RAMS RFC Siren Dani Watts admitted the last six miles of her wheelchair marathon were ‘really hard’ after she completed the monumental challenge on Sunday, writes Richard Ashton.
The 31-year-old Woodley resident was joined by her fiancé Pete Czernuskza and children Lillie-Rose, 10, and Freddie, 8, in travelling to Kendal RFC in the Lake District to complete 110 laps of the pitch.
And Dani – who was fundraising for the Injured Players Foundation after they provided her with terrific help following the T10 spinal injury she suffered during a game back in 2017, losing the use of her legs – was delighted to have finished the course.
She commented: “We weren’t able to do much training because I’ve been struggling a little with my neuropathic pain, so it was a bit like in rugby, it came down to the ‘top two inches’ and convincing ourselves we could do it.
“The last six miles were really hard, we were both kind of broken. It was just me and Pete still going and he said ‘we’re going to finish it – it’s the whole point of being here’.
“I thought about how tough some times have been in the last three years and that gave me the final push.
“It was hard with no crowds, but the kids were amazing and were cheering on every lap – and everyone said how well behaved they were.”
The couple were joined by three-time Great Britain Paralympic rugby player, Ross Morrison, and Dani explained it had made for an interesting start.
She revealed: “It was really cute at the start because Pete and I got left behind a bit as Ross was obviously going to go much faster, but Freddie ran over and said ‘mummy, hurry up, you’re losing.’ I explained we couldn’t all go at the same speed or there might be a crash.
“Afterwards Ross (who has a specially designed sports wheelchair) told me to do a marathon in a normal wheelchair is the hardest way you can do it.”
The race was started by World Rugby Chairman, Sir Bill Beaumont, and Dani said: “He was really laidback and if you didn’t know who he was you might of thought he was just a club official from Kendal.
“He wished us the best of luck and said he was proud of how we were making the best after what has happened.”
Dani and Pete – who finished the race in a little more than six hours – have so far raised more than three-quarters of their £10,000 target for the IPF.
If you would like to donate, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/dani-watts6
