As has become tradition, I look for a big event to focus on each year to raise money for charity, so when a friend challenged me to a Half Ironman, how could I refuse donning the lycra once again?

The challenge set is a 1.2m (1.9km/76 lengths) swim, 56m (90km) bike and, just when your legs feel extra fresh, a half marathon (13m / 21km) run to finish. Having still never run more than 10km and certainly not after a long and hilly ride, the run should be a real challenge. At least the weather in southern France should be slightly nicer than the current snowy conditions I'm training in!

Any donations would be greatly appreciated and all of the money will go direct to charity. The Teenage Cancer Trust do some really great work and are very deserving of your kind generosity.

James.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.