A man from Blackburn took on one of the “toughest physical endurance challenges that anyone could take on” to raise money for Derian House Children’s Hospice.

Ryan Walmsley, 23, an ambassador for the charity, endured a whopping 140-mile swim, cycle and run in the UK Ironman challenge in Bolton last Sunday (July 2).

Ryan said: “I definitely feel that Ironman is one of the toughest physical endurance challenges that anyone could take on in a single day.

“There were definitely some dark times during the challenge. It was a goal I have wanted to achieve for so long. Before I knew it, it was go time and I was getting ready to swim. The water was super choppy because of the wind.

“It was incredibly gusty - I was battling to stay on the bike, clinging on for dear life. It was hill after hill. When it came to the run, it was a relief to get off the bike. And although I got severe cramping late on, I kept on going.”

Lancashire Telegraph:

Ryan raised more than £10,000 in 2018 and helped the charity gain national coverage, when BBC Radio One surprised him live on air to congratulate him for his amazing dedication to charity.

Setting off in the early hours, Ryan began with a cold lake swim at Pennington Flash in Leigh, before jumping straight on his bike for a seven-hour, 112 mile pedal in powerful winds along a hilly route which took in Darwen, Belmont and Edgworth.

Ryan, an operations team leader at BAE Systems, finished off with a 26-mile run through Bolton town centre.

The race took a total of 14 hours, 37 minutes and 24 seconds.

Lancashire Telegraph:

This year’s Bolton Ironman had the highest-ever drop-out rate with just 840 out of more than 1,100 participants who started out finishing the gruelling course.

Ryan has been pushing himself to the limit to raise money for Derian House for more than 10 years.

He said: “Because I was raising money for Derian House, not finishing was never an option for me.

“Reminding myself who I was doing it for was what kept me going. The money I raise will go towards vital care for the families who visit Derian House and that is so important to me.

“When I look at my medal I think - you can’t buy that. I think of all the early mornings and late nights that I’ve spent training, and now I have achieved what I wanted to achieve. It’s all worth it now. Reaching that finish line will live with me forever.”

Ryan began his fundraising journey for Derian House aged 18, when he set himself a challenge to run at least three miles every day over a year.

In 2020, he took just over three days to cycle 230 miles from London to Chorley on a child’s bike – which he dubbed the Tour de Derian, raising £2,165 for Derian House.

Mick Croskery, fundraising manager at Chorley-based Derian House, said: “Ryan never fails to deliver us with crazy challenges, and he has truly outdone himself in this latest one. Ryan, you really are Ironman!

“While it is free for families, it will cost £6 million to run services at Derian House in 2023, and we couldn’t do what we do without the awesome effort of our ambassadors – just like Ryan.”