Updated on Dec 21st 2012 at 8:03 AM from the JustGiving API

My JustGiving page closes today. If you wanted to sponsor me but forgot it's your last chance! @shineukcharity

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

 

This year I'm raising money and awareness for Shine. It's a charity which supports families and helps them live with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.

It helps individuals affected and their loved ones with information, networking and education.  

Hydrocephalus, in case you don't know, is a condition, usually present at birth, where the head will appear abnormally large due to excess water literally in the brain.

This fluid needs to be drained, so doctors place a funnel system called a shunt into the bran which lasts for life and drains the fluid into the stomach. It's pretty effective it seems. I've met people with it and you'd never know. However, I've discovered that not everyone is so lucky. Others suffer a lot of complications and need constant care.

It is a lifelong condition and Shine gives valuable support to those who live with this and the families who help support them.

This is the only charity I am supporting this year and the only campaign I am running. I promise, I will not ask for any more sponsorship of you in 2012! And I will post loads more pics of me in lycra unless/until you chip in :-) Also, remember, no donation is too big or too small!

 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.

What am I doing to earn your dosh?

As many of you wil know I did my first tri last year in Wales. It was really hard but I loved the training and having had a disappointing run I'm determined to improve this year. So when Shine asked me to join their team I was well up for it, especially when I realised how great a cause it was. So up for it, in fact, that I decided to take on the biggest challenge London has to offer: a 1.5km open swim followed by a huge double cycle of 80km, then a punishing 10km run.
That's going to hurt in the morning!

 

FYI: London Triathlon is on 23 September 2012, but that doesn't mean you can't donate early! Also, YOU ARE INVITED! Come join Team Shine for the day and cheer from the sidelines, no training required. It's happening at the Excel centre. Good fun and great atmosphere guaranteed. Join the Facebook event group here: http://www.facebook.com/events/406939002682698/

In the meantime... I'm blogging my training and practice events here so if you want to laugh at my pain, you can!

Update: I've bought a wetsuit. There's no going back now!

Update 19 June: Having completed my first open water sprint of the season in 1 hour 29 minutes, I'm on track. Keep the love, energy and donations coming!