So I am not sure I can go a whole year without supporting and providing some funds for Headcase, it just don’t seem right. So following the hip replacement and recovery, (completed my first race as planned in May) and then completed Blenheim in June, following which the next health challenge arrived…..so an atrial flutter (could of thought of a more manly name ! ) apparently the bottom half of my heart is going three times faster than the top….( some have commented that’s the same as my brain and mouth…..I will let you work out which way round ) Anyhow bit of a drag, so went for a re boot a week ago and it hasn’t worked so next one lined up, does make a difference but allowed to just carry on training, so that’s exactly what is happening….

So next challenge is the 70.3 Half Ironman in Bahrain on November 20^th, both Dan and I are going for it…first night time 70.3…under lights ! could be interesting. Soooooooo a little bit of support would be really appreciated, we are currently about 4k off our 50k target so just a little from each will get us to that point….appreciate I have asked before and many have donated but this isn’t going to go away, the progress is gathering pace and great strides have been made from our funding, so please find it in yourself to make a small contribution.

It’s been a challenge to get back to some sort of fitness, but each time I think about that I slap myself and remember what Colin went through, along with many others…..we must just not give up on this so as I have said please help with just a little…..appreciate it !!

OK so every now and again a little challenge presents itself…..thinking I had pulled a groin muscle at Blenheim it turns out that wasn’t the case (still finished 2nd in age group) however from then on the niggle has always presented a problem about 4k on the run…..It messed up my attempt to qualify for a GB age group bib but I still went to Dubai and tried a half ironman, completed the swim and cycle but no chance on the run….first time I have ever got a DNF !.

Back home and needed to sort…..result total hip replacement on the 15th December….target agreed with surgeon Blenheim on the 9th June….so a bit of a journey ahead but determined to win…..Headcase is still the charity I will support and hope that as the journey unwinds you will be with me….and decide if its worth a few quid cos its still a very worthwhile charity…on the 9th at Blenheim it will be a special day and one I cannot wait for. Anyhow that’s it I will get sorted and then continue my quest to see of this terrible disease…cheers for now !!!!

My new proposed hip??

So as we all sit under the same sky it’s just different colours……we have Andy in Doha, Dan in Dubai, David in St Lucia and Peter and I sitting here in Harpenden….

But we will all arrive in Mallorca in the next 11 days….along with over 3000 other people. All determined to complete a course that has been set out to challenge us all.

Colin’s favourite saying when I mentioned anything about these adventures was ‘Y’….but this is different, when Dan and I did our Ironman Colin was alive and active, making us laugh with his endless humour, but now we have three others involved and engaged….it’s just amazing that we still have people’s interest but you know what it sooooooo easy. Our inspiration might not be here in body but his spirit is still with us all.

Colin we miss you so bad but we will keep going to beat this thing. Football just isn’t the same.

We will keep doing stuff and try and make people part with a few quid…let’s just say everyone that reads this and I mean everyone puts a quid into the site it gets us closer to our aim of smashing this b******….come on you can all afford a quid.

Anyhow the other thing is EVERY penny goes to the cause…we don’t take anything……..so please help, we have just passed pay day and you know what you get it all back next month so find a way to help with a quid…….it will help more than you ever know….and remember Colin is watching !!! Cheers mate.

So how is it that 60% of the team is warm weather training, and the two old boys are contending with winter conditions…..rain, fog and cold, just great !

So into the final lap, Dan has recovered and blasted 80+k cycle this morning! still a bit to go for him but it’s coming, Andy, that bike just will not last! especially if you keep smashing it….David is swimming with the sharks and spinning with…..well better let that one go! and Peter well he has gone quite….no update no nuffink….

Two weeks today we will be in Mallorca, will have registered and swum in the sea, preparing to rack our bikes and then spend the rest of the day just wondering, nerves will be kicking in and banter will be high….every emotion known to man. But also a high level of anticipation and excitement ….. All the weeks of getting up early, training, set backs, highs and lows will all be forgotten, and we will all just want to get on with it…..

But again we go back to the real purpose, It was Colin’s birthday yesterday and it was a timely reminder. He would be so chuffed at the continued support, he knew any effort by everyone was going to be too late for him, but he was so determined to do anything and everything he could do to raise both awareness and cash to help others who would travel the same path, that was just the way the bloke was…truly amazing and never forgotten. So please remember him and his legacy by donating to the cause, what we are doing is nothing compared to his journey so go on please, just do it….thanks

So into the home straight…..two weeks full on and then taper as we approach the big day, and the team is in tatters……Dan is visiting a hospital for a nebuliser twice a day due to a chest infection…..Peter is coughing like he smokes, Andy has disappeared to the desert on work and David well he has been trying to sort t shirts for the past four weeks ! Not a great place to be just 25 days before the big day….. Truth is the balance between work, life, training and anything else is hard. The past twelve weeks are taking there toll, and the nerves haven’t even kicked in yet.

However the good news is we are slowly getting closer to our target re Headcase.  But as always we need more. The team are doing their best to get to the start line, let alone the finish line but we need you all to dig deep and support this great cause, cos it hasn’t gone away…..just heard last week of another family struck down by this terrible disease.

So let’s strike a deal…..we will continue to push ourselves to complete our challenge and each of you out there will think of a way of getting a few extra pounds from everyone you know…how does that sound ?

What ever happens we really appreciate your help and contributions to date but I just know you can do better, come on let’s sort this out and find a cure….I have met the guys who are clever enough to do it and they are for ever grateful for your help………thanks

(Go on… bung a few quid in the pot – press that donate button)

Tony: Well what started as a ride in the country turned out to be a real slog….Peter and I left home at 6.45 on Sunday and headed for Dorking. All good, dry and the sun was almost threatening to make an early appearance.

Arrived in good time and registered and lined up to start, which is when things started to go wrong. Peter had borrowed David’s bike and had not used cleats before, so having clicked in he was unable to click out…first challenge, clearly if you don’t click out you fall off !!. Anyhow a quick lesson at the start seemed to work and off we went…only to be stopped at the crossing for the A24….and Peter couldn’t click out, thank goodness for a friendly lamppost……any way drama over and off we went again..all going well then some hills, then some more hills, box hill among them, bloody hell !!!

Then it got comparatively flat. First food station, went past and doing ok, approaching 70 k and a saddle malfunction noticed by the fact that my knees were hitting my chin, so off the bike adjusted, thought it was a little tough ! Stopped at the second station to get some more water and then on the last leg…..well, around a corner and across a road and their it was, the steepest hill I have ever seen….nothing in the legs and baled about half way up. However walking was even harder…not great, actually walked past someone who was still trying to cycle up it, now that was strange !!!

Anyhow complete the 140k in just over 6 hours great work out, but Peter had injured his knee..so a bit of a worrying, but no doubt in my mind he did it trying to get out of the cleats and I’m sure he will be fine, at the Physio todayfingers crossed….next stop New Forest two weeks….