Laura Hodgson, a 31-year-old from Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire, completed her first full-distance triathlon at the Copenhagen Ironman on Sunday, August 16, 2026, in support of her younger brother Ben, who lives with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. She finished the gruelling event—a 3,800m open water swim, a 180km cycle, and a full marathon run—in under 15 hours, with her sister Katy cheering her on from the sidelines.
A Personal Motivation Rooted in Family
Hodgson, who serves as an electronics technician in the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineer (REME) in the Royal Army, decided to take on the challenge after genetic testing revealed she is a carrier of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the same condition her 26-year-old brother Ben lives with. The event raised funds for Muscular Dystrophy UK, a leading charity supporting more than 110,000 children and adults in the UK living with one of more than 60 muscle-wasting conditions.
Reflecting on her brother’s experience, Hodgson said: “Having a sibling with a condition completely changes your views on people’s behaviour in the wider population. It’s amazing how many people have no consideration for others with disabilities. We don’t live in an accessible world. It’s not fair to disabled people.”
Witnessing Daily Struggles and Finding Purpose
Hodgson described witnessing Ben’s physical decline over the years. “He can’t lift a pint glass off the table and even struggles with a half pint glass now. It’s made me determined to do something positive,” she said. She emphasised that raising awareness and funds helps “get one step closer to finding a cure and helps provide support for individuals to live longer, more fulfilling lives.” She added: “Things probably aren’t going to change for my brother but it’s for future generations.”
The 31-year-old, who joined the Army 12 years ago, described the Copenhagen Ironman as “my biggest challenge since joining the Army.” She noted the difficulty of balancing training with work since last September, sometimes clocking up almost 17 hours of training in a single week. “It would’ve been easier to give up at times. Making it to the start line was an accomplishment,” she said.
Pushing Limits for a Cause
Hodgson expressed pride in her achievements: “I’m proud to have completed my longest open water swim, cycled my longest distance of 180km and run my first ever marathon for Muscular Dystrophy UK. When the going got tough, I thought of Ben. He was 100% my main motivation. He’s proud of me and donated to my JustGiving page. Having my sister there cheering me on was great.”
She explained her drive to take on such a demanding challenge: “I’m not the one living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, so I wanted a hard challenge to help and make people donate. One day I may not be able too, so I’m pushing myself whilst I can.”
To read more about Laura’s story and donate, visit musculardystrophyuk.org/laura-ironman. For information about fundraising your way for Muscular Dystrophy UK, visit musculardystrophyuk.org/fundraise-your-way. For more information about the charity, visit musculardystrophyuk.org or call the free helpline on 0800 652 6352 (open Mon–Fri 10am–5pm).
