I have always used sport as a way of quieting the mind, without which I would have gone crazy years ago. I originally planned to do an Ironman distance triathlon in my 50^th year but all the races were cancelled in 2020, so here I am at 52 giving it a go.

On 12^th June, 2022 at Alderford Lake near Whitchurch in Shropshire, I will attempt to swim 2.4 miles in open water, ride 112 miles on a bike, and then run a marathon.

I am not a fan of asking for money for doing something that I choose to do, but in case you are looking for a good cause then let me tell you about the YMCA North Staffordshire.

Young people needing their help invariably have stories of family breakdown. As someone struggling to process my own past trauma while also parenting children with their past traumas, I can well understand how close many of us are to that every day.

I have seen over many years the amazing work that YMCA North Staffordshire does to support young people to help them to develop a better future for themselves.

The biggest irony of this obsession is that the many long hours of training have isolated me from my family. It is they who have made the biggest sacrifice. So this effort above all is dedicated to them. Thank you.