012 was an incredible year in the development of womens sport, majorly increasing the spotlight on the achievemnets by female elite athletes. The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games were dubbed the 'womens olympics', and has been a great springboard to inspire females in general to live a healthier life through sport.
Take a Challenge aims to inspire people to lead healthier lives and our community is fairly balanced between the two genders. Some of the acheivements by the Take a Challenge female community are truly incredible and should be used to highlight what can be achieved when you put your mind to something. We aren't about splitting the genders instead we are about being inspired, and Inspiration is what you will find from the women below.
Corinne Ellison - From Heart Surgery to Ironman
In 2010, Corinne Ellison had major heart surgery, two years later she completed the Austrian Ironman, a journey that demanded determination, motivation and a lot of hard work. Prior to her operation Corinne wasn't exactly what you would call unfit, she ran a little and in 2009 had joined a Triathlon club. She threw herself into her new found passion and completed her first sprint and then Olympic distance triathlon in the 2009 season. It was later that year that Corinne began to notice a few problems when she was training, tiredness, shortness of breath followed by palpitations and chest pains. She noticed her lips and tips of her fingers often had a blue tinge to them. As these symptoms continued and could no longer be attributed to over-training, Corinne took herself to see her local GP. Read More...
Tina Clark - A Journey Towards Health
In 2008, Tina Clark reached her limit and decided enough was enough, her life needed to change. She was stuck in a job she hated, she had steadily put on weight reaching 19 stone and felt unattractive and had been living with a diagnosis of relapse MS since 1995. It was time to take control. This is how she did it.
Changes needed to be made to improve her quality of life and bring happiness. She started by enrolling at University, initially on an HR degree but later found a passion for event planning and switched to Event Management. Even getting a place at University took perseverance as she was initially rejected but, after some persistence, she managed to secure an interview which led to her being accepted. The University life agreed with Tina and having completed her degree she is now studying for her MA in Public Relations.
With one element of her life turning around in her life, Tina turned her attention to how she felt about her body and physical health. Read More... (Needs article to hyperlink to)
Mimi Anderson - Ultra Runner Extraordinaire
Mimi Anderson, lover of all things pink, has become the fastest female to cross Ireland on foot.
Unlike the majority of 50 year old grandmothers and grandfarthers for that matter, Mimi Anderson is not one for sitting down and putting her feet up. The double Guinness World Record holder from Smarden in Kent has racked up an impressive list of achievements as one of the worlds greatest endurance athletes.
Mimi has already ran countless marathons, but her greatest achievements have been running distances far greater than any marathon. Mimi has already ran hundreds of km's across the Sahara, Namibian and Kalahari Deserts, she's the first woman to complete a Double Comrades marathon in South Africa 180km (112miles), and if that wasnt incredible enough, the first woman and the fastest overall runner to run across the Arctic in 143 hours 23 minutes.
Kelcey Anne Harrison - 3,500mile Run Across America
Kelcey decided to run all the way across the USA in memory of another inspirational woman who lost her battle with lung cancer, Jill Costello.
Kelcey decided to put life on hold for a little while, finished her work in New York and instead take up the challenge of helping to fight against lung cancer. She would run across the country to her, and Jill's, hometown where she would then decide what to do next.
The ran began on July 30th 2012 and came to its conclusion in San Francisco on December 1st the same year. Kelcey had ran 3500miles and a more detailed account of the journey can be read here... (link to article)
Sarah Outen - London to London via The World
After rowing 4000m across the Indian Ocean in 2009, Sarah's hunger for adventure grew into a new challenge, to travel the globe under her own steam. The following article has been edited from her own blog and gives you a glimpse into what she experienced during this inspirational adventure.
In the Beginning and Europe...
After 2 years of hard graft, training and logistical preparation Sarah Outen jumped into her Kayak on April Fools day 2011, at her launch site next to London’s great Landmark, Tower Bridge. Sarah set off on an epic 800+ day adventure to travel from London Bridge to London Bridge via the world, through the engine of her own body. Her first obstacle was to get out of the tidal Thames estuary and head south for the busiest shipping channel in the world, The English Channel. Read more... (Needs link)
Anna Wardley - 5ive Island Swim
Anna Wardley was an occasionaly recreational pool swimmer in 2007, now she is swimming around 5 islands for charity. Having lost her father to suicide when she was younger, Anna, developed a passion for the work conducted by the Samaritans and as such has placed fundraising for the charity, and others, at the heart of her challenge.
She will be taking on her final swim of 60miles non stop later this year and you can read about her previous swims, experiences and what is to come here... (needs link)
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