My latest "begging" email that went out last night

This is the text from an email that went out last night to all those who have sponsored me in the past or to people whom I think might be interested - however if you are interested and weren't on that list please feel free to click on the JustGiving.com app on the right and throw a few coins in the pot :-)

Hi All,

I just wanted to give you a quick update on progress following my last email a couple of months back (and for a few new names on the list - an idea of what I spend my spare time doing and raising money for!!).

Work and life are busy, so from a training perspective things are going okay, but trying to fit in training hours often means antisocial training times (think of a 10km run at 4-5am...) however it does mean I get to run around some beautiful and interesting places (in the past eight weeks that has included Tokyo, Stockholm, Paris and Washington DC). Races are not going so well – I competed in the Eton 1.5km open water race and came 36/253 overall and 8th in age group in 25:24 but unfortunately the swim at Windsor was cancelled and due to other commitments I could not take part. Roll on Galway!! – 1.9km swim, 92km bike and 21.1km run :-)

From a fundraising standpoint though, I am hopeful we can raise a little more for the worthwhile cause I am supporting this year – Team Bea. Currently the grand total stands at £45 - a big thank you goes out to those people who have sponsored me so far :-) but for the last two years I have managed to drum up around £7-800 so we are some way short!

Team Bea is a group of amateur age group triathletes who raise money for Beatrice Howden and the charity which supports her (A Smile for a Child). Bea has Type II SMA, a recessive genetic disease which causes muscle wasting and thus mobility impairment (http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/spinalmuscularatrophy1.shtml). In addition her condition leaves her more prone to other problems such as serious infections, something which led to her being admitted to the paediatrics ICU at Leeds General (Jimmy’s) a month or so back and it was touch and go for a few days. There is no known cure for SMA, it does and will have a profound impact of Beatrice, her life and her family – anything that may improve that (even slightly) is a good thing. That is why I want to raise money for them.

Please take a couple of minutes to have a read of my JustGiving page (http://www.justgiving.com/DoingGalwayforTeamBea) and if you can please donate to this cause – even the price of you lunchtime sandwich would help!

Thanks for reading and if you want to see what training I do please follow me on twitter (@isainsbury) or have an occasional look at my blog (www.iaindoestriathlon.blogspot.com)

I.