A POLICE officer in North Yorkshire has completed a staggering 108-mile challenge - and has been praised by her colleagues for her "amazing" effort.
Detective Sergeant Kendra Wedgwood recently took on the gruelling challenge of running 108 miles across the Pennines.
Sergeant Wedgwood joined the North Yorkshire Police 17 years ago and has since risen to the rank of detective, which she attained in 2011.
In the midst of winter, DS Wedgwood not only completed the Spine Challenger, but went on to be the first woman to finish. She came 10th overall, finishing the course in just over 46 hours.
Kendra said: “The Spine Challenger is an iconic race and I just wanted to be part of it. I wanted to see how far I could push my body and what the limit was. I think this is a common theme amongst ultra runners.
"Going through that pain barrier and coming out the other side is very rewarding. Long runs also take you to some beautiful places and you get to talk to like-minded people and you really do feel like part of a big family. A bit like policing.
"I purposefully set off at the back with absolutely no intention of racing. My only goal was to finish.”
DS Wedgwood trained, in essence, for two years ahead of her accomplishment, having raced at events such as the Hardmoors Superslam previously.
In her race she ran against torrid weather conditions, being faced against a blizzard, wind and rain.
Tired from the task and already sleep deprived from the night before, DS Wedgwood faced much discomfort on her first night of her challenge to the point of hallucination.
The sergeant said: “The first night when I was alone I kept seeing men everywhere and this was so frightening. The second night, I saw four men who kept appearing, I remember their faces vividly, but I also kept seeing my dogs.
"I would open a gate and then hold it for my dogs to get through then realise I was hallucinating and shut the gate. At one point I convinced myself my eldest dog was dying because I kept seeing him but I was able to rationalise with myself and remind myself that it was just a hallucination. They are so real even though you know they are hallucinations. Madness.”
Speaking on DS Wedgwood's efforts, a spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: "We are absolutely thrilled and very proud of Kendra. We think you’ll agree that this is an amazing achievement and what an inspiring lady she is."
After tackling such a tough challenge, next in the running calendar for DS Wedgwood is the Hardmoors 55, which will take place in March.
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