'Iron Nan' raises £5K for charity

A 60-year-old from Stockport has adopted the nickname ‘Iron Nan’ for her remarkable exploits over the weekend. 

Maureen Wilkins took on the 140-mile IronMan triathlon on Sunday to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. 

After tragically losing her sister Joanne to the disease last year, Maureen was determined to make a difference to the lives of others, by helping to fund research into the condition. 

Maureen was also inspired by the late Rob Burrow, a former rugby league player who was diagnosed with MND back in 2019. 

Between his diagnosis and his death earlier this year, he and former teammate Kevin Sinfield have helped to raise over £6m for MND charities, raising awareness of the condition across the world in the process. 

The race, which took place in Nottingham, saw Maureen take on a 5k run, followed by a 111-mile bike ride, all topped off by a marathon (26.2-mile run) at the end- all of which she had to complete in just 17 hours. 

The swimming element of the race was unfortunately cancelled just days before, after organisers deemed the pool to be unsafe due to excess amounts of algae- this was replaced by the 5k run. 

This was especially frustrating for Maureen, who had worked so hard on her swimming since she began training back in January: 

“It was a bit of a shame really,” said Maureen.  

“I knew that swimming was by far my weakest area, so I worked tirelessly to improve it.  

“This involved night swims after work and often getting up in the early hours, sometimes as early as 5am. 

“My training in general was very tough, but I was helped out massively by various clubs- Cheshire Cycling Club were great with me, they encouraged me to get out on long rides, sometimes 200 miles at a time. 

“I thought at one point I might have bitten off more than I can chew, I thought there’s no way I can run a marathon after all this cycling. 

“I had to constantly remind myself why I was doing it- for Joanne, and that’s what got me through.”   

In terms of the running element, Maureen was well prepared- she currently coaches and runs with Stockport Harriers, with whom she did most of her training. 

Despite the frustration of the swim being cancelled, the race could not have gone any better for Maureen, who finished with a couple of hours to spare: 

“I managed to finish it in 13 hours and 14 minutes which I was really pleased with- I expected it to take me about 15 (hours), Maureen said. 

“The heat on the day was unbearable, there was no shade at all- I think because it was so hot it helped me in a way, I just wanted the race over and done with.” 

The grandmother-of-six is no stranger to athletic events, having represented Great Britain in the past at the European Duathlon Championships. 

Aged 48, Maureen represented her age group of 45-49 back in 2013 in Holland, and even has plans to possibly do so again in the future: 

“Having done so well in this event, I’m thinking about trying to qualify for my age group again. 

“I know I’m 60 now but age is just a number at the end of the day so we’ll just have to see what happens- my family don’t know it yet but it’s a serious possibility! 

“Last time I qualified Joanne and her husband were there to see it and I still remember the joy on their faces, it’s one of my fondest memories.” 

Maureen admits she could have done a much easier race and still raised money for charity, but says she was determined to make it as challenging as possible for herself: 

“A lot of people do marathons, but I wanted to go a step further- I thought I’d get noticed a lot more by doing something a bit more challenging, and hopefully raise more awareness of MND as a result.” 

It has always been in Maureen’s nature to help others, which she has shown throughout her life- she currently teaches at the Seashell Trust, where she tutors SEN and autistic children. 

As well as this, she was the cofounder of an initiative at Stockport Harriers, which helps young people with disabilities participate in sport: 

“Sport has always been at the forefront of what I do, but a lot of people don’t get the same opportunities that everyone else does, and I really wanted to help change that, Maureen said. 

“I believe all sports clubs should have an inclusive disability group, whether that be wheelchair users, deaf, blind, whatever- I think that is so important.” 

As mentioned, Maureen ran in the triathlon to help raise funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, which is a cause close to her heart. 

Maureen’s sister Joanne, from Droylsden, was diagnosed with the condition in early 2022 and sadly passed away 18 months later, aged just 57. 

“It’s such a cruel and heartbreaking disease, and the fact that there’s no cure is the worst part” Maureen said. 

“When you lose someone so close that you have nursed until the very end, it’s quite harrowing. 

“I ended up moving in with Joanne’s family to help care for her following her diagnosis as she was adamant about not going into a nursing home, and between myself, her husband Dave, son James, and daughter Francesca, we worked through the night to make sure she was ok. 

“It’s just what anyone would do for someone they love, it is the least she deserved.” 

Through running in the triathlon, Maureen has raised a whopping £5,546 for the charity, which will go towards funding the fight for a cure. 

It is not just Maureen who is helping the cause either, many of her family members and friends have chipped in to raise money for the charity via a GoFundMe page set up in Joanne’s memory, named Jo's Army. 

From Maureen’s daughter Katie staying up until 2am baking cakes, to Joanne’s niece Lisa taking part in a half marathon, the family have all made an effort to help make a difference. 

The total money raised so far stands at just over £7,000, if you would like to donate, just search ‘Jo’s Army’ on the GoFundMe website.