Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. I have now swum, cycled and run the 750m, 22km and 5km respectively and completed in a time of 01:45:05 . A massive MASSIVE thank you to everyone that has donated to this point, it really has helped to drive me forward in my training and on the day itself. Just because the event is now over it doesn't mean you can't donate though, this page will remain open for the next couple of months, so any further donations would be gratefully received. :O)

Just over a year ago I decided that enough was enough and that I would focus on leading a healthier lifestyle, lose some weight and be able to run around after my two children - I want to set a good example and don't want to be a fat dad! A year on and I've lost around 3 stone and 8 inches on my waist and feel so much better for it. There's no fad diet behind it all, I've simply kept a 2000 calorie per day regime, logging *everything* via the excellent www.myfitnesspal.com site - meaning I eat or drink what I want, when I want, but know the boundaries.

Near the end of 2012 I started thinking that 2013 doesn't have anything challenging (read insane) in it, having done coast to coast and Land's End to London bike rides in previous years, I decided 2013 should have something a little different. So... I entered a local Triathlon in Maldon, Essex, which I completed successfully and relatively unscathed!! For the sheer kick of it I dropped my name into the ballot for the PruHealth Open Age group Triathlon sprint distance. I thought there's no way in hell I'd get in on such a popular and prestigious event, right? WRONG! So over the last 3-4 months I've been training, waking up muscles in my body that had long gone into retirement!

I have now completed the race, here's a brief report:

The swim was hellish primarily as this is the discipline I had prepared for the least and I managed to completely forget the technique I had been using anyway! By the time I remembered I was half way into the 750m and already knackered! As with the Maldon Triathlon I made up a load of time on the bike and around 60 places, my bloody gears got stuck again though on the first straight, fortunately on the front high so was able to keep a good pace throughout. The 5km run I felt great, and I wanted to complete it in under 30mins like I have been in training - I did so, and even managed a surge of pace for the finish line! Will definitely look to do this one again next year assuming it is organised.

A big thank you to those that sponsored me, very much appreciated.