Highcliffe woman Jane Athorn transforms her life and completes Ironman and qualifies to represent Great Britain
HIGHCLIFFE’S 49-year-old Jane Athorn has raised over £2,000 for Cancer Research UK after completing an Ironman in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Athorn, who moved to the local area 12 years ago from Oxfordshire, has transformed her fitness in 12 months and has now qualified to represent Great Britain in her age group next year.
Jane Athorn said: “Well, none of us is getting any younger, and after Covid, I had been feeling somewhat stiff and sluggish.
“With that in mind, I was mulling over the idea of setting myself a challenge.
“During an evening with family, while enjoying a few glasses of wine and discussing the idea, I blurted out the idea of an Ironman… too many wines, I reckon.”
Athorn’s first triathlon was Cotswold 113, where she qualified for the ETU European championships in Pamplona, Spain, and her second was Ironman Copenhagen, where she finished in an incredible 13 hours and six minutes.
Athorn added: “The following morning, with a slightly heavy head, I started looking up the details, and I registered and paid for my place!
“After speaking to her, I realised this would be not just be training for an event, but a lifestyle change.”
With that in mind, Athorn gave up smoking, cut down on her alcohol consumption and took up a better sleep routine.
She added: “I lost my father as a child to cancer, and he was probably the most wonderful and inspirational person I have ever met.
“Today, there are treatments that could have prolonged his life, but unfortunately, these breakthroughs came too late for him.“
When speaking about the transformative year, her coach, Lou Harris, said: “Jane has undergone a dramatic transformation through her triathlon training.
“From smoking and feeling unfit and unhealthy, she went on to complete every single session I set her in the past 12 months.
“She took part in our nutrition programme, completed our strength sessions, researched suitable kit, enjoyed her speed sessions, took note of her technique sessions, and inspired so many people around her by her can-do attitude.”
An Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a marathon (26.2-mile run) completed in that order, totalling 140.6 miles.
