Allow me to introduce myself 🫲

My name is Tom, I am 18 years old and I am competing in Iron Man Wales on Sunday 22nd September 2024 to raise money for Ambitious About Autism.

Ambitious About Autism is a charity which helps create a world where autistic children and young people are heard, included and supported, by championing rights, campaigning for change and creating opportunities. Autism is a life long developmental disability that affects 1 in 100 people, affecting the way a person communicates and how they see the world around them.

I was diagnosed with autism 5 years ago and have had many struggles through both primary and secondary school due to either not knowing about my autism or because I just didn't really have a proper understanding of what it was at the time.

Throughout my education I struggled with my lessons and social situations which lead me to mask (hide) my autism from people which meant that I was never truly being myself because I was afraid to come across differently from other people. Anyone who struggles with masking their autism will know just how exhausting it is!

This has all had a very big effect on my mental health; the masking and not feeling like I belong effected me tremendously.

I am now feeling much more comfortable since leaving 6th form which has meant that I find myself masking much less, but despite this I do still feel the need to do so around many people which can make it much harder to accept my autism and affects my ability to be myself. Although I hide it well I know it is unhealthy for my mental health and I am aware that so many young people are suffering the same; wanting to fit in but not knowing how to.

To raise money and awareness for Ambitious About Autism I will be competing in one of the hardest endurance events there is... the IRONMAN. This is a triathlon at the highest level consisting of:

- 2.4mile/3.9km sea swim

- 112 mile/180km bike

- 26.2 miles/41km run (a full marathon)

These are all completed simultaneously and will take an average 12:30 to 13 hours to complete. It is known as one of the hardest endurance challenges in the world. In my training plan I will be competing in the half Ironman called the 'OUTLAW' on the 7th July 2024 before arguably the toughest Ironman in the world... Ironman Wales on 22nd September 2024.

I am doing this to prove what a young autistic lad can do despite the many beliefs and labels that say an autistic person cannot be successful because of their challenges. I believe that in completing this Ironman I will be the youngest openly autistic person to complete an Ironman in history.

Please also follow my training journey on Instagram @tomcarthew where I will be posting and documenting my full journey to becoming an Ironman and all the training I will be doing. Despite how tough the training has been leading up to now and will be over the next few months and how hard it will be on the day, it does not compare to the pain and hardship that so many young autistic people go through each and everyday which makes me feel even more driven to help make a change.

I want to show my true self and help inspire other children with autism that you can be yourself, there is nothing wrong with you, it is the world around you that has the problem.

Please help support me by donating to this fantastic charity, to enable them to help and support more people so that autism does not feel like a disability but more a capability.

Thank you for your support,

Tom