Hartlepool funeral director raises hundreds for Alice House Hospice in Austrian race

Tracey Rimmer, nee Warrior, swapped her top hat for running shoes to take on the Ironman challenge in Austria in a bid to raise money for Hartlepool’s Alice House Hospice.

Tracey, who works at Mason’s Funeral Service, in Hartlepool, and Speckmans, in Wingate, both part of Dignity Funerals, was cheered by her husband and supporters as she crossed the race’s finishing line.

On completing the challenge Tracey, 51, who took part with her husband, said: “I thought I would be really emotional crossing the line, but I was smiling from ear to ear. I was buzzing the whole way down the final stretch, the noise from the crowd was incredible.”

Participants in the Austrian Ironman course have less than 17 hours to complete a 3.8 km lake swim, a 180.2 km bike ride and a 42.2 km run.

Tracey trained morning and night six days a week starting back in December 2019 right up until the competition in September of this year.

She managed to smash the competition target of 17 hours, going through the finish line at 15hrs 19mins.

The challenge marked the culmination of Tracey’s fundraising efforts for The Alice House Hospice, which works to ensure that people affected by a life limiting illness or death of a loved one receive the care, comfort and support they need.

Tracey, from Newton Aycliffe, has praised the work of the hospice.

She said: “I’ve seen the work that the Alice House Hospice do first-hand, and it’s incredible, I just wanted to give something back to them when they give so much to others.”

Janice Forbes, community fundraiser at Alice House, added: “Well done to Tracey on such an amazing achievement – what a true Warrior.

"I hope that supporting local patients and families was a good motivator throughout training and the incredible challenge itself.

"Massive thanks from everyone at Alice House and thanks also to all of Tracey’s sponsors and everyone at Mason’s Funeral Service for their wonderful and ongoing support.”

You can support Tracey’s fundraising by visiting JustGiving online and searching for Tracey Warrior.

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