Katie Conquers the Manitou Incline

I’m turning 40 this summer! To celebrate this milestone, I don’t want to celebrate in the typical way. Instead, I’m combining my love of travel, running, and the outdoors, while giving back to one of my favorite charities. On July 31, I’ll conquer the Manitou Incline in support of The Change Foundation (TCF), a UK-based charity that uses sport to empower undersupported young people.

My husband Steven and I first connected with TCF in January 2019, when we attended an event at the Saitama Prefectural School for the Blind. Alex and Dan from TCF introduced visually impaired (VI) rugby to a group of Japanese athletes and coaches. The opportunity to meet with the athletes and learn more about coaching VI rugby ignited my passion for TCF’s mission to make sport accessible for everyone. In October 2019, the England VI rugby team came to Japan for a pair of test matches against the Japan VI rugby squad. The England team graciously spent time with my students at Yokota West Elementary School and demonstrated once again that sport is for all. Since then, TCF has helped grow VI rugby, and they plan to sponsor a VI Rugby World Cup alongside this year’s Rugby World Cup in France.

As a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments, I’m passionate about TCF’s work with VI rugby, but I also support the work they do with youth in and around the UK, and, more recently, their work with Ukrainian refugee children. I knew that I wanted to support their work with some sort of fundraising challenge for my birthday. However, I did not just want to ask people to donate to TCF. I wanted to be an active participant in fundraising to empower marginalized young people and physically challenge myself.

After researching and debating potential challenges, I read about Rachel Jones’ record-breaking 1,000 Manitou Incline hikes in one year. The Incline, located outside Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA, is 2,744 vertical steps—more than the Empire State Building--in less than a mile. The climb is followed by a three-mile downhill trail run. Due to the Incline’s location and its physical demands, it’s a popular workout destination for Olympians, Paralympians, and active-duty military members. At that moment, I knew I had an appropriate challenge for this milestone birthday. So, in honor of my 40th birthday, I’m asking 40 people to donate $40 (a total of $1,600). I hope you’ll help me celebrate by donating in support of TCF’s life-changing programs.