'My whole body was screaming but I'd bet my late wife I'd do it'

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A man has slogged 70 miles over the mountains of Denbighshire with a 90lb fridge freezer strapped to his back. Former Royal Marine commando Matt Jones took on the 'idiot' challenge to honour a bet made with his late wife.
En route he walked the 35-mile Llangollen Round, an event held every three years that climbs more than 7,500ft through the Dee Valley. Unlike other participants, he did it twice, completing the trek in 34 hours.
Driving him on were the words of his wife Vicky, who died just before Christmas. He said: 'I had to go deeper than ever before and take myself back to Commando training 23 years ago.
'My whole body was screaming, and I hit breaking point early on after a fuelling error. In the toughest moments, it was Vicky's voice through our four children that was telling me, 'You've got this, be you'.'
As Vicky had been a passionate supporter of Hope House Tŷ Gobaith children's hospices, which have bases in Oswestry and Conwy, Matt launched a tribute fund in her memory.
The idea of the freezer challenge came about when Matt was recovering in hospital after a total hip replacement operation last September. In a moment of bravado, the building firm boss found himself striking a bet with his wife.
He explained: 'The surgeon was telling me I had to slow down. Vicky was sat in the corner laughing whilst telling the surgeon, 'You might as well talk to a brick wall'." Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community
(Image: Tyn Dwr Hall)
Matt continued: 'She then told the surgeon, 'Knowing this idiot he will try and complete it again with a fridge on his back!'
'I replied, 'I will do it twice, with a fridge freezer on my back'. Smiling and laughing whist shaking her head, Vicky said, 'You've got yourself a bet Mr Jones'.'
Terrain on the Llangollen Round includes open moorland, limestone grassland, woodland and an ancient green road. Also on the route is Telford's World Heritage site Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
Matt, a 42-year-old father of four who keeps himself fit by playing rugby, said the distance was less of an issue than the 15,000ft in elevation gain. Despite hours of training – including sandbag squats in his kitchen – he admitted to being 'nervous and slightly scared' of failing to finish.
Along the way he was backed by family, friends and a support crew. After pushing too hard on the first 20km he 'nearly blew a fuse'. At one point he had to return home because 'my body was shutting down', putting the entire challenge in jeopardy.
(Image: Matt Jones)
In the early hours of the morning, after three hours of sleep, he got going again. He said: 'The wind on parts of the route made the fridge freezer like a sail. By the three peaks at Moel Fferna, it was all or nothing.
'We crossed Vivod as a team and came into Llangollen surrounded by family and friends with two hours to spare on our 36-hour limit. This challenge was never about fitness. It was about honouring a promise to my kids and keeping Vicky's spirit alive.
'Her mantra was, 'You are the only you, own it, rock it, feel it, embrace it, love it, and be it… be you!'' Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
By the end of his heavyweight trek, Matt had raised £50,000 for his local children's hospice. Hope House Tŷ Gobaith fundraiser Vicky Bradbeer said it had been an 'unbelievable challenge'.
'Wow! We are lost for words with Matt and his team's effort,' she said. 'What an incredible challenge - the most beautiful of tributes to Vicky and an example to his children, who must be extremely proud.'
'It's an amazing amount of money and it will go directly to providing free professional nursing and respite care to local children and families living with a life-threatening condition.' It's not too late to donate by clicking here.
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