Hi with my thirty ninth birthday approaching I thought I'd get my mid life crisis done and dusted and out the way, but what with no money for flash sports cars and young women the next best option to regaining my youth was a Triathlon. And the only way I was going to swim a mile, cycle 26 then run 6 miles was to tie a bone to my back and let Chopper loose. If you know me well you know of my fear of dogs and what the photo doesn't show is Chopper's owner Kev with a tight hold of the lead.

But now after six months of training and hard work I'm confident of finishing, it won't be pretty and it won't be fast but I'll be passing that finishing line hopefully before dark. In doing this triathlon I thought why not raise money for a charity and have chosen Barnados as this is a charity I have given to in the past. Most of the crap which happens to kids is inflicted on them by adults and stays with them for life, so why not try and help them now? Whatever the issue from drug misuse to disability; youth crime to mental health; sexual abuse to domestic violence; poverty to homelessness; Barnardo’s believes they can bring out the best in every child.

So if you want to sponser me. Thank you very much.

Paul Dempster