A DEVOTED fundraiser has completed 20 triathlons in 50 days in aid of local charities – and as a tribute to his late mum.
Spencer Costley completed the mammoth seven-week sporting challenge this week, ahead of his 50th birthday. He is the same age as his mum Janice when she died 22 years ago.
Since July 6 Spencer, from Coventry, has covered a total of 1,032km running, swimming and cycling, and the financier, who works at Paragon Bank in Solihull, has already smashed through his target total of £1,000 for Warwick-based Molly Ollys and Myton Hospice, in Warwick, Coventry and Rugby.
He said: “My mum lost her three-year battle with leukaemia on Valentine’s Day in 2002 aged 49. This year I’m 49 so wanted to do a big charity challenge in her memory. On the September 22 I will be exactly the same age as my mum when she died. The 50-day challenge is important to me too. It’s symbolic as she never made 50.
“This has been a significant challenge but I have spent a lot of time remembering how funny, loving and generally brilliant my mum was. Myton and Molly Ollys both support terminally ill patients and mum would certainly approve of the great work they do. Molly Ollys is this year’s nominated charity for my company, Paragon Bank.”
It’s the precious memories that have powered Spencer through while running every day, cycling most days and swimming three times a week. But he often reflects on those subsequent lost years without, not just a mum, but a grandmother to his three children.
He continued: “It was tough going to hospital with my wife Faith being pregnant and then having a newborn. We saw my mum a lot in the last few months so she got to see my daughter Shannon as much as possible but the last six weeks of her life flew by and she deteriorated very quickly after her last Christmas. It’s so sad that she has never met my son Zac or daughter Poppie. My brother also has three children all born after my mum died.
“I guess the focus on Shannon and a young family got me through the tough times and since her death our family mantra is to live life to the full because you don’t know how long you’ve got.”
Spencer added: “Mum would be super proud, although she would have laughed and called me crazy for doing this, but she loved life and doing crazy stuff makes life more fun. My most precious memories of her are her laughter, always being silly but also very kind and loving. She always looked for the fun in life.”
To sponsor Spencer visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/spencer-costley-molly-big-tri-for-janice?
