One afternoon in the 3i offices, the Infrastructure Finance team decided that they needed an additional challenge. The memories are now a little vague as to how we stumbled across Challenge Copenhagen, but we did and we signed up there and then - there is no going back now.
Challenge Copenhagen is an Iron Man event occurring in Copenhagen in August 2010. We have entered as a team. I volunteered for the swim (3.8km in the lagoon), Kenny quickly volunteered for the run (26.2 miles) and Stuart was volunteered for the bike section (180km). Mark has taken on the role of team manager and his key role will be nutrition advice.
It is now April and having tried in earnest to shift the festive flab, it's time to take our training a bit more seriously. The organisers in their wisdom have enforced time restrictions on the event, meaning Stuart and I have to complete the bike and swim sections within 8 hours 45 minutes for Kenny even to be given the chance to run - and we wouldn't want him to miss out.
As part of our training we are all doing various other events. Kenny is running on the spot constantly at work, I am swimming in the Thames to work, Stuart will be commuting to work on his bike via John O Groats on a daily basis and we will all be doing a couple of other smaller triathlons and team triathlons as practice as well. Mark will be sampling pies and beers intensively to develop the right post race nutrition regime for us.
In order to motivate us, we are raising money for ASBAH. ASBAH is the leading UK registered charity providing information and advice about spina bifida and hydrocephalus. ASBAH offers its services to the whole spectrum of those affected by, or with an interest in, hydrocephalus or spina bifida – from before birth (with advice and support), during childhood and right through adult life. ASBAH has been of huge support to one of our colleagues, so we would like to show our support back. We are intending to give half of the money we raise to the national charity ASBAH, and half to Surrey ASBAH, which covers a wide area including south-west London where our colleague lives.
As you can see from our picture we have a lot of training to do. Please dig deep as the more money we raise, the more inspired we will be to train and it is for a fantastic cause.
Please could everyone who donates put their predicted finish time for the team in Challenge Copenhagen - we will be providing prizes for the closest guesses.
The 3 "iN" Copenhagen - aka Lisa, Kenny and Stuart
