On 31st July 2011 I will attempt to complete Ironman UK, an amazing challenge... why?

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."  Martin Luther King

Well I had the immense pleasure of knowing Pete for almost 30 years; from school, through our 20's and beyond... and that quote was tailor made for him... though I would also add a wicked sense of humour!  

Pete Freeland was my best man and godfather to Fern so the question is; what to do as a tribute to my best friend? Pete would certainly have suggested some pretty insane ideas, then sat back and chuckled at the prospect of someone else doing it! Well an Ironman triathlon would definitely rank as an event for people who need their head examining.

Choosing the beneficiary for my pain was much simpler as DebRA is a charity that has been very close to the Freeland family for many years.

So all that is left is to remain injury free as I train for this monumental challenge. The prospect of a 2.4mile swim in a lake, followed by a 112 mile bike ride and culminating in running a marathon would be much easier to bear if it was somewhere exotic like Hawaii, but oh no... it's in Bolton! What was I thinking?!

Yes, I'm doing this because Pete was my best friend.  If he was your friend too, then please honour his memory by sponsoring me in this challenge.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. 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.

So please dig deep and donate now.