AN intrepid pair of Redditch mums are to take on a mammoth challenge to complete six marathons across the globe.
Wendy Fleming from Smallwood, and Sharon Avery from Astwood Bank, began running just last year when they completed a Couch to 5k Challenge, but have already signed up for the World Marathon Majors.
The challenge involves running six marathons in total, in London, New York, Berlin, Chicago, Boston and Tokyo – and the women jet off to New York for the second race on the list next month.
The duo have already got off the starting blocks with this year’s London Marathon under their belt, taking just over four hours to complete the course and each raising more than £2,000 for charity.
Wendy, who runs a palliative care agency in Alcester, said: “When we ran the London Marathon we saw an exhibition where we heard about the world series of six big marathons.
“Apparently only 17 women from the UK have ever completed all six so we decided to give it a whirl.”
They each want to raise at least £2,000 for the PC Nicola Hughes Memorial Fund, in memory of a Manchester policewoman who was one of two female officers shot and killed after answering a routine burglary call in 2012.
The charity provides learning opportunities and pre-employment skills for children who have suffered the loss of a close family member through violent crime and Police Officer Sharon said: “It’s a tough challenge, but when people have sponsored you, they have invested in you and that really keeps me motivated.
“I’m not sure I’d manage to get up every day for the early morning runs unless I know it was all for a good cause.”
The women, who are members of the Redditch Stars Running Club, plan to run Tokyo in 2020 to coincide with the Olympics and each of them reaching a milestone birthday -Wendy hitting 40 and Sharon reaching 50.
Visit www.justgiving.com/sharon2325 to support the women in their challenge.
