Story
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With the Olympics being held in the UK in 2012, this provides a unique opportunity to do something special to raise funds for charity in 2012.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Therefore I have decided to take part in the Olympic “<strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gold Challenge</strong>”, to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (<strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">JDRF</strong>).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I have chosen their <strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2012KM</strong> individual challenge in which I must cover 2012KM in one or more chosen sports, before the start of the Olympic Games in July 2012. I have chosen Cycling, Running & Swimming. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Details here: <a href="http://www.goldchallenge.org/gc/user/gmickelsen"><span style="color: #800080;">http://www.goldchallenge.org/gc/user/gmickelsen</span></a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I will use the Gold Challenge online Totalizer to keep track of how far I've gone and aim to log all my training and participation in a number of events, including:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">06/05/12 <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Forest of Dean Classic” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>- A hilly 90 Mile Cyclosportive </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">12/05/12 <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Carten100” Charity Road Ride <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>- 100 Miles from Cardiff to Tenby</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">28/05/12<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“<strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Olympic Torch Relay” <span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>- </strong>300m Run through Barry</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">17/06/12<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Cosmeston Triathlon”<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>– Swim, Road Cycle Race, Run</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">24/06/12 <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Dartmoor Classic” 106 Mile Cyclosportive </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">30/06/12<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Margam Mini Burn” – 5km Run, 10Km Biking, Kayaking</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Please dig deep and sponsor me throughout this challenge by donating money to JDRF, who are responsible for many advancements in treating Juvenile (Type 1) Diabetes and also promising to eventually find the cure.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Victims of T1 Diabetes, most commonly children, develop this lifelong condition through no fault of their own. My son Danny, aged 6, is one of these children.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Complications of diabetes can include Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) which can lead to poor circulation in the legs, stroke and heart conditions such as angina and heart attack; Diabetic kidney disease; Diabetic retinopathy (eye disease) and Diabetic neuropathy (degeneration of the nerves), leading to foot ulceration and infection...</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I have chosen JustGiving as a simple, fast and totally secure way of donating money. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So please dig deep and help me to help JDRF make this condition a thing of the past!</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></p>
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