Hoppy Ironman Challenge 2021
Max Hopkinson is raising money for The Bursary Foundation
Story
10 years ago Dad found out he had too much iron in his body.
It was caused by a condition called haemochromatosis.
Iron is normally good. It helps you make important things like red blood cells. But in his case his body couldn't get rid of it. And when it builds up it can cause problems. In Dad's case it damaged his liver.
So he had to make some pretty big changes...
He had to stop drinking. No more red wine 🍷
He had to change his diet. No more red meat 🥩
He had to give blood once a week for over a year! When his body made new blood it diluted his overall iron levels. Very slowly!
After a lot of change and sacrifice life returned to normal.
Dad started climbing mountains. The condition had arguably had a positive impact on his health because he'd swapped alcohol for altitude.
Until April 2018 at a routine liver check up he found out the liver damage had evolved to cancer.
This was bad news.
They chopped out half his liver 2 months later.
I remember seeing him for the first time post op and he'd aged 20 years. He'd become my Grandad Peter overnight.
He was told that the best chance of stopping a return would be more lifestyle changes. His fitness level and diet could work for or against him.
He opted to make them his ally.
No more sugar.
It was caused by a condition called haemochromatosis.
Iron is normally good. It helps you make important things like red blood cells. But in his case his body couldn't get rid of it. And when it builds up it can cause problems. In Dad's case it damaged his liver.
So he had to make some pretty big changes...
He had to stop drinking. No more red wine 🍷
He had to change his diet. No more red meat 🥩
He had to give blood once a week for over a year! When his body made new blood it diluted his overall iron levels. Very slowly!
After a lot of change and sacrifice life returned to normal.
Dad started climbing mountains. The condition had arguably had a positive impact on his health because he'd swapped alcohol for altitude.
Until April 2018 at a routine liver check up he found out the liver damage had evolved to cancer.
This was bad news.
They chopped out half his liver 2 months later.
I remember seeing him for the first time post op and he'd aged 20 years. He'd become my Grandad Peter overnight.
He was told that the best chance of stopping a return would be more lifestyle changes. His fitness level and diet could work for or against him.
He opted to make them his ally.
No more sugar.
Crazy long bike rides.
And more recently marathon distance runs (in his garden).
Once again he's living life to the full, serving his country as High Sheriff and he's picked up the nickname 'Ironman' along the way...
Which brings me to this challenge.
The Hoppy Ironman Challenge pays homage to Dad's incredible decade of overcoming bad news and turning it into rocket fuel.
Over the next 12 months I'm going to overcome a few things...
1. No booze for a year
2. Give blood as many times as I am allowed
3. Three ironman distance triathlons (one full, two halves)
I'll be raising money for underprivileged kids.
Please help if you can xxx
Once again he's living life to the full, serving his country as High Sheriff and he's picked up the nickname 'Ironman' along the way...
Which brings me to this challenge.
The Hoppy Ironman Challenge pays homage to Dad's incredible decade of overcoming bad news and turning it into rocket fuel.
Over the next 12 months I'm going to overcome a few things...
1. No booze for a year
2. Give blood as many times as I am allowed
3. Three ironman distance triathlons (one full, two halves)
I'll be raising money for underprivileged kids.
Please help if you can xxx