FOR some reaching the age of 40 is a time to celebrate, for others the ‘40th’ milestone is a reason to challenge oneself.

This was the case for Haslemere Border Athletics Club runner Caroline Searle, as on her 40th birthday in 2014 she set herself the challenge of running the Great South Run.

Caroline enjoyed the event and completed the ten-mile course in a time of one hour 31 minutes 13 seconds, but she vowed that there was no way she would ever consider running a marathon.

A year later, in 2015, while watching the London marathon and listening to the theme music from the comfort of a sofa, Caroline once again couldn’t resist another challenge and before she knew it had entered the ballot for 2016. Although, unsuccessful in the ballot, Caroline was lucky enough to be awarded the Haslemere Border AC club place in the marathon, so the gruelling training began and yet another challenge had been set.

The dedication to training and long hard runs throughout the winter paid off and, after finishing in 4.24.28, Caroline declared that it was “hands down one of the best things I have ever done”.

Fast forward to 2019, and reflecting on previous achievements, Caroline decided to aim for the ‘Classics’ medal, with the two remaining challenges being the Swim Serpentine and the Ride London 100 to be completed.

Confident of being able to complete the cycle ride, her main concern had to be the two-mile swim. Barely able to swim a length of front crawl and having never done open water swimming, Caroline had certainly set the bar high. Not expecting to be successful in the London Ride 100 ballot, Caroline entered the Serpentine Swim. We can only imagine her feelings and words when she discovered she had been successful in the Ride 100 and was set to complete both events within a month of each other.

First up was the Ride London, an epic ride celebrating the legacy for cycling created by the London 2012 Olympics.

Starting in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, it follows a 100-mile route out to Surrey’s stunning countryside with some leg-testing climbs. It was a tough day for Caroline with multiple stoppages because of incidents on route – just missing a tree falling down on her, Box Hill being closed early because of a crash, and a puncture 15 miles from the finish. But finish she did, in 9.01.02 – two hours later then she had planned because of the numerous incidents and stoppages on route.

A month later and with one more event left to obtain the ‘classic’ medal, the swimming lessons and training were put to the test. The challenging two-lap swim was set in the beautiful location of the Serpentine in Hyde Park, the venue for the open-water swimming events in the London 2012 Olympics.

The event, held in September, is now in its fourth year and 2019 attracted the largest number of competitors since the first race in 2016.

Despite having problems in the first five minutes with her goggles and having to grab hold of a passing kayak while sorting herself out, Caroline managed to complete the two miles in 1.48.02, an impressive time for someone who could only just swim a length a year earlier. In completing the swim, Caroline had joined the elite club of other Haslemere Border Athletics Club runners who have successfully obtained the Classic medal.

Caroline has been quick to praise her friends, family and Haslemere Border for being so supportive and recognises without their support she may not have been able to achieve her personal challenge and succeed in obtaining the London Classic medal.

Throughout all of her challenges, Caroline has also undertaken to raise money for The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation, which organises weddings for people who are terminally ill or who have life-limiting illnesses, and has raised an amazing total of £5,783.

So what’s next for Caroline? Her hopes of taking part in all three ‘classic’ races in the same year were dashed when she was unsuccessful in next year’s London marathon, but not one to sit back, she immediately entered the 2020 Paris marathon instead and, in the meantime, awaits the ballot result for the Ride London and has once again entered the Swim Serpentine.

Haslemere Border offers potential challenges for everyone from beginners to the more accomplished athletes. For more details, email [email protected].