01/9/09 - We Won !!  After 300+ miles of running, swimming and cycling it's all over.  We came a close second to Deutsche Bank in the run and Barclays won the Cycle, but our swim team was so strong we couldn't be caught.  Credit Suisse are victorious !  (More photos to follow soon)

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What are you doing on the August Bank Holiday this year?  On Friday 28th August 2009, I will set out from London and attempt to run, swim and cycle... to Paris. Yes, you read right!

I've taken on the Enduro Challenge which is an incredibly demanding relay race:  An 87 mile run from London to Dover, a 29 mile cross-Channel swim and a 180 mile cycle ride from Calais to Paris.  Apart from a short break in Dover to wait for the morning tide, we will race continuously and hope to arrive in Paris in the early hours of Sunday 30th August.

As part of a team of 6 amateur triathletes from Credit Suisse, we will take on 5 similarly foolhardy teams from other City firms.  Each team member contributes equally, taking turns during the run, swim and cycle.

As the weeks go by, I hope to post some pictures of the sort of training required to compete in an event like this.  One of the toughest challenges will be the swim from Dover to Calais - the water temperature is likely to be a chilly 15-18 degrees and no wetsuits are allowed!  And here's the clincher - to qualify and be certified safe in the Channel, you need to successfully complete a 2-hour cold water sea swim.

All this effort, not to mention the many months of training is to raise money for The Place2be.

The Place2Be was established in 1994 in response to increasing concern about the extent and depth of emotional and behavioural difficulties displayed in classrooms and playgrounds.  They are an innovative growing charity, currently working with 146 schools across the UK, supporting a child population of around 47,000 – often in areas of great deprivation.  Their mission is to enable therapeutic and emotional support to be provided to children in schools based on a practical model backed up by research.

I'd really appreciate a contribution from you. Thank you so much for your support !

Ben Jervis