 Jennifer, Amanda & Karen |
Triumphant ladies reach the finish after multi-marathon challenge
Three exhausted but jubilant friends crossed the finishing line on Thursday 29 th April after clocking up an amazing five marathons in five days, and raising more than £5,000 for the Iain Rennie Hospice at Home (IRHH) nursing service.
With aching feet covered in blisters, Karen Buchanan, 47, Jennifer Antonelli, 49, and Amanda Smith, 48, were met by family and friends at The Boat pub in Berkhamsted after completing the final leg of their 135-mile trek along the Grand Union Canal towpath.
The marathon challenge was in memory of Karen's husband Mick, who was cared for by Iain Rennie nurses before his death from cancer five years ago. Day two of their trek, Monday April 26, was also Karen and Mick's 25 th wedding anniversary, which Karen said was a day of tears and laughter. "Amanda saw I was flagging a bit and lent me her iPod player. The first song to come on was the Beatles' Hey Jude, which Mick often used to sing. It was quite a poignant moment for me but it helped remind me why we were doing this."
Karen, who lives in Berkhamsted and is administration manager for the Pepper Foundation, said she had wanted to do something to support IRHH nurses because of the wonderful support they gave Mick, herself and their four children. "Without that love and support, things would have been much harder to bear."
And she paid tribute to her friends, Jennifer, who lives in Berkhamsted, and Amanda, from Ashley Green, saying: "I could never have done it without them. They have been terrific."
The three friends set out from Birmingham on Sunday, April 25, walking for around 12 hours each day, and staying overnight at bed and breakfast hotels. They had all completed marathons in training but Karen said they were surprised how quickly the blisters began to appear on their feet. "They began on day one, which we had not expected. We have spent a fortune on dressings and plasters and have been bathing our feet in cold water each night. It feels like walking on fire and we have had to be careful where we walk because the canal towpath is often rutted and uneven."
The final leg of the trek took them through Berkhamsted, Hemel Hempstead and further south before they turned back towards home for the last few miles.
Karen said the three friends had received many 'lovely messages' of support which had helped them to keep going. "We are also delighted to have raised more than £5,000. That means our daily rate has been £1,000! It's been a fantastic personal achievement for all three of us, as well as a great way to remember Mick and the wonderful care that IRHH provide."
7th May 2010
