Me, Tom and the Bone Cancer Research Trust
In 2018 I have as some of you may know (and been tapped up for) been 'competing' (that is, participating) in a variety of mainly triathlon and endurance events, culminating in my third Ironman 70.3 at Weymouth in September when hopefully I will be suitably trained and uninjured to enable a decent time after the below target times in 2016 and 2017.
Why you might ask? Mid-life crisis you answer (no question mark).
Who knows but this year there are very sound reasons to do a little bit more.
Tom sadly passed away in the early hours of Boxing Day after a brave battle against osteosarcoma, (a rare form of bone cancer), aged just 19. His friend, my son Joel is the same age and we have known Graham and Jane since the boys were very small indeed. In the wake of his heartbreaking story (read more at Tom Stead) putting my efforts into raising funds for the Bone Cancer Research Trust #teambones. This is the very least I can do to contribute to better outcomes for those affected by osteosarcoma.
No one wants to hear about wet nights and cold garages winter training, flu etc so for your eyes only, the year kicked off in Belgium with a spring classic, the waffle fuelled Liege-Bastogne-Liege '154km' ride in Belgium in April, the one with 2700m of climbing taking in, for those of you who might know or care, the famed Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons, at 20% - that's me in blue on the Côte de la Redoute - hell, not pretty and Côte de Saint-Nicolas. And it's an actual 158km of riding, most of those last extra few (and the spurious link to all things location) on the famed cobbles. 7 sore hours in the saddle and a couple more at the well catered rest stops.
Too shortly thereafter I ventured out by first ever full marathon at Milton Keynes in May. Hottest bank holiday Monday since forever didn't augur well but got home in a smidge under 5 hours. Will have to do another one (Runger probably in November) now.
With a long hot summer forecast and in play there's now the downtime of some sea-swim sprints (Sandbanks, Salty Sea Dog) and olympic length triathlon training plus what the PT has to throw at me ahead of Weymouth. And to finish the year there will be a mini-triathlon into the wind (inevitably) in Lanzarote. Everything raised will go to the charities named - I know the few of you who see any links to this can help me towards and eventually beat that target.....
Why you might ask? Mid-life crisis you answer (no question mark).
Who knows but this year there are very sound reasons to do a little bit more.
Tom sadly passed away in the early hours of Boxing Day after a brave battle against osteosarcoma, (a rare form of bone cancer), aged just 19. His friend, my son Joel is the same age and we have known Graham and Jane since the boys were very small indeed. In the wake of his heartbreaking story (read more at Tom Stead) putting my efforts into raising funds for the Bone Cancer Research Trust #teambones. This is the very least I can do to contribute to better outcomes for those affected by osteosarcoma.
No one wants to hear about wet nights and cold garages winter training, flu etc so for your eyes only, the year kicked off in Belgium with a spring classic, the waffle fuelled Liege-Bastogne-Liege '154km' ride in Belgium in April, the one with 2700m of climbing taking in, for those of you who might know or care, the famed Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons, at 20% - that's me in blue on the Côte de la Redoute - hell, not pretty and Côte de Saint-Nicolas. And it's an actual 158km of riding, most of those last extra few (and the spurious link to all things location) on the famed cobbles. 7 sore hours in the saddle and a couple more at the well catered rest stops.
Too shortly thereafter I ventured out by first ever full marathon at Milton Keynes in May. Hottest bank holiday Monday since forever didn't augur well but got home in a smidge under 5 hours. Will have to do another one (Runger probably in November) now.
With a long hot summer forecast and in play there's now the downtime of some sea-swim sprints (Sandbanks, Salty Sea Dog) and olympic length triathlon training plus what the PT has to throw at me ahead of Weymouth. And to finish the year there will be a mini-triathlon into the wind (inevitably) in Lanzarote. Everything raised will go to the charities named - I know the few of you who see any links to this can help me towards and eventually beat that target.....