12 Weeks to go


Tough Guy to Ironman

Now before you all go jumping off at the deep end saying I’m not a Tough Guy – actually I am, it’s an adventure race in a little known place called Perton. (https://www.toughguy.co.uk/ ) I completed this in 2011 I think.

And lets face it it’s a better title than ‘I’m an idiot and signed up to the hardest thing I could possible do’. Yep that’s right I signed up to Ironman UK. I was sat on a nice hot veranda in Kenya with a cool beer and it seemed like a good idea. Now with the countdown at 12 weeks it is looming very large.

For those that don’t know what a Ironman, its basically a triathlon, for those that don’t know what a triathlon is, well you swim for a bit, cycle for a bit then run for a bit.

In an Ironman you swim for ages, cycle for even longer then run for a bit more. The distances involved are simply nuts – 2.4mile open water swim, 112 mile bike ride, 26.2 mile run. For those that are struggling to comprehend such distances they have cut off times – I have to finish this in 17 hours or less. Yes seventeen hours.

What time am I hoping for? Well I have various goals for this ‘adventure’.
1.       Don’t die.
2.       Finish inside 17 hours
3.       Finish inside 15 hours
In that order!

If I am honest I would like to get somewhere close to my rugby mates who did this a few years ago. Tom got 12.30 ish, Barney got 13.30 ish. If I am brutally honest Tom’s a monster and Barney does these type of things for fun so I will revert back to my 3 original goals.

Another question I get asked a lot – why? Well I have always wanted to do this – my plan is complete this ridiculousness then hang up all forms of exertion other than golf – it’s a noble aim I think, but Pam is less convinced!

And it all started today (post edit note that was last week cos I never uploaded this!) – I completed the first of my four events (the last being the Ironman). Todays one was only a sprint though – 400m/20km/5km. Nice little warn up – to learn all the mistakes, like take extra shoes because your trainers are stuck in transition.


Everything racked, laid out and ready to go!
It went well, finished it in a time of 1hr18. not as quick as I would have liked but i think a solid start.

So that is the story so far, and in time honoured tradition I will be raising money - I'm going through all of this so I may as well.

I would like to raise money for Birmingham Childrens Hospital - more specifically the rheumatology department. They are hoping to put on a sports day for children who, well struggle to do things that we all take for granted rather than the extreme sporting challenges.

The fundraising page is https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/christopher-dawson5

In future blogs there will be such exciting news as training schedule, warm up events, and battling injuries! Bet ya can't wait.

Statman

Weeks to go - 11
Events to go - 3
Events completed - 1
Overall time - 1:18:29
Swim - 8:18
T1 - 1:28
Bike - 40:48
T2 - 1:00
Run - 27:41



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