilities. One YMCA works with them every day through supported housing, youth work, family support, domestic abuse services and counselling. It supports more than 150,000 people a year across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

The sums are simple, and they matter. £10 pays for a professional counselling session for someone in crisis. £140 pays for 14 of those sessions, or a secure mobile phone and prepaid SIM for someone escaping domestic abuse.

How the kilometres added up

We each covered ground wherever we could. Pedro ran across London, through Kilburn, St John’s Wood, Camden and Marylebone, and set himself a personal goal of 150 km. I walked the Hertfordshire lanes at first light, through Ashwell, Newnham, Bygrave and Caldecote, with Yellow the dog, who has opinions about puddles.

Team Hailo graphic titled Pedro, running across London, with selfies of Pedro on his runs through Kilburn, St John's Wood, Camden and Marylebone — Rain, mud and early starts: the Hertfordshire lanes and the London streets.

Not every day was glamorous. Some mornings it was hood up, head down and rain the whole way round. The miles don’t care what the weather is doing, and neither does the reason we were walking them.

Andy was sidelined by injury for part of the month, and the team adapted. Our friend Jon Satinet stepped in so we could still get out for another 5 to 10 km while we were a person down.

The body and legs are feeling it, but the cause is the driver.

Dennis, at 87.8 km

Day 20: target smashed

On day 20 we passed our £420 team target. That wasn’t us. That was you: every donation, every share and every “how’s it going?” along the way.

Supporters have now given £1,173, plus £194.25 in Gift Aid. We are carrying on to help One YMCA reach its wider milestone goal of £14,000.

Day 20 graphic reading Target smashed, Go Team Hailo — Our day 20 update, shared on LinkedIn.

Thank you graphic: your donations took us past our target, home stretch, ten days to go — Our day 20 update, shared on LinkedIn.

What the money does

Every pound goes to One YMCA’s work across the region: housing, health and wellbeing, training, and family and youth work. On our team page, the charity sets out what £420 alone could help fund:

an overnight residential place for 10 young people
training for five youth mentors
a mobile phone and SIM for someone escaping domestic abuse
a workshop helping parents support young people in the digital world

The home stretch

The challenge runs until 30 September. If you’d like to help us finish strong, you can donate on our team page. A share or a comment helps too. We read every one when we’re out on the road.

About One YMCA

Go Team Hailo-Ops.

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