JOB DONE - Target of £3000 reached for St Benedict's Hospice, a big big thank you to everyone that has donated to and shared this fantastic cause.

In believing in this cause, I too have made my donation.

THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE

As promised here is a quick
update of the Ironman event that was held in Klagenfurt
Austria.

Firstly the travel there was a bit of a slog getting there, but once we arrived we were able to settle into a small but functional apartment. Registration into the Ironman triathlon was swift, and then there was a couple of days to check the bike out, try out the lake, and try and get use the very high temperatures of 30 and 31 degrees.

Race day itself was amazing, with some troublesome times.

The swim start wasn’t too bad, the water was lovely and crystal clear and warm. About half way through I found the only person doing breaststroke, or should I say they found me when I received a swift kick in the delicate area. In the last part of the swim, you swim from the lake down the Lendkanal for about a kilometre, where all the athletes are funnelled into a smaller area. Being a bit more crammed in it was
here I managed to get a few unintentional kicks to the head from the swimmers in front.

2.4 Mile Swim was finished in 1 hour and 34 minutes.

After a not so quick change from wetsuit to cycling gear it was off on the bike.

The cycle course was great, the roads were mostly smooth and I was able to maintain a better speed than I was initially hoping for. My worries of cycling in the heat were soon put at ease when the rain started, and the rain was warm rain. It did look like I was going to be in for my fastest bike time, but two punctures saw to that.

112 Mile Cycle Ride was done in 7 hours and 22
minutes.

Another not so quick change from cycling gear to running gear.

The last leg of the Ironman triathlon was the worst. I was able to run the first hour of the marathon, but by now the rain had stopped and the heat of the day had returned. Not being used to such heat, it was time for the run/walk strategy, which turned into the walk strategy to stop myself from being physically sick. After an hour of walking, a change in what I was able to eat, and evening time saw the sun disappear I was back to running. In all reality my run pace and walk pace by now seamed to be the same. It was just a matter of hanging on and getting to the end.

26.2 Mile Marathon was completed in 6 hours and 43 minutes.

In total for completing the 140.6 miles of swim/bike/run including the times for getting changed, the whole event took me 16 hours and 24 seconds.

Am I gutted for not getting under the 16 hour mark - not really. It was a long day with different challenges in each event. It was just a case of adapting as best as possible and dealing with the hand I was dealt.

Which is no different to my wife’s situation (and that of many others) of having to deal with what’s been dealt to them. I don’t want this to sound that this is all a game, but I do feel that with the help of St Benedict’s Hospice and everything they have done for us, I feel that we do have a couple of Aces.

THIS WAS MY REASON FOR DOING IRONMAN AUSTRIA.

I would like to thank

Amanda for still letting me still do the triathlon when she wasn’t well enough to travel

Martin for stepping in to help with the driving and keeping things real

Andy for the coaching, adapting it to the realistic time I could commit to it

The Pheonix Unit at the hospital

and finally St Benedicts Hospice

As a result of this, I'll be doing the Ironman triathlon in Klagenbfurt (Austria) on the 26th June 2016, as with all Ironman triathlons I will be hoping to complete the following one after the other

• 2.4 mile swim (cut off time of 2 hour 20 minutes from the start)
• 112 mile bike (cut off time of 10 hours 10 minutes from the start)
• 26.2 mile run (cut off time of 17 hours from the start)

We've chosen St Benedict's Hospice for all of their help and support we've received to date, especially from Amanda's appointed hospice nurse to whom we are forever grateful.