THOUSANDS of pounds have been raised for charity after an exercise group completed a gruelling 24-hour workout regime.

CrossFit Shadow Valley (CSV), based at Mamhilad Park Estate in Pontypool, faced the challenge for chosen charities Help For Heroes and Stillbirth and Neonatal Death (SANDS).

The core team of 12 athletes started the workouts on a rolling basis from 9.30am on Friday, August 26 and finished the following day, raising over £2,000 for the group’s chosen charities.

The challenge involved a variety of high intensity exercises, ranging from weightlifting and gymnastics to Olympic lifting and track running, all rolled into one regime.

As part of the challenge, the group also streamed live feeds of their workouts on social media, with the group fighting through the pain for a 10.30am finish on Saturday, August 27.

According to CSV co-owner, Leeanna Feiken, the idea of the event came from coach Adam Cox, who had previously been involved in a “gruelling and exhausting” 12-hour workout.

“The athletes were battered, bruised and tired but still smiling at the end of the workout,” she said.

“Anyone who knows anything of the CrossFit community is aware that we are willing to take on a challenge, no matter how tough, and push ourselves to our limits, especially if it will assist others around us.”

CSV co-owner Daniel Yates, previously served in the British Army Parachute Regiment for 14 years and chose the charities, with representatives from both visiting on the day.

Olivia Lennon, 37, of Pontneywdd, was one of the core team who faced the exercise challenge, describing the experience as “surreal".

“I’m ok today but I was very tired and sore the following few days. There’s a good dynamic with our team so no one got angry," she said.

“It was a bit of rollercoaster and there were some times between midnight and 4am that were hard but we kept the morale going.

“I thought it was going to be terrible but the activities and exercises get the adrenaline going and you feel ok while doing it”.

She added: “I was really pleased that people gave so generously for such amazing causes and we really appreciate the amount that was raised. I will definitely do it again.”

CrossFitter Simone Davies, who pulled out due to injury weeks before the charity challenge, added:“The amount of money they have raised is quite an amount, it’s a massive achievement. Especially to keep going for that length of time and for everyone to come out without injuries."

CrossFit Shadow Valley is Torfaen’s only affiliated CrossFit facility with a “mission to bring the community closer together through health, fitness and nutrition”.

For more information, visit: www.crossfitshadowvalley.com