Lorna set for gruelling 740-mile running and cycling challenge in aid of Macmillan
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RUNNING and cycling a total of 740 miles within a week is the gruelling task being undertaken by a Caithness woman to raise money for charity.
Lorna Stanger is planning her duathlon early next week. She plans to run from her home in Thurso to Inverness, then cycle the North Coast 500 before running from the Highland capital to Caithness.
She has set up a JustGiving page to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.
The 51-year-old explained why she chose the cancer charity.
"I have lost a few friends to cancer and know others who are having treatment so decided to do the trip for Macmillan," Lorna said. "I don't have a target but would like to raise as much money as I can for them.
"I had a notion to cycle the NC500 route, which goes past my door, and thought it would be good to combine it with a run from Thurso to Inverness and back and raise money for the charity.
"It is a challenge, but I have done long-distance endurance tests before and have been cycling nearly every day during lockdown. I do around 80 miles most days."
Lorna, a qualified sports therapist, plans to set off on her duathlon at midnight on Sunday. When she gets to Inverness she intends to get a few hours' sleep before embarking on the NC500 trip starting and finishing in the Highland capital. She will then run back to Thurso.
"I would like to do it as quickly as I can and, hopefully, within a week – but I have no set targets," said Lorna, who will have a back-up team to support her. She has been sponsored by Thurso businesses The Bike Shop, the Comm Bar and Reid's Bakery.
Lorna has already completed some long-distance endurance tests.
In September 2015 she ran from Thurso to Inverness in under 24 hours to raise money for the Kayden Wish 2 Walk Fund.
The parents of Kayden Gordon, who has spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, were campaigning to raise the £80,000 he needed for an operation in America that would help him walk.
Almost two years later Lorna ran from Inverness to Thurso for the Anthony Nolan Trust which helped a young Caithness family. Euan and Aaron McLeod were diagnosed with a rare genetic condition, chronic granulomatous disease, and needed life-saving transplant surgery which was carried out in 2014/15.
Lorna was friendly with the boys' mother, Janet, who with husband Calum wanted to raise £150,000 for the trust.
She also cycled from Snowdonia to John O'Groats in 2011 with Mark Taylor from Caithness in another fundraiser. Mark also ran up the tracks of the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales.
Anyone wishing to donate to the Macmillan charity can do so at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lorna-stanger1
