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Climbing the heights, just to iron
2:27pm Sunday 24th February 2008
Comments (37)TWO Darwen runners have become devotees of a bizarre sport - extreme ironing.
It involves taking an iron and ironing board out on runs to remote locations, before completing the domestic chore at their destination.
Boyfriend and girlfriend Gary Mitchell and Linda Clarkson are now planning to run to beauty spots across East Lancashire for their new hobby.
Gary said: "When we were sitting at the top the first time with our ironing board everyone was looking at us as if to say what are those idiots doing?'.
"But then a few young people came up to us and seemed to be really intrigued and wanted a go."
Linda added: "Gary carries the ironing board and I carry the iron in a rucksack.
"The board is really light, so that's not a problem, but the iron is quite heavy and I've been cracked a few times on the back of the head with it."
Extreme ironing has been around for 10 years.
In 2002 the first Extreme Ironing World Championships were held in Germany, with competitors from 10 nations.
Over the years since it was first conceived, participants have become more daring.
Extreme ironing has taken place at Mount Rushmore and at a gorge in South Africa. Some people have gone even further and combined bungee jumping with ironing.
But for now Gary and Linda are content to scale remote locations in East Lancashire while they get used to the "extreme sport".
The couple, who met at Darwen Dashers running club, which takes members from across East Lancashire.
Linda, 40, a quality assurance manager from Mellor, said she heard about it while writing for the Darwen Dashers magazine.
She said: "I saw it on the internet and wrote an article about it. I fancied a go after that. I thought, 'why not?'.
"We asked people in the club if they wanted a go, and, unsurprisingly, nobody did!"
Gary, 46, a plumber from Punstock Road, Darwen, said: "We've only just started . We did a run up to Darwen Tower and it seems to have gone a bit crazy.
"We thought we'd try it out in Darwen because that's where we're from, and now we're looking into places further afield."
Both Gary and Linda are training for the London Marathon in April, but are not planning to take the ironing board.
Gary said: "It takes long enough to get round without carrying an ironing board!"
Darwen Dashers members are also gearing up for the Half Tour of Pendle fell race that takes place next month. This is a nine mile race across the iconic fell and many members will be training in the Pendle area in the coming weeks.
Your Say YourThis Is Lancashire
Ironing Bored, Darwen says...
9:23pm Sun 24 Feb 08
J Rogers, Darwen says...
8:04am Mon 25 Feb 08
http://www.extremetr
ifle.com/3/pd_photos
.php
Old Git, Darren says...
11:18am Mon 25 Feb 08
Nigel St. Hubbins, Darwen says...
3:53pm Mon 25 Feb 08
Rowenta Classic, Cherry Tree says...
4:47pm Mon 25 Feb 08
Ironing Bored wrote:So does spelling lessons!!
Oh dear, oh dear! Getting a life spings to mind!
They're nutters - leave them alone - it's their idea of a steamy relationship.
happy Bob, on one says...
4:51pm Mon 25 Feb 08
MIKEOXLONG, says...
5:38pm Mon 25 Feb 08
Rowenta Classic wrote:Rowenta I think that it was supposed to be an ironical twist on the word bored as opposed to board. I can only echo happy bobs comment and say that I thought that this would be a SPORT that would only appeal to women. Where do they plug the iron in?
Ironing Bored wrote: Oh dear, oh dear! Getting a life spings to mind!So does spelling lessons!! They're nutters - leave them alone - it's their idea of a steamy relationship.
me, darwen says...
9:05pm Mon 25 Feb 08
MIKEOXLONG wrote:i think the issue might be spings....
Rowenta Classic wrote:Rowenta I think that it was supposed to be an ironical twist on the word bored as opposed to board. I can only echo happy bobs comment and say that I thought that this would be a SPORT that would only appeal to women. Where do they plug the iron in?Ironing Bored wrote: Oh dear, oh dear! Getting a life spings to mind!So does spelling lessons!! They're nutters - leave them alone - it's their idea of a steamy relationship.
either way, its a fookin great idea - what about marathon wankathons?
LC, Mellor says...
9:30pm Mon 25 Feb 08
Ironing Bored wrote:Ironing Bored - We do have good lives, excellent lives in fact made all the more better by the fact that we are able to run & have a good time & able to enjoy the benefits of being fit & healthy (which is a lot more than some unfortunate people can), would it be better if we just sat at home & watched TV?
Oh dear, oh dear! Getting a life spings to mind!
Thanks for the support Rowenta
Pongo, Darwen says...
9:34pm Mon 25 Feb 08
Rowenta Classic, Cherry Tree says...
10:17pm Mon 25 Feb 08
MIKEOXLONG wrote:and what about spings?
Rowenta Classic wrote:Rowenta I think that it was supposed to be an ironical twist on the word bored as opposed to board. I can only echo happy bobs comment and say that I thought that this would be a SPORT that would only appeal to women. Where do they plug the iron in?Ironing Bored wrote: Oh dear, oh dear! Getting a life spings to mind!So does spelling lessons!! They\\\'re nutters - leave them alone - it\\\'s their idea of a steamy relationship.
jackie, Blackburn says...
10:30pm Mon 25 Feb 08
IanK, Darwen says...
3:25am Tue 26 Feb 08
kayleah, says...
9:29am Tue 26 Feb 08
BB, Darwen says...
12:33pm Tue 26 Feb 08
MIKEOXLONG, says...
5:56pm Tue 26 Feb 08
LC, Mellor says...
12:25pm Wed 27 Feb 08
kayleah wrote:Nice one Kayleah. Its great fun.....
I think this is great fun!! I did some extreme ironing when i was scuba diving at the lakes 20 foot down it was ace!!!
Tracey, Accrington says...
1:58pm Thu 28 Feb 08
I bet any money that these people don't actually do this every week and that it was just a one off!
A bit of a laugh is one thing but to make laughing stockss of of themselves is another and i hope for their sakes that it does not come back to haunt them.
I am all for getting out in the fresh air and do walk and cycle with the family and we try and be as fit and healthly as possible but we do not try or want OR NEED TO tell the world about it.
I also bet that their friends are also having a real laugh behind their backs too!
I also hope that their running organisation does not get ridiculed over this too??
hettylee, Darwen says...
4:48pm Thu 28 Feb 08
happy Bob wrote:you male chauvinist pig !!
What a ridiculous story, the only bit I agree with is the fact that ONLY WOMEN should do the ironing. Men should never degrade themselves with such menial tasks.
Mary, Burnley says...
6:03pm Thu 28 Feb 08
One part of me says to leave them alone as they are not hurting anyone one but then again I do believe that she is right about the attention seeking bit!
This whole thing stinks of LOOK AT US.
She also has a point about their jogging club, my husband is a member of a running club and he was mortified when he say this and felt sorry for their club running people who he said will take some almighty jibbing at the races they do?
But like I said, I don't suppose they are hurting anyone............or are they?
LC, Here & There says...
8:59am Fri 29 Feb 08
Mary wrote:Mary, you mention one is a jogging club, the other a running club, what is the difference?
Well said hettylee, but i must agree with happy bob about the ridiculas story and Tracy from Accy too for that matter, to a degree anyway. One part of me says to leave them alone as they are not hurting anyone one but then again I do believe that she is right about the attention seeking bit! This whole thing stinks of LOOK AT US. She also has a point about their jogging club, my husband is a member of a running club and he was mortified when he say this and felt sorry for their club running people who he said will take some almighty jibbing at the races they do? But like I said, I don't suppose they are hurting anyone............or are they?
Tracey - why on earth would carrying an ironing board upto Darwen Tower come back to haunt them?
Stuart, BLACKBURN says...
9:09am Fri 29 Feb 08
Get a grip LET and file this story where it belongs under the nothing better to do stroke get a life section.
Dasher, Darwen says...
10:04am Fri 29 Feb 08
I cant understand why they would bring a serious running club in on this attention seeking scam. I can understand the telegraph getting involved as they tend to cater for the lowest intellectual denominator. A common trait amongst local media. This amounts to no more than lazy journalism.
Any publicity is good publicity is sometimes wrong.
James, Darwen says...
1:06pm Fri 29 Feb 08
Dasher wrote:You heard the crowd shouting at the Darwen Dashers, what were they shouting?
As a member of a local and well respected running club in Blackburn. Im appalled that two people can bring their club into such ill repute. I heard the crowd shouting to certain members of the Darwen dashers at the last race I attended & felt sorry for the club, which has some good runners, particularly the fell runners. I cant understand why they would bring a serious running club in on this attention seeking scam. I can understand the telegraph getting involved as they tend to cater for the lowest intellectual denominator. A common trait amongst local media. This amounts to no more than lazy journalism. Any publicity is good publicity is sometimes wrong.
GM, darwen says...
1:36pm Fri 29 Feb 08
As for bringing our club into disrepute im sorry but i do not agree with you and if that is the case any person who gets them selves in the spot light on purpose or accidently and are a member of any group, team etc you are saying they are doing exactly the same. All these people who run round dresses as anything from scooby doo to rhino's are they all putting there club's into disrepute i dont think so. we have not gone out to offend anybody and i do not see that we have. If we have made fools of ourselves so be it we can take it we are 2 grown ups and have other things going on in our lives for us to have to worry about all thie tittle tattle.
concerned Darwen Dasher, Darwen says...
11:36pm Fri 29 Feb 08
"Dasher from Darwen", in my opinion, raised a serious issue, if people are ridiculing and undermining our club reputation then damage has been done.
It IS a good club with many good and respected runners and this was one of the reasons I joined.
GM- it seems from your comment you may be a little embarassed- can the same be said for your ironing partner?
Stuart from Blackburn has a good point- this has NOTHING to do with athletics and should never be on the athletics forum.
Lets just get on with the running now?
GM, darwen says...
12:07am Sat 1 Mar 08
Shane, Blackburn says...
8:10am Sat 1 Mar 08
This is now getting personal towards the club and that is not right.
Gaz is correct in that concerned dasher should approach a committee member or at least put it in writing to the club secretary and not air there dissaproval in public.
Thats all I have to say on the matter.
James, Darwen says...
12:21pm Sat 1 Mar 08
James wrote:What were they shouting?
Dasher wrote: As a member of a local and well respected running club in Blackburn. Im appalled that two people can bring their club into such ill repute. I heard the crowd shouting to certain members of the Darwen dashers at the last race I attended & felt sorry for the club, which has some good runners, particularly the fell runners. I cant understand why they would bring a serious running club in on this attention seeking scam. I can understand the telegraph getting involved as they tend to cater for the lowest intellectual denominator. A common trait amongst local media. This amounts to no more than lazy journalism. Any publicity is good publicity is sometimes wrong.You heard the crowd shouting at the Darwen Dashers, what were they shouting?
Also Dasher, From a regular reader of the athletics paper that there is a regular fancy dress race that a lot of clubs take part in, from your comments then, I take it you will NEVER do that particular race then?
Boy... am I glad I don't run & that I am a happy couch potato. I aspire to everyone I see running.
It sounds as though the 2 individuals were just having some fun, what it wrong with that, people do stuff like that all the time. Dasher..... have YOU never done anything for fun?
Jo darwen dasher, darwen says...
7:26pm Sat 1 Mar 08
Come on guys, they're not harming anyone, they're having a laugh. Maybe you guys should try it. If you need something to moan about why not consider the state of less economic developed countries, or even global warming, or increase in domestic violence, or, if you need something closer to home, the state of local secondary schools.
jackie, Blackburn says...
6:41pm Sun 2 Mar 08
Tracey wrote:What gives you the right to feel sorry for Linda and Gary? Who are you??? If you read the article Gary said, "we've only just started it". So I don't know why you would bet they don't do this every week, they did it once to get some pics for an extreme sports website and others became aware of it. While you are going for a cycle and a walk with the family Linda will be out doing a 20 mile run in preparation for the London marathon. I Do know Linda very well and she is not an attention seeker, she is a fun loving, lovely and a hard working person.
Clearly an attenton seeking ploy by somebody who can only be very insecure and I must admit I feel sorry for! I bet any money that these people don\'t actually do this every week and that it was just a one off! A bit of a laugh is one thing but to make laughing stockss of of themselves is another and i hope for their sakes that it does not come back to haunt them. I am all for getting out in the fresh air and do walk and cycle with the family and we try and be as fit and healthly as possible but we do not try or want OR NEED TO tell the world about it. I also bet that their friends are also having a real laugh behind their backs too! I also hope that their running organisation does not get ridiculed over this too??
It was an ironing board they took up not a dead body so I doubt it will come back to haunt them.
Darwen Dashers that think Linda and Gary have embarrassed them, I can safely say they would both be made welcome at Blackburn Harriers and they would do us proud!!!!!!!
Rowenta Classic, Cherry Tree says...
7:30pm Sun 2 Mar 08
Dasher - noted that you still haven't pointed out the race. Not many races with crowds around here!!!!
I don't know Gary other than by sight, but I know Linda, and I can tell you that around the Lancashire running scene and beyond, she is perhaps the best ambassador that Darwen Dashers running club could have.
The Dasher who is claiming embarrasment to the vest - watch Sky TV on 15th March and let me know if Linda is embarrasing the Lancashire vest when she lines up with Helen Clitheroe in the Lancashire team at the Inter Counties Cross Country, or when you see her in April at the London Marathon alongside Paula Radcliffe.
Where have you been for the last 20 years of local TV news - Paul Croan, Fred Talbot etc - they are actively hunting down light-hearted nonsense stories to add a little levity to the often depressing news.
Take this story for what it is - a little light entertainment and leave it at that.
Any embarrased Darwen Dashers can quite easily leave the club and form their only little band of miserable gits.
Amused!, Darwen says...
1:17pm Tue 4 Mar 08
jackie, blackburn says...
4:32pm Tue 4 Mar 08
I wouldn't go so far as to say hell was breaking loose here, lol.
I thought it was so funny when I saw them on T.V. in a good way.
I thought it was such a pleasant change from murders, beatings and abductions of little girls.
So good on you Linda + Gary
James, Darwen says...
9:21pm Tue 4 Mar 08
I wonder if this guy embarrassed his club when he did his Extreme Ironing?
http://www.bbc.co.uk
/southyorkshire/feat
ures/extreme_ironing
/index.shtml
Julie, Darwen says...
7:20pm Sun 23 Mar 08
CREASED LIGHTNING: Extreme sports enthusiast Linda Clarkson
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Pongo, Darwen says...
6:48pm Sun 24 Feb 08