Phil Dwyer

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Sarah Myford, a single mom of seven, took up Ironman style challenges in your 40s

statistics suggest, many Women get enough exercise, with reasons ranging from the harassment in The Gym , in order to manage childcare. However, some Women are leapfrogging to take such hurdles, to the iron-distance triathlon.

Three so-called "ironmums," explain the attraction of the completion of a sport, the exhausting challenges - 2. 4-mile swim followed by a 112-mile bike ride and rounded off with a 26. 2-mile run.

'the older I get, the better I want to run' Claire Adam then again, as a single mother of teenage children

Claire Adam, 56, brands itself as a "hot flush athletes", because, she says, if you took the Ironman went to competitions, their symptoms of menopause.

"I have the feeling That endurance sport has helped me through menopause," she says. "When I read about what other Women went through, I feel very happy. "

Despite the sporty in school, Claire, from East Leake in Nottinghamshire, fell from a regular exercise routine in your 20s - "if I alcohol," she says - Only to run the return, as a Single Parent When her Two Children were still young.

"I could go Running in The Morning to eight o'clock and come back at 12:00 a.m. and they were still in bed. You don't even notice That I was gone," she says.

"I'm in awe of Women with small children, the contests Ironman. I was lucky That When I got in it, mine were Old Enough to be left. "

Claire says she is looking forward to the pride of their daughters, Lucy and Hannah take in their achievements

In 2016, she has to Nottingham for the Outlaw half triathlon event and says she has not regretted it since.

she completed her first Ironman in the year 2018 and to represent qualified in the UK in her age on the middle distance, the European Triathlon Union (ETU) European Championships in Romania and Austria.

"For me, it was a huge achievement," she says. "I had a GB triathlon suit with my name on it.

"I was competitive When I started - I just wanted to finish. But now I had a couple of podium places, and it is to me a buzz. The older I get, the better I would like to. "

Claire The Podium says she has "a buzz"

Claire's works in sales and takes care of her elderly parents. Your routine to fit the daily bike training, Running , and swimming, can take five to six hours, on the weekends, to such obligations.

"If I start training for an event, I notice you with plenty of so That you can look to organize friends to them and My Daughter also helps," she says.

"Neither my children, That interest in sports at the moment, But my older daughter writes on Facebook how proud she was of me and That really meant something. "

'I have suffered with low self-esteem' triathlete Sarah Myford says, Women are often to feel selfish, for sport

"you suffer from feelings of guilt. It is a feeling - perhaps especially for Women , you should not be training. Should you in search of The Family . "

So, says Sarah Myford, a single mom of Cornwall, with seven children between the ages of 12 and 31.

Sarah says, her passion for Triathlon has worked wonders for your self-confidence - But unfortunately not for their marriage, which failed, as she took to the sport.

she says, Women are often to feel selfish for exercise. "But it is hard for Women , in particular, find the time to do this kind of thing," she says. Sarah found the time by pressing your training around your family.

"I would get up to go in the summer at 4 PM, Cycling and try to get back before everyone got up," she says. "I trained for my first marathon with my youngest in a Running stroller, up and down the Camel Trail . I almost had to with him for the actual race in the buggy, When the babysitter fell through. "

Sarah (center) says she was not very good in sports in school

you, she was never canceled well in sports in school and studying, as they had children.

"I have suffered with low self-esteem, because I'm not particularly good at school. I was unemployed for quite a long time, then she ended up with children and deserves accommodation money for the cleaning of the holiday. "

she says, it was Only , as their children grew up, they started Running . "A friend said to me, 'Why are you doing a triathlon?' I said, 'I can't ride a bike more'. That was 11 years ago. "

Since then, Sarah run six Ironman has-distance races, and hopes That the competition in the middle-distance ETU European Championships in Austria, to represent where they qualified in Great Britain in the 55-59-year-olds.

Sarah has a regular length workout for your events In Between your work, study, and care for your family

There were difficulties on the way, both for Sarah and her family.

"One of my sons was teased in school because of what I have," she says. "Young people are not used to seeing Women do stuff like this. This is changing slowly, But too slowly.

"When I started triathlons, I suddenly found something That I could do," she says. "It's given me self-confidence, to get back to Uni and do a degree in sports and health.

"It sounds like a cliché, But I would never leave you in the situation felt, and to study, in addition to a load of young people, without the trust of triathlons have given me. "

more Men than Women in the Ironman-style events What is an Ironman event?

source: International Triathlon Union

'begin, It is never Too Late with the Training' Edwina Brocklesby ' s grandson say, you should not have to be called the "mad gran"

Up to 50 become, Edwina Brocklesby, described herself as a sporty at all.

"I played a little basket ball in the school, and have dancing, some ballroom, as an adult, But That was it," she says.

"I was a full-time social worker, and the typical stressed-out mother of three children and since many years I haven't had the time to do a lot of practice. "

Finally, a pointed comment from her husband Phil , his wife would be unable to "run two or three miles" - triggered Edwina in action.

they decided to run a half-marathon in Nottingham. "I joined a small Running group in The City , and That a group of runners, were so, so supportive. She had a place in the London Marathon this year, and you gave it to me. "

When her husband Phil died, at the age of 54, Edwina found to be Running - and the support of the people in The Club helped her cope with the grief. "He died of cancer. It was very Sudden - he was gone, in about Six Weeks ," she says.

Edwina, of Northamptonshire, threw himself into the sport found and endurance events were their strength. Now 76, she thinks she is a triathlete, the Britain's oldest Ironman and already has competitions 10 marathons and six Ironman.

part of the fascination for Edwina the support she gets from other competitors. "You are all together," she says. "The run is almost always fun. I'm not a serious athlete, I finish at midnight. "

Edwina's experiences led her to Set Up a charity Silverfit, aimed at older people for Physical Activity , and you also said you wrote a book called iron Gran - even though you, your grandchildren, Ben and Tilly say they should be called, "mad gran".

"they say That no one will know you, has a grandmother Like Me .

"But I don't think it ever begin Too Late with the Training. To reach the fact That I have been able to, what I have is proof. "

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Source of news: bbc.com