[S]ue Jackson from Penrith, along with her friends Katie and Euan Nicol from Ayr, romped home in first place for their age group in the inaugural Traigh triathlon near Arisaig, which took place in September 24. The rookie athletes used the event to raise more than £3,000 for Parkinson’s UK.
Sue teamed up with close friends and husband and wife Euan and Katie to tackle the event and support a charity close to their hearts. Euan has been living with Parkinson’s since his diagnosis in 2008 at the age of 52.
Sue said: “Katie loves wild swimming and Euan likes his running so when they asked me to be the cyclist to complete their team I couldn’t wait to get involved. Despite his Parkinson’s Euan is determined to keep conquering new challenges and it was fantastic to be able to support him and Katie. None of us had taken part in a triathlon before so we really had to push ourselves. I like cycling for leisure and pleasure but this was a bit different – a 20km race over a tough route and no opportunity to stop at a café for cake like I usually do!”
For Katie the swim also gave her the chance to test her recovery from recent shoulder surgery. Katie said: “I love swimming in the sea and lochs but the surgery put a stop to that for a bit. The triathlon provided a real incentive to get fit and get going again and it was just wonderful to swim in the beautiful clear waters at Traigh beach. Sue suggested we use the event to raise funds for Parkinson’s UK and we’ve been overwhelmed with the support we’ve had from family, friends and even complete strangers. We can’t thank them enough.”
It was Euan who ran the last leg of the triathlon and managed to secure first place for the team. Euan said: “We had a fun time training and competing and it was wonderful to share the experience with Katie and Sue. Taking regular exercise is vital in keeping me fit and more able to deal with my Parkinson’s – I find that it really helps. That so many people supported us was a fantastic motivator and I’m delighted that we were able to raise funds for the charity.”
Abby Robinson, North East and Cumbria Regional Fundraiser for Parkinson’s UK, said: “Parkinson’s UK is delighted to have Sue, Katie and Euan’s support and well done to them for raising so much. Their hard work will help us deliver our commitment to enabling everyone with Parkinson’s, and their families, to be able to access high quality local services wherever they live. It will also go towards our world-leading scientific research to find a cure for Parkinson’s. The charity really appreciates their efforts.”
You can show your support for Sue, Katie and Euan by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/suejacksoncoach
