Richard undergoes over 140 miles in memory of beloved cousin

At just the age of 40, Richard Brookes’ cousin Helen Lees passed away in 2017 after suffering from a brain tumour.

Richard took on Ironman UK in Bolton in memory of his cousin Helen and is raising money for her chosen charity, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity.

Ironman UK involves over 140.6 miles of gruelling hard work. Richard took on 2.4 miles of swimming, 26.2 miles of running and a huge 112 miles of bike riding.

Richard said: “Helen was unbelievably brave throughout the last stages of her life, always upbeat and always smiling regardless of what life threw at her. I saw Helen a few months before she passed away, her sight had started to fade and treatment was taking its toll on her but it didn’t stop her from keeping the vibe a positive one.”

After a year of training, Richard went onto take part in the triathlon with the hope of raising at least £140.60, the amount of miles he fought through, but has managed to raise a huge £750, with donations still open.

If you would like to find out more about taking part in challenges and fundraising for the Charity, please click here.

If you are inspired by what Richard has done in memory of his cousin, you can still donate on his JustGiving page here.