In 2001, I was 18 years old — the youngest competitor in the Half Ironman at Llanberis.

It was my first ever triathlon.

Back then, sport was everything to me. I wanted to be an IRONMAN.

But life had other plans.

Injury, work, family, and, let’s be honest, a fair bit of fun — they all pulled me in other directions.

And before I knew it, two decades had passed.

Fast forward 24 years (or 25 by the time Ironman Wales 2026 arrives) and I’ve finally done it.

I’ve signed up.

Not as a driven teenager chasing a dream……but as an overweight, unfit, slightly broken, yet incredibly grateful husband and father of two.

My goal is simple: to finish. The time doesn’t matter.

What matters is getting to that finish line, no matter how long it takes.

Because this journey is about wellbeing.

It’s about rebuilding — body and mind.

My mental health has been, and still is, in a tough place.

My physical health… well, let’s say it’s seen better days.

This year alone I’ve ruptured costal cartilage, prolapsed discs in my lower back, I have awful sciatica, and I’m now facing some neurological issues in my shoulder and arm.

Those who know me well know that these challenges aren’t new — they’re just the latest chapter in a long story.

But this Ironman — this challenge — is about finding a way forward.

It’s about proving to myself that even when things hurt, even when life gets messy, it’s still possible to move, to fight, and to finish.

And I’m not just doing it for me.

I’m doing it to give something back — to a place that means a lot to me, to my family, and to my friends: Pembrokeshire.

The Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust does incredible work — protecting and enhancing the landscape, wildlife, and heritage of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

They support local communities, and they inspire people to love and care for this special corner of the world.

So, I’m asking for your support.

Every donation, big or small, will help preserve this beautiful coastline for future generations — for our kids, and for theirs.

This Ironman will test me more than anything I’ve ever done.

But if it helps protect a place I love, and helps me rebuild in the process, then every stroke, pedal, and step will be worth it.

Because sometimes, finishing is the victory.

And I intend to finish.