Carolyn steps out on marathon challenge
Bid to complete 15 events in 15 days for Beatson funds
MANY runners find the 33,000 steps of one marathon a once in a lifetime ambition.
Spare a thought for cancer crusader, Carolyn McAlpine, 32, who will cover 393 miles as she tackles 15 consecutive marathons in 15 days for the Beatson charity.
Carolyn wants to involve more people and said: That’s one [marathon] in every local authority area within the Beatson’s Catchment. If you are in the west of Scotland I will no doubt be coming to a town or village near you and I would love for you to get involved.
‘Why not take up your own challenge or arrange an event and get your friends to sponsor you?
‘It doesn’t have to be a marathon: a fun run, a mile, a 5k, just whatever is a challenge to you.’
Carolyn, who has already raised £2,526 of a £15,000 target, kicked the challenge off on Arran last Saturday, then moved on to Islay on Sunday, Stirling on Monday, Clackmananshire Tuesday, Falkirk Wednesday, North Lanarkshire Thursday and today (Friday) she will be in South Lanarkshire.
The marathon effort will end at the Beatson on October 29.
Carolyn expects to be on her feet for between six and eight hours a day.
Carolyn is no stranger to marathon efforts for the Beatson. She was made an ambassador for the unit after a 100mile run in three days in 2012, from the unit to her home in Tarbert, with Lochgilphead Red Star supremo Dougie Moore.
The urge to raise funds has become a personal challenge since cancer took Carolyn’s dad in 2010, her aunty Cate in 2012 and her mum in October last year.
Challenge
At the start of her fundraising efforts, Carolyn said: ‘After five years of having the Beatson play a huge part in our lives, I wanted to take on a fundraising challenge that was meaningful to us and would give something back to the Beatson.
‘I joined forces with my friend Dougie and we set out to run the 100 miles from the Beatson home to Tarbert over three days. A journey I knew only too well.’
When her beloved auntie was taken, Carolyn said: ‘That’s the thing about cancer, it doesn’t discriminate.
‘It doesn’t care if you have plans or if it’s already ripped your world apart.
‘There is just no predicting the exact moment it will strike or the number of times that horrible little parasite will rear its ugly head in any of our lives.
‘The sad truth is that people die every day from cancer, and we are not the only family who have first-hand experience of this.’
More information about the event is available at www.justgiving.com/beat15 or Facebook/ Instagram: @beat15run