For those of you who don't know, our best man, the lovely, looney Clive Case died in 2005 of bowel cancer at the age of 34, and I pledged then to embarrass myself and do something sporty every year to raise money to help to prevent other people dying so young, so needlessly and especially before their children reach the age of 2.

This from someone whose idea of activity at the time was having to get up to pick the TV remote from the other end of the sofa.

I've since done the Race for Life 4 times, 2 triathlons (yes, triathlons) done a mile swim in the Thames and gone without booze for a month (a "dryathlon”.. geddit?) and in the process raised a total of £4,793 for Cancer Research.

This year I am doing my 3rd triathlon and planning a personal best…  which means:

• Under 9.01 minutes for the swim
  
• Under 45:47 minutes for the bike ride
  
• Under 24:47 minutes for the "run"
  
• Totalling 1:19:35 or under if I achieve all 3 
  

If I don't manage this I'll add in an extra £250 of my own money to the total.

For context about my previous performance in the same triathlon:

• In 2011 I was last, at number 55. Preceded by a lady who was 76. Nearly double my age.
  
• In 2012 I was 6th from last, at number 53, with a total time of 1:20.27
  

That has to be worth a few quid, surely?

And just in case you want to laugh at photos of me in various stages of elation/knackeredness/humiliating garb, or see evidence of my fundraising, my past pages are here:

• 2006: http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/melanieclark
  
• 2007: http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/melanieclark2007
  
• 2008: I'd just given birth, come on!!
  
• 2009: http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/melaniemack
  
• 2010: http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/melaniemack2010
  
• 2011: http://www.justgiving.com/Melanie-Mack0
  
• 2012: https://www.justgiving.com/melaniemack2012
  
• 2013: http://www.justgiving.com/MelanieMack2013
  
• 2014: http://www.justgiving.com/TheMacksGoDry
  

Huge thanks

Mel

xxx