Please read Scotts story.....let's get him back on his bike for Iron man 2019.
LONG POST ALERT and NO cats were harmed in its production
I cant sleep so have decided that 1am is a great time to write my Ironman Bolton race report😂😂😂
6 weeks ago i went along for my first open water swim in 3 years, i was bricking it scared stupid or just plain mental? I'll let you decide😊

So out of the 3 disciplines it was my main battle. 0600 saw us lined up ready for the swim which is a case of walking along a plastic pontoon and into the water which at 23° wasn't that bad but still i couldn't settle so after battling for about 600 m i got the attention of one of the safety staff in their kayak to basically grab the front and get control of my breathing and bring my heart rate down - it worked so my first lap was something like 1 hour 5 or more and then the 2nd was a bit more of a formality just aim to stay inline with the buoys 😂😂 with the sun im your eyes not that easy.
So 2 hours i was happy as i survived the first and biggest test and out onto the changed bike course.
Having done a recce for the bike course then the new one was an eye opener still just as tough if not a tougher test the hill in question was steep very steep🤔🤔 and from a tight right hand turn to climb was very hard but soon enough i was flying along trying to work out what sort of time i could look forward to arriving back to the hill in question and more importantly what time to rack the trusty steed.

So we were flying along and being overtaken by pro's (lucy Gossage) and seasoned vets alike when we went through a little village of Brindle i think it was which was a downhill stretch followed by a tight right hander and straight into another little climb so as we headed round the corner a CAT 🐱🐈 decided to go home for his morning nap just what can omly be classed as mincing across the road and the lad at my side gave a shout and swerved right. I had nowhere to go as i had railings to my left and him to my right so was a case of hope the cat played ball but no straight under my front wheel.

So i felt a bump next thing I'm on the floor face down moaning in agony cant move my right knee and also left arm at my elbow. And a womans voice asking if I'm okay! So amongst the moans and groans I'm mentally checking my body can i dp this and that? So after what seemed like an age(but probably about 10 seconds) an off duty paramedic comes to see me and checks my neck and head and to see that I'm okay and asks where I'm hurt? So after a minute or so i want to try turn over and rolls on my back taking my helmet off to see faces 😂😂😂 the medic asking if i can move various joints ie toes fingers and playing head shoulders knees and toes😂😂 he tells me my left knee looks dodgy🤔 but its my right knee and left elbow. So I'm informed an ambulance is on its way for me and i said to policeman if i can sit to cancel it as i could take it away from a real emergency. So i sat up with help from the crowd and race official (yup its official kamikaze cat takes me out) and then to stand so by standing i might just be able to carry on nursing my wounds.
Meanwhile we're all informed not to worry the cats fine!!!!!! Me in agony and disbelief along with the crowd couldnt believe our ears
So back onto the bike at 25 miles in and carried on assessing wether i could or should even attempt the run when i got to Hunter Hill a serious climb when disaster struck and my derailleur snapped off my bike and jammed up my back wheel lucky for me was going uphill not down and so a mechanic at side of road tried to help but alas was me out of the race.

I am soo soo gutted i feel like i let you all down and am sitting here in tears writing this as it meant so much to me.
But i can assure you from lining up yesterday morning for the swim i gave it 110% as per normal facing up to my fears of open water swimming (synchronised drowning) and out there on the bike course i left it all out there. I don't seriously know of i could of ran the run or not but again would of tried (never quit) so then to walking back towards the aid point to being collected by safety vehicle and getting back to race control i was gutted
Through my tears I'm sorry and feel it was unfair to be singled out for special treatment by the cat but also know thats racing for you and when i line up again for this distance race it will be different when looking at the bike it looks like the gears took the brunt of the collision and with the cost of repairs ans new kit - the list goes on new chain, gears on bike, tri suit, gloves and watch screen for my garmin let alone the race money expecting bill of over £1000 pound so costly for me