Jay & Dez would like to thank you for visiting our justgiving page.

First of all I'll start by giving the reason for our chosen charity. 

Well what can I say wow massive Thanks to everyone that has sponsored us so far. Some people even donating a 2nd time after the event'thank you so much guys.

The next Thank you goes to everyone that turned up in Tenby to support us,completely overwhelming you guys were amazing travelling all that way then getting up so early for the swim and then of course we're away for hours on the bike before you see us again and then the 4 lap marathon your cheers were so uplifting on a gruelling run and you all kept popping up in different places each time driving us on.

On the day.

Awake for 4.40AM having not slept very well it was a calorie party before making our way to T1 where we got changed and headed down to the beach 7.00AM and after the Welsh national anthem it was AC/DC's Thunderstruck that sent us crashing into the sea and fighting for space to swim. Once you felt you'd found some room you'd reached the first buoy and the fight to get round it continued after that things settled down and before we new it we were through the Australian exit and onto lap 2.Dez was out of the water first in 1 hr 15 mins I followed at 1hr 37 mins.After a 1 mile run to T1 we were on our way a tough and technical bike course was made all the harder by the persistent wind and rain. There were many victims of the tight bends to be seen sitting at the roadside wrapped in foil,fortunatley for us we stayed upright after 102 miles I caught Dez up who was going well and looked in good shape we chatted briefly and I went on ahead but the bike was a slow hard slog and after 112 miles of cycling in the rain let's go for a hilly marathon.I was glad to arrive in T2 as I new I'd complete the challenge from here and strode out of T2 to hear being announced over the loud speaker that I had a good spring in my step.That felt great to hear,it was funny after to hear from friends and family that Dez went into T2 about 3mins after me and ran out 2 mins ahead of me,we probably sat next to each other completely focused on our own job unaware of each other.We headed out onto the run just before the 9 hour point

The run sent you out of town and up a brut of a hill that we would have to climb a further 3 times before we would be crown Ironmen.

The body's into a deep fatigue midway through the run and it becomes hard to eat and drink but cheered on by thousands of fans we slowly ticked off the miles at one point my daughter Kayla ran up a hill with me which was great.

Finally after 13 he's 18mins I made it to the red carpet milked every cheer listed to my name being announced as an Ironman and crossed the line arms high in the air and found my family for a huge hug.

Dez followed up the carpet in a time of 14hrs 29mins with a look of pure satisfaction written all over his face it was over we had both achieved our goal after 9 months of hard work.

What a journey it had been.

On  the 19th October  2006 in Wishaw General Hospital  Scotland my wife and I received into the world Jayden River Groom and Kayla Mellissa Groom.

After recieving IVF treatment in Barcelona and all the stress and financial outlay that had gone with it, to finally arrive at this day was the most overwhelming day of our lives.

It really did seem too good to be true that we had a boy and girl , twins arriving into our family . we had become parents to two beautiful healthly babies.

Unfortunately our world collapsed around us after only 6 months.On the 16th of May 2007 while Frankie worked nightshift in the Nursing home I put Jayden and Kayla to bed as usual and went to bed myself ,I was woken by Kayla crying over the baby monitor at 7.05am May 17th.,I heated 2 bottles up and went in to their nursery and discovered every parents worst nightmare.

Jayden was lying motionless on his back.I lifted him from the cot his neck limp and placing him on the floor I began mouth to mouth but there was no response, I called 999 who instructed me to continue with the mouth to mouth until the ambulance arrived. I remember when they arrived hanging up the phone and seeing I'd been trying in vain to resuscitate my son for 14 minutes and 15 seconds.

The enormity of what we were about  to come to terms with hadn't even reached Frankie yet. Who was doing a morning ward round and hadn't been found by the lady taking my call.

Our perfect world hadn't even lasted 7 months and our lives had been ripped apart.

We are coming up to 6 years since that day, Frankie and I have had some dark days since then. The death of a loved one leaves a void in your life like no other. I've lost both my parents and at 53 and 64 they were both taken from me at a young age but at least my sister and I survived them, for our baby boy to be taken from us just doesn't seem right, words can not explain the pain and anguish you feel , But life has to go on, we had Kayla  to consider, she inspired us to do this, giving us a purpose and providing a great deal of pleasure along the way. Kayla, is now in school and we are so proud of her.

The Scottish Cot death Trust  supported us through this difficult time  sent letters and monthly magazines detailing   event dates ,calendars etc.

 

Now my Brother-in-Law Dez Walker and I would like to raise some much needed funds for there cause.

So we have set ourselves a once in a lifetime challenge in order to raise funds for the Cot Death Trust.

We are going to take on the hardest single day endurance challenge an IRONMAN (in Tenby South Wales on the 8th of September 2013)

Starting with a 2.4 mile swim in the Ocean.We will both hopefully exit the water and head out on a 112 mile bike ride up the South Wales hills climbing over 5000ft.If we make it through this we will then head back out into those hills again this time on foot to run a marathon(that's right 26.2 miles).

All being well we will complete this in under 17 hours which will then make us both IRONMEN.

This will be a long and hard process,in fact one that is underway already with early morning swims,late night swims,weekend bike rides,early morning runs.

We would dearly love your support in our efforts for this challenge.This will spur us on and keep us focused when the going gets really tough.

An organisation veryclose to our hearts that we would both dearly love to raise as much funds for  as possible.

Dez will turn 50 before this event an Jay will turn 40 later this year and we have never attempted any close to this previously.We will both be testing our bodies to the maximum.

There are cut off times for the 3 disciplines of 2 hours 20 mins for the swim,10 hours 30 min for the swim & bike combined and 17 hours for completion.If you don't get across the finish line for midnight you are not an Ironman.

With a minimum of 3 swim sessions,20 hours cycling and 10 hours running per week require between now and September we are both giving up a tremendous amount of not only our time but also our familys time as well so we ask you to please give generously to a very worthy cause more than 300 babies a year die in the U.K alone from sudden infant death syndrome(sids) or Cot Death tragic statistics.

Kayla is now 6 years old and understans Jayden is in heaven and is helping her Daddy train pace setting on my runs on her bike.Kayla has the following message I've typed for her 'Please support my Daddy and my uncle Dez to raise funds   so that other boys and girls don't have to have there brothers and sisters up in heaven and can play with them.'

Thanks for reading and thanks for your support.

Jay Groom & Dez Walker

 

 

 

 

 

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