OMG what have I signed up for.....

Thanks for visiting my page.

I must be mad! Some time ago someone suggested that I should take up triathlon as I could swim fairly fast, foolishly I listened to him.

Three years later (and following a lengthy hiatus due to surgery on my legs) I have decided to set myself a challenging goal, I am going to complete the UK Ironman 70.3 on June 14th 2009 (even if I just make it round!!).

What is this strange event? Well, it is a half distance ironman, why only a half I hear you cry? Well firstly I want to set myself a challenge I have a chance of completing. A full Ironman (2.4 miles swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run) is possibly a little long…..and secondly I am only mildly unhinged not completely mad! The full monty can wait for 2010...maybe....

The course itself is considered to be the toughest of the 70.3 events on the world circuit. It takes place in the beautiful countryside of Exmoor in starting at 6.00am in Wimbleball Lake (a 1.2 mile swim), on to the bike for 56 miles (and over 53 hills!) finishing with a half marathon of 13.1 miles through the surrounding countryside.

So why am I asking you for money? Firstly if I am going to endure this kind of pain it had better be worth more than just me loosing a few pounds!! Secondly I always seem to be sponsoring other people and lastly (but most importantly) because the charities I have chosen are really worth it!!!

I am supporting three charities:

Rotary (who organise the charity part of the event),

Help for Heroes (a charity set up to support injured service personnel, a cause I believe in)

The Urostomy Association (My mother has been helped by this charity both in the run up to and since she has had her Urostomy and I wanted to do something for them for the help they have given her).

Please be generous if you can but even £1 will help, please sponsor me now!!!
(and if I exceed £500 I will take the scary picture of me in lycra off the website!)
Thanks,Iain.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Rotary-IronmanUK Triathlon Charities gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

Below are a few lines about my two other charities:

Help for Heroes (http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/) provides practical and direct help to injured service men and women and their families. It provides the items and facilities that the MOD class as “nice to have” rather than “essential” such as a new swimming pool and rehabilitation gym at Headley Court (the Tri service rehab centre). In addition, it aims to help those individuals injured serving their country in readjusting to their new life. As a member of the armed forces I strongly support their aim and I would urge you to do the same regardless of whether or not you agree with the politics of the current conflicts we are involved in.

The Urostomy Association (http://www.uagbi.org/) was set up to: assist those who are about to undergo or who have undergone surgery which results in a urinary diversion, such as a urostomy, continent urinary pouch or neo bladder; assist carers in the rehabilitation of people with a urinary diversion; improve the quality of life of people who have undergone urinary diversion surgery and those who care for them and to undertake such research as the Membership feels is necessary to enhance the life of members.