Ali Larsen
Our Team Ultraman - 10 people. 320 miles. 24 hours. 1 amazing cause.
Fundraising for Breast Cancer Now
Story
On 16th October 10 of us will be attempting to complete an Ultraman triathlon to raise money for Breast Cancer Now. This cause is so close to our hearts and here’s our team mate and friend Leah to explain why:
"We are doing this rather crazy challenge in memory of my Mum, Hayley, who unfortunately passed away from metastatic breast cancer in August 2020. If I’m completely honest she would laugh at how unfit I am whilst being a part of this Ultraman, so I think she’d agree that it’s quite the feat. After a 6-year journey with cancer the last few months of my Mum’s life were just so cruel. Unfortunately, with a stage 4 diagnosis, the prognosis was never going to be great. However, I believe that my Mum’s quantity, and more importantly quality of life could’ve been extended with better awareness. This is not only of primary breast cancer, but vitally for women who have had breast cancer in the past to have increased awareness of the unfortunate potential for metastasis – something I feel was lacking in my Mum’s care in some sense. Her cancer had spread to the brain (one of the most common sites for breast cancer metastasis might I add), yet this was something that my Mum and our family were completely in the dark about, and in turn the symptoms that may come alongside that. This message of increased awareness - pressing for scans and looking out for signs and symptoms of cancer spread is so important, and our chosen charity Breast Cancer Now has a heavy research focus on secondary breast cancer. They fund almost 40% of all research projects in the UK, focussing on why breast cancer spreads and becomes incurable. I hope that in the future charities such as this one will be involved in giving people better lives for longer, and crucially more time with loved ones."
So, this is why we are asking for your support. This may come in the form of donations, spreading and sharing our message, or even both. But what is it exactly that we will be doing? An Ultraman normally consists of a total of 320 miles that is completed by 1 individual over 3 days. However, we’re going to attempt to split that distance up and battle to complete it all in 24 hours. A 6.2 mile swim, a 261.4 mile bike ride and a 52.4 mile run will be divided up between us all, and we will aim to get the team across the finishing line by the end of the day. With only 6 weeks training it’s going to be a challenge, but with this cause and message being so important to us, we can’t wait to get going.