A former army officer who has run a marathon on every continent dressed as a fruit or vegetable is preparing to run the world’s highest marathon wearing a lemon costume.
Sally Orange, a former major who served in Afghanistan, is in Nepal preparing for the Everest Marathon, which starts at the Mount Everest base camp, to raise mental health awareness.
The 50-year-old runs dressed as pieces of fruit because her surname is Orange but said her outfits also help start conversations and break the stigma surrounding mental health.
Ms Orange, a former army physiotherapist from Salisbury, said: “At the start of the race it’s going to be really icy and snowy, so I thought I’d be ice and a slice with the lemon.”
The biggest challenge she anticipates for the race is the altitude.
She said: “I will be concentrating on my breathing and will put some of the therapy I’ve learnt in the past in place. Just like mental health, it’s like letting yourself breathe, settle and then starting again.”
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Ms Orange has previously been to Everest base camp during her 22-year stint in the army.
She said: “I’ve got an understanding of actually doing the trek into base camp and how long it takes to actually get there, but that was about 14 years ago.”
She is fundraising for the Samaritans and the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme.
Ms Orange holds multiple Guinness world records, has run more than 80 marathons, completed eight full Ironman triathlons, and was made an MBE in the King’s first Birthday Honours List in 2023.
Speaking about her own struggles with mental health, Ms Orange said: “I’ve suffered really quite severely with my mental health, with depression and anxiety, and it got to the point where I wanted to take my life.
“I don’t want anyone else to ever get to that point, which is the reason for me wanting to make sure that other people get help sooner than I did.
“Managing your mental health or taking on a challenge is recognising that it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s setting a goal and then breaking that goal down into much smaller steps.
“It doesn’t have to be Everest, for some people that would be the worst, but it’s finding out what their Everest is.”
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She hopes to encourage people to take on new challenges and not be afraid of finishing last.
“A lot of people say that their biggest fear in taking on a challenge is coming last but when I speak to children in schools, I say if you come last, you get the biggest cheer,” said Ms Orange.
After leaving the army on medical grounds in 2010, she raised nearly £1m for charity, the Women Of The Year website said.
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Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email [email protected] in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
