DETERMINED Sarah Clarke has successfully completed a mammoth 350km cycling challenge in Tanzania to raise awareness as well as funds for cancer research and treatment.
As the annual month-long Think Pink cancer awareness campaign moved into top gear, the Bahrain-based British businesswoman was pedalling across the plains of Africa.
At the weekend she proudly posted a photograph of her at the finishing stage holding a Bahrain flag and told supporters on social media: “Well, I did it …along with 92 other amazing women and support crew, although somewhere along the line 350km became 400km!
“What an amazing experience in a beautiful country where we have been made so welcome. Thank you for all your support and kind words.”
As reported earlier in GulfWeekly, her aim was to promote charitable causes in memory of friends past and present stricken by the disease as part of an organised event run by the UK-based Action for Charity initiative.
The seven-day trip, dubbed Women v Cancer – Cycle Africa, ended on Saturday and witnessed a group of cyclists cross beautiful landscapes, as they passed by numerous Maasai villages and encountered exotic wildlife.
The group raised more than £330,000 (around BD190,000) for Women v Cancer which will be divided equally between three UK-based charities, namely Breast Cancer Care, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust and Ovarian Cancer Action.
Sarah, 51, lives in Jasra and her training schedule throughout the summer had incorporated two long rides per week, two Pilates sessions and a heavy gym workout.
Aside from preparing for Tanzania, cycling around Bahrain enabled her to gain a newfound appreciation for the kingdom and its natural beauty. She said she had explored almost every nook and cranny of the island on two wheels, taking a different route every time.
Away from the bike, Sarah is the director of her own company in the kingdom, DSC Solutions. She is married to David, who according to Sarah, has been primarily employed as the support vehicle driver and chief rescuer should she fall into difficulties on her travels. In between rescuing and training dogs, she also writes for a Bahrain-published travel series.