Mum makes history by completing 'world's toughest triathlon'
Lyndsey Blair raises her bike in triumph after crossing the finish line in Paris
- Published
A mother-of-three has made history by becoming the first Scot to complete a race dubbed the world's toughest triathlon.
Lyndsey Blair crossed the Paris finish line of the gruelling Enduroman Arch 2 Arc Challenge in 95 hours and 11 minutes.
She is only the 65th person - and the 15th woman - to ever finish the epic challenge.
Lyndsey, 44, from Troon, has so far raised more than £18,000 for Ayrshire Cancer Support and Hospitality Action.
The Arch 2 Arc features three punishing stages and starts with an 87 mile (140km) run from Marble Arch in London to Dover, which took Lyndsey 23 hours.
She then embarked on what should have been a 21 mile (34km) swim across the English Channel.
But unpredictable tides and winds of up to 17 knots turned it into a punishing 80km (50 mile) effort which lasted more than 19 hours - almost double the expected distance.
At several points she was pushed back towards the English coast, before breaking through the current to reach France.
Lyndsey poses with her husband and support crew after completing the gruelling race
The final leg involved a 181 mile (291km) cycle from Calais to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
Lyndsey, whose family operate the Buzzworks hospitality group, said: "This challenge was never just about me, but about raising money and awareness for two charities that do incredible work for people when they need it most.
"The Channel was the toughest thing I have ever done.
"I felt like I was swimming and getting nowhere for hours, but the thought of why I was doing it and the people supporting me kept me moving forward."
The ultra-endurance athlete said she was also driven by her family.
She added: "As a mum, I also wanted to show my kids that if you set your mind to do something and work hard, even the biggest challenges can be possible."
Her support crew included husband Kenny, niece and training partner, Beth Barclay, Andy Callachan and David Watt from Callachans Health, and Enduroman official Jon Cowell.
Lyndsey also revealed her fundraising helped maintain her focus throughout the race.
She said: "Becoming the first Scot to finish the Arch 2 Arc is something I'll always be proud of, but what matters most is the difference this will make for the charities.
"That's what kept me putting one foot in front of the other."