We did it!!! Having both turned 50 in the last year, in 2025 we set ourselves the goal of training for and completing a 1/2 Ironman distance. And on 6th September 2026, we completed it!!!!

It took us nearly 7 1/2 hours to complete the 1.9 kilometre swim, a 90km cycle ride and then a half-marathon to finish. All was going well on a beautiful sunny day until kilometre 13 of the run when Jenny’s coxis slightly dislocated (an old childbirth injury!) but after a few kilometres of very painful hobbling, it recovered enough that we were able to run (slowly!) to the finish! Very proud and very tired!

We were raising money for an amazing Ugandan organisation called Musana which we have supported for a number of years and Jenny is a UK trustee. Musana uses seed funding to build outstanding schools, hospitals, women’s empowerment centres and enterprises which become self-sustaining by generating local income in Uganda. As well as becoming completely self-sustaining, local communities decide how to use surplus income to support the most vulnerable in their communities with free and subsidised healthcare, school scholarships etc. It is an incredible, sustainable model improving thousands of lives across Uganda and is just launching in Kenya and Tanzania too.

The triathlon was a massive challenge for us; 1.9km swim, 90km cycle and finishing with a 21km half marathon run. Training started in January. Jenny basically had to teach herself to swim (could only do 200 metres at the start!) and Luke hadn’t run for two years due to chronic plantar fasciitis in his feet. However, both were overcome (plus a hamstring injury Luke picked up playing football with his sons!) and we thoroughly enjoyed the process of getting fit and being disciplined - even the 6.30am swims in Ellingham waterski lake became somewhat enjoyable!

There were difficult moments and times when we wanted to give up or questioned whether we were too old for this kind of thing but knowing we were raising money for such an important cause kept us going!

Thank you so much for everyone who sponsored us so generously. We haven’t quite reached our fundraising goal so would be incredibly grateful if anyone else could sponsor us retrospectively in aid of this wonderful cause!

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