I DID IT !!!!!!

Total time 6hrs 35 min

Swim 46min (faster than expected)

Cycle 3hrs 17min (much much faster than expected)

Run 2hrs 24min (much slower than expected, but it was 30C)

All in all a great day. I'll upload some photos soon

Video Finish

http://apps.ipmedia.ch/finishers/ironman-70-3-2010/participants/martin-robertson

M

As some of you may know, I was a “keen” triathlete until the advent of children and general decrepitude allowed me to bow out at the top of my game.  Thus it’s no surprise, to me anyway, that as part of my mid-life crisis celebrations I’ve decided to come out of retirement to attempt Ironman Switzerland 70.3 on the 6^th of June this year. 

The event involves swimming 1.2miles in Lake Zurich, cycling 56 miles through specially flattened mountains before completing a half marathon; the combined distance is 70.3 miles, hence the name.

For the last 6 months I have been jacking up the pressure on myself, usually by purchasing some new bit of cycling gear rather than actually training.  However I’ve decided that the best way to force myself to do some training is to raise money for charity.  To this end I intend to seek sponsorship for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Marie Curie Cancer Care provides free care for up to 29,000 terminally ill cancer patients either through one of their 9 hospices or by providing nursing care at home.  The hospices and 2,700 nurses are funded purely by donations from the public, hence the need to raise money.

I’m going to need all the support I can to get me to the start line, let alone the finish line.  Thus any donation you care to make will really incentivise me.  Remember that if you’re a tax payer Mr Darling (or perhaps Mr Osbourne by that time) will add a further 28% to any donation you make.

Many thanks for taking the time to read my page and hopefully making a donation.

Regards

Martin

Take a look at the links below to the Marie Curie, Ironman Switzerland and my training schedule websites. 

My friend Ewan Smith is also taking part in the event.  He' raising money for Alzheimer Scotland, another worthy cause.  Please follow the link to his site

http://www.justgiving.com/Ewan-Smith-Ironman

http://www.mariecurie.org.uk

http://70.3ironman.ch/en/00_news/00_aktuell.htm

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/training/index-weekly.asp?type=week&year=2010&month=3&memberid=161897&setstrength=0&setplanned=0&setnutrition=0

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.