ROZ Brown is keeping the fighting spirit of her late husband Oli alive by taking on a gruelling 70 mile triathlon to raise funds for the charities that helped him.
Oli was a keen runner and triathlete having been an active member of Spa Striders since moving to Warwick five years ago.
The mechanical design engineer had what he thought was flu following a mountain biking trip to Wales but was diagnosed with a form of rare high grade neuroendocrine cancer, affecting nerve and gland cells. Oli lost his courageous fight in August, aged just 33.
Roz also recently participated in the Stroud half marathon in Oli’s memory alongside 18 runners from the Spa Striders as a warm up for the Cotswold Classic middle distance triathlon next August.
“At his funeral seven weeks ago, his former clubmates challenged me to get up to distance and I ran it with them in their club colours” 29 year-old Roz told the Observer.
“Travelling to and running in Stroud was a fantastic display of support in his memory by his running club and I’d really like to thank the Striders for all of their support”.
“Most importantly, seven weeks on from his funeral, we’re all out and running in his memory”.
Roz, who now lives in Stroud, spoke of the courage and attitude Oli showed in the aftermath of his diagnosis.
“He had such a brilliant attitude to his illness and maintained the strength not to be told his prognosis and had chosen to redo his favourite triathlon to prove he’d beaten the cancer.”
The triathlon involves 70.3 miles of swimming, biking and running with many friends taking part alongside Ros, and will raise money for the Royal Free Charity Fund 311 (research into the cancer), Longfield Hospice and Sue Ryder.
A £10,000 target has been set that will be split between the charities.
Visit www.justgiving.com/teams/RacingForOliBrown to donate.
