A THROOP woman has embarked on a challenge of marathon proportions – 20 to be precise.

Carole Loader, 45, has began a training programme involving running up to 50-55 miles every week, all in the name of two charities, the Royal Bournemouth Hospital’s Jigsaw Appeal and Wave 105 Cash for Kids.

She wants to run 20 marathons before the end of the year and as an added test of endurance, many of the events are set back to back, with four sets of three marathons in three days.

When she completed her first marathon in London, in 1993, she did it in just over five hours and 23 minutes, having underestimated the training required. She was so shocked at how difficult it was that she vowed never to do another.

Luckily for the charities she has helped, she changed her mind.

Carole said: “The best thing I ever did was to join the local Bournemouth Joggers running club, around eight years ago.

She added: “Since I’ve started going along to their get-togethers I’ve now run 30 marathons, vastly improving my time.

“Since that inaugural attempt at 26.2miles in 1993, I achieved my ambition of qualifying for the prestigious Boston marathon in 2010, where I ran my fastest ever time of 3.23.33.”

Back in 2008, Carole set herself the challenge of running from Land’s End to John O’Groats for Cancer Research UK and over 10 weeks she covered 1,205 miles and raised more than £12,000 in the process. Now, she has already completed three marathons back-to-back, and will be completing three more similar triple marathon events.

Carole has also been selected to run one of the marathon legs for Relay GB this month, which will see her be part of a world record attempt on the distance relay running world record.

For more information, go to uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ marathonmadness