Story
Dear friend and sponsor
Well I am back home to tell the tale. I managed the 3 disciplines, swimming, cycling and running(jogging) in 2 hours 2 minutes. I was really pleased with that time. It rained throughout and the air temperature was just 11 deg C which made it a very miserable June day. However, the Blenheim setting was quite grand and after the initial shock of entering the lake for the swim (water temp was warmer than the air luckily!) I did not really feel cold thereafter. Nevertheless, as I suspected, putting all the 3 sections together without a break except for changing was a great effort for me and I have to admit that at the end of the run I was really glad to stop. Inevitably, I lost a minute or two when I went the wrong way to the start of the run and when my water bottle fell off my bike -I was trying to drink whilst riding in the wet -not a good idea! The worst part was right at the start -with 200 swimmers all in wet suits most of whom started fast with front crawl overtaking poor me who only does breast stroke. So for 2 minutes or so I was bombarded by all these splashing crawlers. I was so glad when I was left towards the back in relative calm to get into my rhythm. The cycling was actually quite difficult in the wet conditions - you had to concentrate hard and it was a little intimidating being continually overtaken by scores of athletic young women. By the time the run started I could feel my legs and I was already quite puffed but I did manage the run in just a few minutes off my best time so far.
I have had close 50 sponsors and as you can see between you all you have donated £1100 through 'just giving' and well over £200 by cheques etc so that with gift aid added less the just giving commission of 5% the total I have raised with your help for Leukaemia Research is now well over £1500.
Thank you all very much indeed. I feel the event was worth the effort.
Best wishes
Jonathan