Its charity time again or mid life crisis time, it must be one or the other. In an attempt to challenge myself more than last years 950 mile cycle ride of the UK, and as it’s an Olympic year I have chosen to do the ‘Alternative Duathlon’. 

In a traditional duathlon you would run, bike and then run, all in one day and this is where the alternative duathlon comes in, which one day will be made an Olympic sport. The alternative order is Bike, Run, Run more over a 4 month period , training for each individually as I haven’t run more than 10km for 30 years. Although the route for the marathon is one I used to go to work, so I should be familiar with it, the main problem may be that I will not have a car to help me.

So the duathlon charity challenge set this year is:

·         End of June Cycle 450 miles the length of Ireland in 6.5 days

·         Mid September run the Great North Run 13.1 miles

·         End October run the Preston (my home town) Guild Marathon in The European City of Sport

To celebrate our cycle finish the French have decided to start a race called the Tour de France on that date, so it must be an important challenge.

I am led to believe that my training regime of get cycling again, then  run, run more and really run more, should work. I lay my trust in Apple to this with their couch to marathon App, although I am not familiar with the publisher - Homer Simpson ?

The charity I am supporting this year is the British Heart Foundation with the cycle ride being done as part of a team of 8, the other duathlon bits I decided to do by myself just for a ‘laugh’/challenge.

Please support me in anyway you can, hopefully with donations or if you are unable to do this just with encouragement.

Many thanks in anticipation of your support

Chris