This year I am turning 40 Hooray!!! To celebrate the wonderful life I have been lucky enough to lead, I have decided to test myself and try and complete my hardest challenge to date... 

This is an Ironman distance Triathlon. In case you aren't sure an Ironman trialthon is...3.8KM Sea Swim, 180KM Bike then a full Marathon 44KM (26.2 miles). 

This is completed all in one day non stop, and will take me about 15 hours start to finish.

As many of you know, I have done quite a few running events and a few triathlons in my 40 years. Last year I met someone that made an impact on how I think about the events that I do and about being thankful to be able to do something I enjoy so much.

Last year I was on the final part of Blenheim triathlon, the running leg, when I noticed an young man who was struggling through the run. He was only about 18 years old and looked to not be enjoying it at all.

I decided I wanted to see if I could help him. I ran next to him and started to chat to him about the course and the crowd etc, to keep his mind busy. 

As we chatted over the next few kilometers he told me his story. He was 18 years old and he had blood cancer, it was first diagnosed when he was 13 and although he was in remission now for 2 years there were some points where it looked like he might not survive. He had not been able to move very easily and was at time bed ridden.

He wanted to celebrate his remission by completing Blenheim and to give something back to the Bloodwise charity that had helped him and his family so much during his fight.

For him it was important to pay something back and as he came to the finish line I saw his vast army of supporters cheering him on to complete the race, but mostly cheering loud in celebration that he was still in their lives. 

It was amazing to see what I meant to him and his family, it was inspiring and unexpected. 

The feeling of how lucky I am be able to use my body to do the events I enjoy so much stuck with me well after that race.

Being as this year is a big marker in my life, I have decided to do all of this years events to help tackle blood cancer, to help the young man that inspired me on that day and maybe to make it possible for another person to survive against the odds and hear another family cheer them round the triathlon.

As well as my Ironman in Oct I am doing the following events to build up to Barcelona:

1. Farnbrough half marathon (completed) 
2. Wokingham half marathon (completed)
3. Reading half marathon (completed)
4. Rotterdam full marathon (April)
5. Blenheim Weekend warriors (June) -
   FYI - this is where I go round and round Blenheim triathlon for the weekend, finish one and go back to the start and start again :-) I hope to do between 5 to 7 sprint triathlon over the weekend.
6. Unknown Olympic distance triathlon (TBC)
7. Unknown half Ironman triathlon (TBC)
8. BARCELONA IRONMAN TRIATHLON (Oct)

Training is already underway, and this year I expect to run around 1200KM, Bike around 1400KM and Swim about 20KM.

It will be a tough year, any contributions you would like to make would be great and you will be helping an awesome cause. Thanks to Microsoft, as they will double whatever sponsorship I receive.

Let see how much we can raise together, as always any cheering support at the events is also very welcome or if you fancy doing any of the races as well them let me know and I can share the details.

Want to donate by text ?send one of the following to 70070

ISTU50 £5
ISTU50 £10
ISTU50 £20

Many thanks,

Stu.