IQ-EQ has announced its sponsorship of Leanne Rive, the first Irish Woman and Channel Islander ever to compete in the world’s toughest ultramarathon – The Badwater 135.
Leanne will be 1 of only 100 runners selected to run the 135 miles this July in over 50⁰C-heat.
The race will start at Badwater Basin, Death Valley, which marks the lowest elevation in North America, and finish at Whitney Portal at the highest point in the contiguous United States.
The course will cover three mountain ranges, challenging competitors to a trifecta of distance, heat and elevation as they traverse landmarks like the Sierra Nevada, Furnace Creek and Devil’s Cornfield.
IQ-EQ’s sponsorship will go towards covering Leanne’s race entry fee, flights and accommodation, support crew, logistics support, medical costs, insurance, and race kit.
Leanne commented: “This is a bucket list race for me. The entry process alone was a marathon, let alone the training required to get me to this point, so to have IQ-EQ’s help with the financing and preparation is incredible. I can’t wait to don their logo as I take off in Death Valley this July.”
Benjamin Newman, Managing Director, Jersey at IQ-EQ, said: “We’re excited to be a part of Leanne’s extraordinary adventure as she prepares for and runs a race known to be the most demanding and extreme running race on the planet. Just reading about it is exhausting!
“It’s also a great opportunity for our Jersey team to meet with Leanne, who has kindly offered to provide them with life coaching, exercise advice, and lessons in kettlebells and Pilates. She’s a true inspiration, proving that, if you focus on your goals, you can reach them, no matter the barriers.
“She’s completed races before where she’s gotten lost, battled injury and illness, been chased by dogs, cows and wild boar – yet she never quits. That lesson has implications for all our teams well beyond racing.”
Leanne will also be presenting a talk to IQ-EQ on the topic of goal-setting and changing habits as part of the company’s Elevate series – an internal training and development programme for women.
