October 2009
I'm delighted to say I completed Challenge Barcelona on 4th October in 11:43:26, well within my target time of 12 hours and with a huge smile on my face. If you are interested the split times were;
- swim 1:09:06
- T1 0:10:41
- bike 5:58:47
- T2 0:09:29
- run 4:15:22
It was a fantastic day and I'm so grateful to everyone for sponsoring me and expecially to Lesley for her unstinting support before and on the day. It just wouldn't have been possible without you. Starting and ending a race in the dark was just amazing and the spectators, competitors and organisers were great.
If you have 10 minutes to spare, you REALLY MUST see this YouTube video about the event; by the end you will either be choked up, want to do one yourself or both. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W63OJJTXim8 (You might even spot me in the background on my bike!)
Would I do it again? Well, never say never but the physical and mental focus and preparation are not to be underestimated. I can honestly say, I thought about it everyday from January this year when I entered and decided to raise money at the same time. And the training was like a part-time job. According to my HRM:
- I did 243 separate training sessions between January and October
- I spent 312:27 hours training (35 hours per month on average)
- I consumed 117,495 calories
So I'm going to hang up my tri gear for a sabbatical next year and let Lesley choose the next challenge:-)
Best wishes
Steve
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January 2009
After 5 years of triathlon, it's time for me to face the ultimate challenge that is an Ironman event. That's a 3.8km swim, a 180km bike and then a 42.2km run (a marathon, in other words). Scarey distances and a gruelling event, which I expect will take me about 12 hr to complete. You can find out more about the race at www.challenge-barcelona.com
Of course, normal levels of fitness won't cut it and I've got a training plan for the next nine months that averages 10-15 hrs per week. So far so good, but it is only week 2!
I may be crazy but I'm not crazy enough to do it twice, so I want to raise some money for a worthy cause, while I suffer. The Shakespeare Hospice is celebrating it's 10th anniversary as they explain below:
“This current year is the 10 Anniversary of the opening of the Hospice and we will be having many new events to celebrate this, news of which will appear in our newsletters and on our website www.theshakespearehospice.org.uk. We are hoping that our many loyal supporters will be able to participate in these events. Our goal is that 2009 will be our best fundraising year yet and to help us reach this target we are encouraging our supporters to hold their own events however big or small to celebrate the Hospice’s first decade.”Please dig deep and donate what you can. It wil really help me get through the race and help the individuals, their families and their carers who are affected by life-threatening diseases in the Stratford area.
Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: The Shakespeare Hospice gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.
So please sponsor me now!
Thanks
Steve
