Maggie was on a roll as Race to Stones raises charity cash
MAGGIE Lewis marked a milestone birthday by participating in Race to the Stones – a 100km ultra trail marathon – earlier this month.
Turning 65 years old the day after the two-day race, Maggie, from Cheltenham, stated that raising money for Blind Veterans UK in this way was an “awesome way to mark a milestone birthday”.
“Taking on such a challenge enables us to discover just what we can do, as we push ourselves to try and find our physical and mental limits,” said Maggie. As planned, she ran or walked as the terrain dictated, but by the end of the first day she was in pain with her hip.
After a few hours’ restless sleep, feet taped to avoid blistering, Maggie set off on day two and found that she could jog comfortably. Close to the end, when she could see the finish about three miles away across fields, she felt a sharp pain in her toe. There was nothing more she could do except grit her teeth and carry on. The pain subsided and she was able to run across the finish line.
Maggie is on her way to her target. Donations to help reach the £500 mark can be made via justgiving.com/fundraising/margaret-lewis6
“In recent years, John, the husband of a close friend, has been helped by Blind Veterans UK. I also knew of my friend Kelly’s achievements at the Invictus Games, in which she was supported by the charity, and so it seemed a lesser-known charity offering valuable support,” said Maggie.
Blind Veterans UK helps vision-impaired ex-service men and women of every generation rebuild their lives after sight loss. Since 1915, the charity has given rehabilitation, advice and support to tens of thousands of blind veterans.