Gemma Takes on IRONMAN 70.3 and Raises Over £2,750 for the Fountain Centre
6 hours 49 minutes. A 1.2-mile swim. A 90K bike ride. A half marathon. And over £2,750 raised for the Fountain Centre.
Our Exercise Service Lead, Gemma Harris, has completed the incredible challenge of an IRONMAN 70.3 — and what an achievement it was!
After months of training, Gemma crossed the finish line in an amazing 6 hours and 49 minutes.
Her race included:
- Swim: around 40 minutes
- 90K bike: 3 hours 35 minutes
- Half marathon: 2 hours 19 minutes
- Plus transitions between each discipline
As Gemma puts it, it was “every bit as tough as I expected (and possibly a little tougher!)” — but she did it!
Raising money for the Fountain Centre
While completing such a huge personal challenge was an incredible achievement, Gemma's motivation went far beyond the finish line.
Through her fundraising, she has raised over £2,750 for the Fountain Centre, helping us continue to support people affected by cancer.
Gemma said:
“The Fountain Centre means an enormous amount to me, so knowing that all those hours of swimming, cycling and running have also raised money to support people affected by cancer makes it even more worthwhile.”
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who supported Gemma throughout her challenge. From donations to messages of encouragement, every bit of support helped keep her going through the months of training and on race day.
A challenge that brought people together
One of the things that has meant the most to Gemma has been the incredible response from people around her.
She was particularly touched to receive donations and messages from people she hadn't seen or worked with for months — and in some cases, years.
“It's been so lovely to reconnect with people through this slightly crazy challenge!”
It’s a wonderful reminder that fundraising challenges can bring people together in unexpected ways, while helping to make a real difference to others.
Thank you for your support
Gemma would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who donated, sent messages, followed her training journey or simply cheered her on from the sidelines.
Together, you helped raise over £2,750 for the Fountain Centre.
From all of us at the Fountain Centre, thank you, Gemma — and congratulations!
And as for another IRONMAN 70.3?
Gemma says she’s “definitely not in a rush” to do anything like that again!
If you'd like to keep up to date with Gemma and the Fountain Centre, you can subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of our website. We’d love to keep you connected with our latest news, fundraising events and challenges.
