From hating exercise to ironman: Victoria Turner completes Copenhagen competition

Having pushed herself to her absolute limit, Victoria Turner crossed the finish line in Copenhagen after an epic 140-mile test of endurance and heard the words she had been longing for: “You are an ironman.”

Exhausted, yet triumphant, the 48-year-old had just achieved a personal ambition to swim two-and-a-half miles, cycle 112 miles and run a full marathon.

Competing alongside more than 3,000 athletes from 88 countries, the Norfolk woman finished her first ironman last month, marking the end of an incredible personal journey for someone who, up until a few years ago, hated the thought of exercise.

It was only during lockdown, when her father, suffering with dementia, and her mother moved in to her home just outside of Diss, that things began to change.

“My mum, who was 73 at the time, said we had to do something,” said Miss Turner. “She wanted to do the couch to 5km, but, at that point, I hated exercise.

“She would drag me around, moaning all the way. Even though I did not want to do it, it really helped me balance work, family and my father’s illness.

“It also gave me an hour a day to clear my head and felt like I was doing something for me.”

With her new-found love of running, she applied for the 2023 London Marathon and, much to her surprise, got in first time.

“At the time, a marathon felt way out of my league,” she told the Diss Express. “I thought I would never be able to run 26 miles.

“Having been inspired by my dad, I got in contact with Dementia UK and did a social media post on what my father was going through. Sharing our story helped me.”

Miss Turner went on to complete the marathon and raised more than £2,300 for charity in the process.

Soon after this, she was contacted by a fundraiser, who asked if she wanted to take on an even bigger challenge – a cycle ride from the UK to Spain – for Mind UK, the mental health charity.

“We did this last year, with a team of nine of us, biking over ten days and spending between seven and 12 hours in the seat,” she said.

“We all fought through challenges on the trip. I had broken five ribs before we went and had to cycle in real pain. I ended up in hospital at one point, but we all dragged each other along the journey.”

The group raised more than £30,000 and it was at this point that someone suggested to her that she should take on an ironman challenge.

“I thought it was mad, as I am not the best swimmer, but I wanted to do something to honour my father, who died in 2023,” she said.

“When you lose someone to an illness, you need something to focus on. For me, that was putting my efforts into something that would make my dad proud.

“I wanted to push myself and an ironman seemed the perfect test.”

Not only did she cross the line in the Danish capital, but she managed to raised £2,700 for Alzheimer’s UK.

“When you are still standing after 14-and-a-half hours, it’s an amazing feeling knowing that it did not beat you,” she said.

“Then you hear the words ‘Vic Turner, you are an ironman’ and it really brings home what you have achieved.

“A few years ago, there was no way on Earth I could have been able to do this. I’m super proud.”

Next on the bucket list could be walk across the Sahara.

“For me, these challenge help me learn how we can do so much more than we think,” she said.

“Every time I do one, I learn more about training, how to fuel my body and how to stay healthy.

“And it is not just about raising money for charity, it is everyone who supports you. From my family, friends and work colleagues, I am so grateful to them as I would not be able to do it if they were not supportive and generous enough to help me.”