This year I have decided to do a few nutty challenges:

- 25 April - London Marathon

- 14 May - 100 mile cycle race around Kent

- 20 June - Ironman UK 70.3 (1.2mile swim, 56 mile cycle up 52 hills, 13.1 mile run)

Why... because I am not getting any younger (as has been proved by my pathetic training attempts to date) AND in order to raise money for a charity that is close to my heart.  My story...

My son Jacob was born in June 2000 and within 3 weeks he was in heart failure and being ambulanced to Guys (& Evelina Childrens) Hospital.  It turns out that he was born with a number of congenital heart defects and as a result needed open heart surgery to survive.  I will never forget the feeling of him being put to sleep in my arms in preparation for his surgery.

His surgery took six hours and while they had quite a scare because of the time it took to get his heart working again after bypass, he survived and the operation was a success.  Jacob spent the next three days in intensive care while his little body recovered from the trauma of surgery and the side effects of being on heart bypass.  After a further 2 weeks (and a brain damage scare because of the length of time to recuscitate him after surgery), he was allowed home!

Jacob still has a few holes in his heart, has thickening of his pulmonary artery and has a dodgy valve.  He is on permanent medication and will need surgery at some point in the future.  However, he is alive, is a normal 9 year old and lives a full and healthy life thanks to Guys. 

Jacob is alive today because of the the expert care and support he received from everyone at Guys.  What's more, he continues to be supported by them year in year out.  In addition, after his condition was diagnosed, his younger siblings were also under the care of Guys because of the increased risk to them and as a result, his sister Molly who was born with holes in her heart was cared for by Guys and is thankfully now fine.

This is just one story, there were 16 beds in the ward that Jacob was in, all with young children with heart conditions and all being cared for like Jacob was.  And this goes on every single day...  which is why I have chosen to raise money for Guys (& Evelina Childrens) Hospital.

Anything you are able to donate will not only help Jacob's ongoing support but also all the other wonderful work that the hospital undertakes for children (and their families) in their time of need.

Wish me luck... based on my training so far (a late start, 1 torn achilles tendon, 2 torn calf muscles, shin splints and a fractured ankle), I am going to need it... might need to splash out on a new pair of trainers too... pic attached!!

Very many thanks for your support

Chris