Eastbourne travel writer prepares for toughest charity challenge

This month she is joining eight other travel industry professionals to tackle the UK’s biggest ultramarathon and raise more than £7,000.

Raising money for Reuben’s Retreat, Jeannine will be part of the Reuben’s Racers team in Race to the Stones, a two-day 100km challenge on July 13 and 14.

The event attracts 3,000 entrants from around the world who follow Britain’s oldest footpath to the 5,000-year-old UNESCO-listed ancient stone circle at Avebury in Wiltshire.

Although Jeannine has completed half and full marathons in the past, and is a regular at the Eastbourne Half Marathon and Beachy Head Half Marathon and 10k, she says it will be her most difficult and biggest challenge to date.

“In 2022 I joined a travel team to run the London Marathon in aid of the Family Holiday Charity, which provides seaside breaks and day trips for families going through tough times,” said Jeannine, who lives in Eastbourne.

“This time we decided to push ourselves even further and take on Race to the Stones for another really worthwhile charity that has links to the travel industry.

“There is a fantastic camaraderie within the team and we have all been training for several months with the help of ultramarathon coach Rory Coleman who has completed more than 1,000 marathons over the past 27 years. We will be tackling 50km each day and camping overnight. While I know it’s not going to be easy, the route looks absolutely spectacular so I’m determined to get round.”

All the money raised by Jeannine and fellow Reuben’s Racers will go to Reuben’s Retreat, which was founded in 2012 by Nicola Graham, supported by her husband Mike, following the death of their 23-month-old son Reuben from an extremely rare and aggressive brain tumour. Both Nicola and Mike worked in the travel industry for many years.

Based in Derbyshire, Reuben’s Retreat supports families of child loss and families of children living with medical complexities through counselling, support groups, activity and therapy days, and respite breaks. Some members of Reuben’s Racers have visited the charity to spend time with families and children in the run-up to Race to the Stones.

Jeannine said: “I was very moved when I first heard about the charity, which does incredible work following on from Nicola and Mike’s own heart-breaking loss. If any readers can spare a few pounds towards our fundraising target of £7,000 I’d be very grateful.”

Anyone who would like to donate can find Jeannine’s JustGiving page at: https://tinyurl.com/5cym8pvt