[For more and for our latest updates please see www.dont--panic.com and www.swoopanddivebomb.com]

Blood, sweat and tears (and moments of joy!)

There'll be quite a few of these during the 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride, and 42.2km run of Ironman Wales (September 18th); but also during warm-up events that will include:

• Vitality London 10,000m run on May 30th [JD finished in 36:12, Pablo in 37:35]
• Half-Ironman UK at Exmoor on June 26th [Pablo: 5:19:49, JD 5:21:09]
• RideLondon 100 on July 31st [untimed, JD finished ahead after Pablo delayed by crash]

Pablo

My story

I've been fighting  the most aggressive form of brain cancer since October 2014 (see my blog for more: www.dont--panic.com... note the name DOES include TWO hyphens between the words 'don't and 'panic'). My experience: it can be pretty damned distressing and doctors just aren't very good at making it very pleasant.

Don't get me wrong. Doctors and hospitals have been in my corner and pivotal to my fight. Still, I'm sure a big part of the reason people often die so quickly after a cancer diagnosis is because the medical community unwittingly leaves them feeling doomed, powerless and lonely. It becomes just too easy for 'The Patient' to want to give up.

Why Macmillan?

This is where Macmillan comes in, offering patients and their families the kind of support that cheers and enables them to fight on. Macmillan's medical guides are found in user-friendly booklets in most (all?) hospitals across the UK. Perhaps more importantly, they've built a community (online and real world) of people with cancer and their families/carers. This community shares experiences, know-how, advice and ensures no-one has to face cancer alone.

Having this kind of team around me has helped me not just survive cancer but also thrive while doing so. 

Ironman Wales aims?

First and foremost, to enjoy every breath of it. I want people to forget about the idea of just living with cancer and demonstrate that even more is possible: to keep thriving with cancer!  

Position-wise, beating Juan would be a nice bonus, but [as of early September] he may not be able to race due to professional commitments.

The racer in me dreams of qualifying for the World Championships in Hawaii, a feat only a few participants will achieve on the day.

I chronicle my training journey at www.swoopanddivebomb.com.

Juan David

My story

I started doing triathlons with Pablito in 2010, just to try it out. It was a sprint triathlon, a fraction of the Ironman distances.  I remember that first race vividly, largely due to our carefree approach, 'let's just get round, and have fun'.  

Before the swim, a seasoned triathlete approached us as we wrestled with our wetsuits; he politely informed us we were putting them the wrong way round. 

Correcting the mistake, we scrambled to the swim start. I found it overwhelming, I had never done more than a few lengths in a pool and here I was open-water swimming, people kicking me in the face, crawling over me; my brother guiding me along, encouraging me, as I doggy paddled most of the 750m.  

In transition, Ingrid kept us un our toes by encouraging us on with some tough love, ‘why are you guys just standing around! It’s a competition! Get a move on...’. 

We crawled around the cycle route on my parents' commuters (pannier tray, mud guards etc.) which they lent us... people with expensive racy bikes swarming past us. And then we ran it home together. Ingrid and my parents (Team Casasbuenas!) helping us get to the finish line with their tireless support. 

Why Macmillan?

The Blenheim triathlon and the other dozens we've participated in since (Ironman Wales 2014 was our last one) taught me the importance of team work... in sport and in everyday life! It hasn't been easy for me, or any one around Pablo to join the fight against brain cancer. I think it's fitting that the charity we're fundraising and racing for is about supporting not just the person with cancer, but also everyone around them.

My Ironman

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