The Chronicle (South Tyneside and Durham)
Dad’s marathon charity challenge
A DAD will take on a 215-mile ultramarathon across Scotland to raise funds for the hospice which cared for his late grandmother.
Ian Lowther aims to run from Portpatrick on the west coast to Cockburnspath on the east coast within 100 hours. The 39-year-old, from Annfield Plain, County Durham, will take on the huge challenge, which is called Race Across Scotland, in August.
He will donate all the funds which he raises to Willow Burn Hospice in Lanchester, County Durham, which looked after his grandma Marjorie Curry, 69, when she passed away from liver and lung cancer, aged 69.
Ian, who is dad to Emily, 12, has been fundraising for the hospice officially since 2019. During that time, he has completed 11 races and raised thousands of pounds for end-of-life care.
The warehouse team leader said: “The care which patients receive and the facilities there are absolutely incredible. The hospice only receives about 40% of their funding through the Government, the rest has to be raised through fundraising. It’s my way of saying thank you.
“I’m nervous but also excited as well because it’s the unknown! People ask ‘how is your training going?’ but you can only really train so much, it’s more of a mental challenge as well.
“It is daunting and I have no doubt, at times, it will get tough up there but I’m going to give it everything I have.”
Ian, who is married to wife Anne, 37, said he has been training for the challenge throughout the night. He said: “I want to see how far I can push the limits of my body. The first one I did was the Great North Run then I moved on to marathons, then 35 miles, then 75 miles and then 100 miles. The 100 mile one I completed in just under 30 hours. There’s not many races in between 100 miles and 215 miles.
“My wife thinks I’m absolutely crackers! Obviously they are proud of me but they think why and I say ‘why not?’ Everyone has got their own hobbies. For me it is kind of a bit of a release from the world. It completely clears your mind and I completely switch off. It’s good for my mental health.”
Ian will begin the ultramarathon at 6am on Saturday August 13 and he will aim to complete it by 10am on Wednesday, August 17. He will be supported during the challenge by two friends who will track his movement and meet up with him along the route.
To donate to Ian’s fundraising go online to: willowburnhospice.enthuse.com/pf/ian-lowther-race-across-scotland-ultra-4fe51