I'm fundraising for the fabulous charity CRY - Cardiac Risk in the Young. CRY's Vision is preventing young sudden cardiac deaths through awareness, screening and research, and supporting affected families.

Every week in the UK at least 12 young people die of undiagnosed heart conditions. 80% of these young people have no signs or symptoms and so the only way to detect a potentially sinister cardiac abnormality is by having a CRY screening test. Since its formation in 1995, Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) has been working to reduce the frequency of young sudden cardiac death (YSCD). CRY supports young people diagnosed with potentially life-threatening cardiac conditions and offers bereavement support to families affected by YSCD. CRY promotes and develops heart screening programmes and funds medical research.

CRY offers subsidised ECG and Echocardiogram screening to all young people between the ages of 14 & 35.

There is a simple way to diagnose most cardiac abnormalities. This is by having an ECG (Electrocardiogram) test. Results should be read by a cardiologist. For extra clarity an Echocardiogram can also be done.
At a CRY screening, a medical history questionnaire and ECG are used, and an Echocardiogram is carried out on the day if the Dr requests further investigation.

CRY is entirely dependent on the funds raised by its supporters to enable it to offer the services it does to those affected by young sudden cardiac death.

I want to raise valuable funds for CRY to visit AGS and carry out a screening programme for our students. Being a PE teacher, working closely with students who exert themselves daily, I'm passionate about doing more to increase awareness and provide screening opportunities. There is a relationship between sudden cardiac death and sport. However, it is important to emphasise that sport is good for the heart. Sport reduces the risk of high blood pressure, it improves cholesterol levels and generally, it reduces the risk of someone dying from a cardiac problem. Indeed, people who play sport on a regular basis live an average of six years more than people who don’t play any sport at all. However, if an individual that plays sport harbours a condition that’s capable of causing sudden cardiac death – such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy or a blocked artery – then sport is three times more likely to cause sudden cardiac arrest.

All of this is made more poignant and powerful by the fact that this kind of tragedy can and has recently struck within our very own school community. For my colleague and friend Mrs Alison Cox, AGS Development Director, tragedy struck at the end of 2017, when her daughter Freya died suddenly. Freya was a former student at Aylesbury High School and in her second year at the University of Bristol when she died.  In her own words,

“We are totally and utterly devastated that our beautiful, energetic and seemingly fit 19 year old daughter Freya died so suddenly on 31st December 2017. The pain and loss we feel is unbearable but CRY are holding our hands and helping us to navigate our heartbreaking truth and the potential challenges ahead. Like our brilliant, vibrant, sparkling and determined daughter, CRY are making a difference and their work is, and will continue to be, instrumental in the diagnosis and prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death in young people.”

The cost to bring CRY into Aylesbury Grammar School for a day, to screen 100 students would be £5000 (£50 per head).   My ambition is to raise as much money as possible,  to build an AGS CRY screening fund,  to be used to provide screening opportunities and also, to support our families who are not in a position to fully fund screening for their sons themselves.  As an ambitious target, we have provisionally booked CRY to come in for two days screening in September this year.

So how do I persuade my family, friends and the AGS community to part with their precious, hard earned money and support this cause?  Well, I've chosen a challenge which will very much test the boundaries of what is possible for this rapidly ageing PE teacher.  I spend such a significant amount of time at school supporting students with problems which seem insurmountable, giving out the message that nothing is impossible and that with hard work and self-belief, anything can be accomplished.  Never let the fear of failure be a reason not to try and achieve something.  

I've chosen to tackle a physical challenge which without doubt, on first impression, is an insurmountable challenge.  To complete an Ironman, you must swim 2.4 miles, followed by 112 miles on a bike and finished by running a full 26.2 mile marathon (the equivalent of Aylesbury to Manchester).  Not only that, but you must complete the swim in 2 hr 20 mins, the swim and bike in 10 hrs 10 mins, and the swim, bike and run in 17 hrs.  Failure to meet a cut-off or take any longer than 17 hrs to finish and you are disqualified.  At 49 years of age and at least 2 stone overweight, I have an incredible amount to do to give myself any chance of completing this challenge.  Since January, training has started well and currently I'm doing 3 hrs of swimming, 4-5 hrs of cycling and 1-2 hrs of running a week.  My diet has had to be transformed and the weight is slowly coming off.  With 1500m of climbing to do on the bike ride, weight will be crucial.  Although I still cannot begin to comprehend how I will put these three components together, at least I can see signs of progress...........

Knowing that people believe in me, and are willing to sponsor me, will be vital for motivation in the months to come.  The accountability to those people who have supported this great cause will inspire me when things get tough and I question whether all of this is possible.  Thank you.

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. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

UPDATE MARCH 2021

So, my 2020 Ironman Austria attempt was thwarted by Covid, with the event being cancelled in September. Having trained hard and got into decent shape, it was really disappointing to not be able to take on the challenge. I have rolled my entry over to 2021, and the provisional new date is the 4th July, 2021. At this time of writing, I am still uncertain about whether it will take place in July, whether I will be able to travel to Austria or whether it will be postponed for a third time. All of this uncertainty makes the motivation for training harder, and it is difficult training for a specific date which is likely to change.

The Autumn of 2020 was tough, and my motivation and discipline to training was poor.  Coping with a Covid impacted school term was may main focus and training was inconsistent.  I lost discipline in my diet and put on all the weight (and more) I had previously lost.  My intention was to restart the training with purpose in the new year of 2021.  However, Covid continued to worsen and then, out of the blue,  school closed for face to face teaching. From January to March, I have struggled with a far less active daily routine but been very motivated to get back to effective training.  I have focussed mainly on the bike and been putting in 7-9 hrs a week on the turbo trainer.  Pools continue to be shut through lockdown and hence no swim training has been possible.  Once I managed to shed some weight, I have returned to running and am slowly building the necessary aerobic base to support the marathon training ahead in the Spring.  I've lost 29lbs in weight since late Autumn and this is making a big difference to performance outcomes. Last week, the AGS pool re-opened and it was nice to get back in the water and start the long road back to swimming the necessary 2.4 miles.  Open Water swimming reopen on the 3rd of April and although cold, the lake is calling once again.

Ironman have stated that they will make a decision about the feasibility of the event taking place on the 4th July in May and so it is head down, and train hard for another couple of months whilst I await their decision. Having turned 50 during lockdown, my goal of completing this challenge before my 50th needs to be adjusted. Can I complete an Ironman in my 50th year? Watch this space.....

**Rambo’s Ironman Challenge update**

Two weeks to go!!!!

 It’s been a tough summer for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I picked up my first significant injury since training began 18 months ago.  With the mileage at its highest point across all three disciplines, my left hamstring broke down and prevented me from continuing my training.  Thankfully, I have been supported throughout this challenge by Andy McCrae at Elite Physical Therapy and the team there soon had my injury diagnosed and rehab started. Training mainly focused around the gym for a couple of weeks until the muscle had strengthened significantly and running could be reintroduced.  It was put to the test mid-August when I competed at the London Triathlon and safely made it through the Olympic Distance event in 3 hours.  Over the last few weeks of August, training resumed at full intensity and during a week in Wales, swims in the Irish Sea and rides in the hills of Ceredigion were the perfect boot camp.  Last weekend, I competed in the Oxfordshire Triathlon Series event and performed strongly in what will be my last warm-up event.

 In addition to the injury, I found the summer tough, as the closer we got to September, the more it looked like I wouldn’t be able to get to Austria to compete.  In mid-August, Austria was still not allowing British citizens to enter the county and I was convinced I would have to postpone for a second year.  Just as my motivation was at its lowest point, out of the blue Austria announced that the UK was no longer an area of variant concern and we could finally travel.  So, flights and accommodation have been booked and PCR tests arranged.

 It’s hard to believe that it’s actually going to happen on Sunday 19^th September.  Although I am apprehensive and daunted by the challenge ahead, I know I have given my all and trained as hard as I possibly could.  Over the last 18 months, I have made so many sacrifices and given this challenge 100% effort.  Looking at my Strava stats, I can see that over the last 18 months, I have trained for 518 hours, covering 11,020kms across 650 sessions.  I don’t know if my body will hold up and allow me to complete the event within the time limit of 17 hours, but I feel fit and strong and will give everything to complete the challenge.  I am so grateful to all who have donated to our fundraising campaign so far and as it stands, we have raised £8500 to allow CRY to come into school and create a Cardiac Screening Programme for our students at AGS.  In addition to this, we will be buying another defibrillator for the school with the specific purpose of it being pitch-side for curriculum and extra-curricular sports.  With one last fundraising push, I hope we can get to our target of £10,000!!! Can I persuade you to donate to this fantastic cause? Just a reminder – 2.4 mile swim followed by 112 miles on the bike and finished by a full 26.2 mile marathon – to be completed within a strict 17 hour limit!! And all of this, we do in memory of Freya Cox – a brilliant, vibrant and sparkling young woman, taken from us too soon.   If you are able to donate, the Just Giving link is

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/agsrambo141miles

 Thank you for your continued support.

***Rambo’s Ironman Challenge – Final update***

So, after two years of training, the day finally arrived for
my Ironman attempt on Sunday 19^th September in Austria.  The
alarm rang at 3.30 am and it was breakfast at 4 am in the hotel.  I
arrived at the lakeside to prepare for the swim start and as the sun rose, it
looked like we were in for a glorious day.  The professional athletes
started at 7 am and at 7.30 am I entered Lake Worthersee for the start of my
race.  The lake was incredible with crystal clear water and a temperature
of 21 degrees.  The 2.5 mile swim was fast and furious and rougher than
I’d expected but I managed to keep a constant pace and finish strongly in a
time of 1 hour and 20 minutes.  It then seemed cruel to make us run almost
a kilometre to the transition area in Klagenfurt University.

 The bike course was to be two different loops of 56 miles,with a total of 1600m of climbing.  The weather was still glorious and my average speed was pleasingly high but I was a little baffled as to how flat the course seemed.  Completing the first lap and still feeling strong, it slowly started to dawn on me that there was obviously going to be some serious climbing in the second lap, as we hadn’t gained any real elevation as yet.  The hills started coming and as we went further into the countryside, the demands rose sharply.  I went through a really tough patch between 80 and 100 miles, feeling very tired and sore.  The biggest hill on the course came at 100 miles!! It was about 2km long with an average gradient of 8%.  It was brutal.  It took everything I had left in my legs to complete the climb and then I desperately had to cling on over the last 12 miles to finish back in Klagenfurt.  I completed the ride in just under 7 hours which was a fantastic time for me.

 So, on leaving transition for the last time, I set off for the 26.2 mile marathon.  The sun was still shining and I felt confident having safely negotiated two of the three elements.  However, things were only just beginning to get interesting.  Having only ran 3 miles, I started to feel ill.  My stomach was in pain and clearly not happy.  On 4 miles, I was violently ill and I lost some time in order to recover. I continued to run at a steady pace and started to refuel.  The evening closed in and it was completely dark by 6 pm with still another four hours to go for me to finish.  As it went dark, a huge storm arrived and it started raining heavily.  The rain was torrential and it didn’t let up at any stage.  I was saturated from head to toe, clothes sticking to me, and my path lit by a head torch.  On completion of the first of two 13 mile laps, for the first time, I started to think about finishing and believing I could do this.  However, there was another challenge to come.  On 14 miles, I started to feel rough again for a second time, was very ill.  I just couldn’t keep any nutrition inside me.  I made the decision to stop eating and just drink water.  Could I last the remaining 12 miles without eating?  Incredibly, that’s what I did.  Running consistent mile times, I ticked off one mile after another and after a long day, I approached the red carpet of the finish line.  Whenever, things got really tough on the run, I just thought of Freya and the Cox family, and all those who had donated and put their faith in me.  So many people were tracking and supporting me from back in the UK.  The motivation I got from that was incredible.  After 14 hours and 5 minutes, I crossed the finish line and heard the commentator call out my name and say “Gary Ramsbottom – you are an Ironman!!”  I can’t begin to describe the emotion and feeling of that moment.  The Ironman motto of “Anything is possible” had come true. 

Through two years of dedication and hard graft, I had achieved my ultimate
goal.

Thank you to every single person who has either shared kind
words of support with me or donated to our fundraising cause.  We have
smashed our fundraising goal and currently, have raised over £14,000. 
It’s still not too late to donate if you haven’t done so far.  The link
for donating is:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/agsrambo141miles

With the funds, we shall be buying another defibrillator for
specific use on our sports pitches and creating a screening programme with CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) and having them come into school to screen as many students as possible over the next few years.