Thesis sponsors popular Lymington-based athlete Vale
Thesis Asset Management in Lymington is sponsoring international ultra marathon runner Valeria Sesto
Which is a win-win we hope for Valeria (known to her many friends as Vale) who does so much good work in the community, notably training aspiring young runners to follow in her footsteps, and also for Thesis who put so much unseen work into supporting our local community too.
Vale is originally from Argentina and didn't even start running until 2007 after her second child, when she set about getting in shape and accidentally found herself qualifying for the elite start in the London Marathon. Since then she has always completed the London Marathon in under 3 hours, once only two places behind Paula Ratcliffe who of course had run all her life! She now regularly competes in ultra-long distance races around the world - which is an expensive undertaking! (See explanation about ultra-marathon below.) She has won 100km races in Argentina and China this year and is now preparing for the Comrades Ultra-Marathon in South Africa and 100km world championships in Croatia.
Vale is also very active in the local community as a coach and mentor, recently helping to coach and prepare 12 young people to swim across the Solent and raise over £13,000 for charity.
Meanwhile Thesis has been active in recent years in helping local communities around its offices, including charitable support for the St Barbe Museum in Lymington, New Forest Show, Heritage Open Days and Dragon Boat Racing.
Giles Marriage, director of the Lymington office at Thesis, said: “We are delighted to help support Valeria for the next six months as she embarks on another year that will hopefully bring well deserved success, both competitively and for her work in Lymington. Valeria is a superstar both in the ultra-marathon world and in the local community so we saw this as a great opportunity to work in partnership to help her make a difference.”
Vale added: “I would like to thank Thesis for the help and support they have offered for the next six months. It would not be possible for me to volunteer and be active within the local community without a supportive company such as Thesis."
And went on: “My work in the community helps motivate me during my ultra-marathons and I’m delighted that Thesis wants to help me in making a difference.”
About Thesis Asset Management Limited
Thesis Asset Management has approximately £13.6 billion of funds under management and administration (as at 30 June 2017), and invests on behalf of private clients, charities, pension funds and trusts. Thesis specialises in developing partnerships with professionals in financial advice, law, accountancy and tax, and creates both bespoke solutions and model portfolios. You can contact the Thesis Lymington office on 01590 613580 or email
About the ultramarathon
"An ultramarathon, also called ultra distance or ultra running, is any footrace longer than the traditional marathon length of 42.195 kilometres (26.219 mi).
There are two types of ultramarathon events: those that cover a specified distance, and events that take place during time - with the winner covering the most distance in that time. The most common distances are 50 kilometres (31.069 mi), 100 kilometres (62.137 mi), 50 miles (80.4672 km), and 100 miles (160.9344 km), although many races have other distances. The 100 kilometres is recognised as an official world record event by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the world governing body of track and field.
Other distances/times include double marathons, 24-hour races, and multiday races of 1,000 miles (1,600 km) or even longer. The format of these events and the courses vary, ranging from single or multiple loops (some as short as a 400-metre to point-to-point road or trail races, to cross-country rogaines. Many ultramarathons, especially trail challenges, have severe course obstacles, such as inclement weather, elevation change, or rugged terrain. Many of these races are run on dirt roads or mountain paths, though some are run on paved roads as well. Usually, there are aid stations every 20 to 35 kilometres apart, where runners can replenish food and drink supplies or take a short break. Timed events range from 6, 12, and 24 hours to 3, 6, and 10 days (known as multi-day or "stage race" events). Timed events are generally run on a track or a short road course, often one mile (1.6 km) or less.
Considered to be an even tougher event are self-supported ultramarathon stage races where each competitor has to carry all their supplies including food to survive the length of the race, typically a week. A good example of this is the Grand to Grand Ultra, America's first ever self-supported ultramarathon stage race.
The International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) organises the World Championships for various ultramarathon distances, including 50 kilometres (31 mi), 100 kilometres (62 mi), 24 hours, and ultra trail running, which are also recognised by the IAAF. Many countries around the world have their own ultrarunning organizations, often the national athletics federation of that country, or are sanctioned by such national athletics organizations. World records for distances, times, and ages are tracked by the IAU."
Source: Wikipedia
If you're inspired to get running...
If you're feeling inspired to get running, talk to Valeria!
She organises local run training most weeks in which all are welcome who want to have a go.
At the other end of the spectrum there are some interesting facts and tips about ultramarathon racing in this Telegraph article!
