Today’s sponsorship market is highly competitive and unless you’re running across the Sahara in a gorilla suit or swimming across the Channel in nothing but a pair of Speedos and a smile it’s understandable to feel you’re not getting your donations worth. So with that in mind I've signed up for the daddy of all events.

I like to run, I go to the odd spinning class and I’ve learned how to swim in the last couple of years (although it’s probably more accurate to say it’s more not drowning by moving my arms and legs erratically than actual swimming) so how hard can a 3.8km open water swim, 180km cycle and 42.2km swim be? Well on 29th June I shall be doing my rubber suit and latex cap and heading to Klagenfurt to compete (attempt to survive!!) Ironman Austria! 

So why do it?  

In Dec 2010, Linda Hunter, a former colleague and friend of ours here at Sky passed away suddenly. Linda was always full of life and endeavoured to make the most of it at every opportunity. So when we heard that at age 46 she had suffered from a stroke we were all stunned. In our naivety many of us had thought strokes were something that affected only older people. The reality is that every year an estimated 150,000 people of all ages in the UK have a stroke and of these cases a third are fatal. The Stroke Association funds research into prevention, treatment and better methods of rehabilitation, and helps stroke patients and their families directly through its Life After Stroke Services. And so in Linda’s memory I’m hoping my endeavours can raise some funding for the Stroke Association. 

Over the last few years I've partook in a number of different challenges in Linda's memory (Triathlons (sprint and middle distance), 10kms, half marathons, full marathons and even a zumbathon). Ironman Austria is the crescendo and the last stop (for a wee while!) on the Hunts Challenge.

Anything you can spare would be greatly appreciated and is a powerful incentive for me to actually board the flight to Austria!

Thanks a mil,

Ness

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