I am taking part in the Sandman Triathlon in Anglesey on 27th September.

After 17 Marathons (1999-2024) and 11 previous triathlons (2016-2025) this may be my last major endurance event because one’s lower back gets more bothersome after age 70. 😊

I have found a fantastic charity to raise funds for.

I joined Intergen-Trafford as a volunteer school reader at Stamford Park Primary School in January 2026. It has been such a wonderful experience that I have signed up to be a Trustee for this amazing charity. Intergen-Trafford arranges for older people like me to volunteer in local schools to help children, mainly with their reading. This is a genuine delight and it benefits both generations, living up to the name of the organisation (“Intergen”). There is nothing that warms the heart more than a set of big excited six-year-old eyes greeting you in the morning with the question; “Can I read with you this morning Ronan?”

I would be delighted if you could make a donation to this excellent charity via the attached link to JustGiving. Additionally, if you have friends or family aged over 50 who live in Trafford, it would be great if you could ask them to have a look at the Intergen-Trafford website because the schools would love to have more volunteers and the volunteers gain at least as much as the children from the experience. https://www.intergen-trafford.org.uk/

Many thanks in advance for any support that you can give.

Ronan O’Driscoll

RACE REPORT

Thanks for all the great support raising funds for Intergen-Trafford. I had an interesting day!

Saturday was calm and sunny like Monday but Sunday was very wet and windy in Anglesea.

The forecast was for 15 mph winds with gusts to 38 mph.

The swim was cancelled due to strong winds and big waves so we had a duathlon instead of a triathlon!

* 5k run

* 45k cycle

* 10k run

During the cycle, the baseline wind was measured in the Newborough weather station at 32 mph with gusts to 51mph (gale force 8) and there were intermittent blasts of rain

Running and cycling into headwinds gusting at 51mph with intermittent horizontal rain was quite like swimming so the immersion was not missed entirely!

My carbon road bike has wide rims. When the high-speed wind gusts hit the front wheel at a right angle, they pushed the steering to one side, requiring constant vigilance.

Near the end of the run, I the course passed onto the beach between two sand dunes. We met the full force of the gale from the sea funnelled between the dunes. It almost stopped me in my tracks!

....but I survived.

My overall Position was 115 of 185 (I was in the middle third of the finishers).

However, I am a champ! I was first of two entrants aged over 70!

I have added some race photos to the fundraising page.