(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Qatar-resident and lawyer Perrine Fages has just returned to Doha from Europe after tackling one of the world's toughest endurance challenges, the Enduroman Arch 2 Arc. The challenge sees competitors run 140km from London's Marble Arch to Dover on the English coast, swim the English channel and then bike 288km from Calais to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
'It was incredibly tough but in the end hugely rewarding. I really pushed myself to achieve something a few years ago, I would not have felt or dreamed possible, Fages, a French national, said in a statement. 'To balance work, personal life and training that was at its peak 40 hours a week on top of full-time work is a huge commitment, she stressed.
As one of the world's toughest endurance events, the Enduroman Arch 2 Arc has been attempted by around 50 solo athletes, with only 27 (at the time of Fages' attempt) having fully completed the challenge. Coached by Ryan Bowd of RnR Sport, Fages was able to complete most of the monumental challenge, with only her swim being cut short by 3 nautical miles due to tidal conditions, preventing her to reach land safely.
She started this immense challenge on June 22 at 5.30am at Marble Arch, running the route to Dover in 16 hours and 21 minutes, a record time, setting the fastest women's solo run time and second fastest solo athlete run time (men's or women's) ever in Enduroman Arch 2 Arc history.
Fages set off swimming the channel at 6.25am on June 23, and crossed through the half way point in 7 hours and 30 minutes.
However, as she reached close to the French coast, tidal conditions changed and behaved abnormally and it became apparent to her support team, coaches and organisers that it would be unsafe to keep her in the water until it would be possible to reach land. As such, it was necessary to remove Fages from the water for safety reasons.
'I obviously have unfinished business with the channel, but overall I am thrilled to have gone from London to Paris under my own power, she noted, thanking her friends, family and coaches for their support. 'Without which it would not have been possible. Who knows, if I can get some sponsors and support, I might go back to break the women's record, Fages added. Though disappointed, as this meant Fages would not receive a full finishers designation in the Enduroman Arch 2 Arc records, she showed great mental strength and determination to continue on to Paris on the bike. With the backing of the organisers and support team, she biked the 288km to Paris in a mere 17 hours and 6 minutes.
Fages finished the challenge undesignated in the records of the Enduroman Arch to Arc but was presented with a finisher's medal by its founder, Edgar Ette at the Arc de Triomphe.
She did not earn the # with number that designates a full finisher (as she had to end her channel swim early), but she has taken the respect and admiration of its founder, her family, her team and the thousands of people who followed online, shared content and took inspiration.
Her next big challenge is competing in this year's Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, with more events to be added to her 2018 and 2019 plans with announcements to come.
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