The unlikely ultra marathoners who conquered the Isle of Wight Challenge for Team Daisy
Wayne Chalmers and Team Daisy have so far raised more than £11k by completing the 106km (65 mile) ultra marathon in aid of a new bereavement suite in Northampton
“We were in some bad places, going up steep inclines in the dark at three in the morning when we couldn’t really walk.”
There were times this weekend, when he was confronted with another interminable hill, that Wayne Chalmers felt like stopping.
But the Northampton resident knew his 106km (65 mile) slog round the edge of the Isle of Wight - crazy though it may have seemed - had the very best of reasons behind it.
Wayne and a hardy group of friends and family took on the Isle of Wight Challenge to raise money for a new bereavement suite at Northampton Hospital.
The hospital’s appeal is taking place in memory of Wayne’s daughter Daisy, who sadly passed away just an hour after being born in 2018.
Team Daisy was formed shortly afterwards in her memory.
The new bereavement suite received planning permission last year, and the hospital - along with Team Daisy - have been fundraising ever since.
In all, it is likely to cost around £150,000.
The Isle of Wight Challenge was the latest - and almost certainly the toughest - fundraising effort the charity has taken on.
So far, the ultra run has brought in more than £11,000 towards the suite.
Wayne said: “We’ve had a phenomenal weekend in terms of fundraising, and our social media output means we’ve been asked a lot about what Team Daisy is and we’ve been able to share that.
“This weekend has been an amazing effort. Team Daisy was started nearly five years ago, and we’ve got some brilliant supporters, who got themselves across at their own expense to walk around what is the most horrific island.
“I don’t understand the logic of it. You go up a hill, then you go up another hill and you don’t seem to come down.”
In what was by far the longest run he has ever done, Wayne completed the challenge in 27 hours and 54 minutes.
Speaking previously on the Running Tales Podcast, he said the hospital’s decision to raise money in Daisy’s name made him “immensely proud”.
“Obviously we would prefer Daisy to be with us, but we can’t change that so this is the next best thing we can do,” he added.
“The work that lots and lots of people have done towards this is brilliant. Once it is built it is something that can never be taken away.”
For more on Team Daisy, visit their website at www.teamdaisy.co.uk
Thanks as ever for reading and listening to Running Tales. We couldn’t do this without your support - please back us to keep going by…