Lee Spencer, the Rowing Marine, is taking on a challenge never attempted before. The Triathlon of Great Britain. Lee will attempt to:
- Swim the English Channel [22 miles]
- Cycle Land’s End to John O’ Groats [1060 Miles], stopping en-route to climb Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, and Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England
- Complete a marathon over the summit of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain, finishing at the Spean Bridge Memorial [completing the Three-Peaks challenge, with 45 miles hiked in total]
Lee is passionate about keeping wounded and injured service personnel in the nation’s conscience as well as proving that no one should be defined by disability.
He is an invaluable force that we are proud to support in his journey through breaking down barriers surrounding disability.
Latest Updates
Photos Snowdon! Today: Scafell Pike
04 August 2022
With Snowdon behind him, and the climb up Scafell Pike today, Lee has shared some highlights from the first peak. ⛰️ Photos from Anthony Upton.⠀ ⠀
“As you can see, our visuals weren’t 100% clear throughout the whole climb, and with what could be difficult for an able-bodied person, there was an extra layer of challenge for me.⠀ ⠀ The Pyg track is not the easiest path to the summit as it can be steep and rocky in some places. Despite being 5.5km in length, it involves around 800m of ascent, and a lot of hard work and perseverance.
I knew the climb wasn’t going to be easy, even without 5 days of cycling beforehand. There were moments that I thought about heading back down, or staying where I was once seated. But I set out on this challenge to show that no-one should be defined by disability. 💪🏻
Despite my setbacks and any disadvantages I might have due to my leg, I made it to the top, accompanied by a fantastic team. Tomorrow, we climb the second peak, and I’ll continue proving to myself and others that I won’t let these challenges hold me back… they’ll only encourage me to move forward.”⠀
And that’s Snowdon!
02 August 2022
“And that’s Snowdon… say hello to the team that’s joined me!
We’ve been on the go since 28th July, and tomorrow is no different. I’ll be back on the bike, kitted out with an extra pair of cycling shorts for protection. 😬”
A relatively easy leg, the route will take us from Pen-y-Pass at 07:00 and go through Betws-y-Coed, Llandudno, Prestatyn, Flynt, Birkenhead, Liverpool, Ormskirk, and finally The Legacy Preston Hotel. The halfway stop will be Connahs Quay in Neston.
Lee has made it to Wales!
July 31st 2022
Yesterday the team cycled across the Welsh border and up to Pen-y-Pass. Today they set off at 08:00, starting the ascent to the peak of Snowdon via the Pyg track.
Follow Lee’s journey and his tracker at leespencer.co.uk
Leg 2, complete 
28th July 2022
After a well-deserved ice cream, Lee is right back on the bike tomorrow, this time heading for Hopton Heath train station.
After that, it’s only one more leg before they reach the first peak! Snowdon. 
And he’s off!
July 28th 2022
And he’s off! Lee has started his journey from Land’s End to John O’Groats, stopping en route to climb Snowdon, and Scafell Pike. He will then undertake a marathon on foot, starting in the Highlands at Glen Nevis, Fort William, going over Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Great Britain, and finishing at the Commando Memorial in Spean Bridge.
We wish him all the very best and encourage as many people as possible to continue sending Lee their messages of support.
Follow Lee’s efforts in aid of RMA – The Royal Marines Charity and track his progress at leespencer.co.uk
The next stage begins tomorrow.
July 27th 2022
“If you’re thinking about joining me on the road, we’ll be meeting at Land’s End at 10:00, with pedals down at midday. I’ll be finishing at Peckish Fish & Chips in Camelford, with a rest stop at Smokey Joes in Redruth.
The route will take me through Penzance, Redruth, St. Columb Major, and Wadebridge, so don’t forget to keep an eye out, and give us a wave if you see me!”
To keep track of my journey and see where I’ll be, or to make a donation in support of The Royal Marines Charity, visit www.leespencer.co.uk.
An update from Lee
26th July 2022
“Some things aren’t meant to be, and today I wasn’t meant to cross the channel.
Due to tide and sea conditions that were out of my ability range, I was struggling to maintain forward momentum. I only managed less than half a mile in the 3rd hour. Ultimately the extra effort caused a should strain that rapidly got worse and meant that I had to call the swim off.
There was nothing I could do. It wasn’t what I wanted or planned, but part of the resilience it takes to complete this triathlon, is taking every challenge on the chin and still storming ahead.
Despite this set back, I will be continuing onto the next stage and making my way to Land’s End, ready to start cycling towards John O’Groats on the 28th.
Thank you to everyone that came out on the water with me today, and to those behind the scenes that are working tirelessly to make this happen. Also, a huge thank you to all that have sent messages and well wishes, the ongoing support is what keeps my level of determination at 100%.”
To keep track of his journey and make a donation towards RMA – The Royal Marines Charity, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/thetriathlonofgb
And we’re off!
July 26th 2022
The start of the challenge
26th July 2022
The Challenge Begins!
July 25th 2022
Lee Spencer is far too excited to start, which is why he is bringing the start of his challenge forward!
As of 09:30 tomorrow, Lee will be setting off from Dover and swimming 22 miles across the Channel to Calais.
From there, he will travel to Land’s End for a bit of rest, before leaving on the 28th to cycle 1,060 miles to John O’ Groats.
Not one to make it easy for himself, he’ll be stopping at Pen Y Pas to climb Snowdon via the Pyg track, and then cycling on to Scafell Pike, where he will take on the next peak.
Following that, Lee will then be doing one last stretch on the bike to John O’Groats, before travelling via road to Ben Nevis, climbing to the summit of the highest mountain in the UK. After descending, completing one final marathon of 26 miles, crossing the finish line at Spean Bridge in early August.
LIOS Bikes supporting The Triathlon of Great Britain
24th July 2022
Fellow Royal Marine Veteran and founder of LIOS Bikes, Steve McCulley is helping Lee by supporting him with a custom bike for the cycle phase of his epic challenge, supported by RMA – The Royal Marines Charity.
Lee will use a LIOS Bullet Disc endurance road bike, which is optimised for super handling and comfort. The frame and wheels are made from carbon fibre, so it blends lightweight functionality with robustness and agility.
Along with the Shimano Ultegra gears and hydraulic brakes, the whole bike weighs less than 8kg. Lee has also had a 3D analysis bike fit on the Bullet, so it has been fine-tuned to his personal flexibility, biomechanics, and my riding goals.
The last big swim!
July 22nd 2022
Lee has completed the last big swim in Plymouth Sound before the tri.
The swim was about practising feeding from his support boat. During Lee’s swim across the Channel, if Lee touches the boat it’s all over, so practising taking fluids and carbs is absolutely crucial.