"Why be good at just 1 sport when you can be average at 3" - that's how we see it anyway. 

Some people would shave their hair or grow a beard, not us (well maybe Ed) but we decided to commit to an insane challenge, competing in competitive Triathlons (Olympic distance may I add) without any prior experience in this sort of sporting pursuit! 

What we are planning

PEAK DISTRICT TRIATHLON AT CHATSWORTH - 3rd July 2016

OUR TARGET TIME: Standard distance in under 3 hr 15 min 

Based at one of the country's finest stately homes, Chatsworth House, this event is now a firm favourite on the UK triathlon calendar and also acknowledged as one of the toughest events in the Triathlon calendar!

The 1000m/1km river swim in the Derwent starts from the beautiful 18th century bridge and goes out and back in front of the iconic Chatsworth House. The 36km cycle route is a single loop for both standard and sprint races taking in some of the most beautiful scenes in the Peak District. Both runs are a single lap (5km each); there is an extra loop beyond the Hunting Tower for us standard distance athletes who will run past more of Chatsworth's landmarks, a run totalling 10km. 

BUTTERMERE TRIATHLON - 10th September 2016

OUR TARGET TIME: Standard distance in under 3:30 hours 

The Buttermere Triathlon is set in the lakeside town of Buttermere, situated on the shores of Buttermere Lake, Lake District. The 1500m/1.5km swim is based from the northern shore, the crystal clear water of the lake makes it one of the cleanest lakes in the country and is set amongst the stunning backdrop of the dramatic fells and forests in the distance.

The bike section is a classic 44km route and takes riders over the climbs of Honister and Whinlatter passes. The route passes through Gatesgarth and up onto the steep ascent of Honister Pass, with gradients reaching 25% finishing with the famous 'The Wall' at the top. The ride continues onto the forested climb of Whinlatter Pass and back along to Buttermere Village.

The run element of the Triathlon incorporates a 13km Trail Run along the shores of Crummock Water, with the mighty Grassmoor on the east and the fells of Mellbreak on the west. Passing along the spectacular waterfalls of Sourmilk Gill and Scale Force, the route heads back along the base of Melbreak.

Meet the Team

Callum 'Marcel Kittel' Throw - Supporting the BHF means a great deal to me, sadly I have learnt first hand the damage heart disease inflicts on not only those suffering but also their loved ones. I lost my Dad back in 2014 to an aneurysm, having just returned from a holiday in India and seemingly reasonably fit it was a massive shock and is by far one of the hardest things I have faced in my life. He meant a lot to me, he was a great dad and a huge inspiration to me. I know he would be proud, as always, that I am doing such a gruelling challenge to raise funds for a truly deserving cause. As a regular gym goer I am certainly no featherweight, I don't have a typical cyclists build so the climbs on the bike seem a little daunting. Having not swam for over 10 years and not really ever enjoying running, this will be a massive challenge. 

Nick ‘Lance Arm-not-so-Strong’ Goddard - I want to raise money for BHF as I think it is an under- appreciated charity which needs all the support it can get, it helps a lot of people from all walks of life. I've had years of experience fell/running  but not had any experience on road bikes nor open water swimming so the thought of a Triathlon was at first very daunting. It was never my ambition to attempt a Triathlon however I was willingly dragged into as a team. We are supporting each other well and very much looking forward to the challenge.

Ed 'Cole Train' Cole - I wanted to take part in this challenge as a personal ambition having smoked for nearly 10 years up until November, barely being able to swim, not owning a bike and having never gone on “a run” I thought it would be a suitable challenge. The added motivation of raising a substantial amount of money for the British Heart Foundation will further drive me to put in the many hours in the pool, on my new bike and in my new running shoes that will be needed for me to achieve this challenge. All the while becoming healthier myself and hopefully raising money which I know will help a lot of people.     

British Heart Foundation offers free support and information for people looking to improve their heart health, as well as funding research into the prevention, care and treatment of heart disease. They are aiming to spend £50 million over the next decade to help our scientists learn to mend broken hearts affected by heart failure caused by a heart attack.

If you still need some help deciding whether or not to pledge, then here are a few more great reasons to donate:

1. Personal Experience: We all have a heart! We all know somebody who either directly or indirectly has suffered from this terrible problem and any one of us could suffer from heart problems in the future. 
2. It is a scientific FACT that donating to charity makes you feel good. 
3. One of the main reasons people give to charity is positive personal publicity. 

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.

Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page and thank you so much for your support, knowing our efforts are making a difference to lives affected by heart disease will certainly help us to achieve our mad and probably a little bit daft challenge.