Competing in my first triathlon

What started off as an off the cuff comment from a mate, James Cannon, developed into me accepting the challenge of competing (and I say competing in loosest sense of the word) in my first Triathlon.

Call it a mid-life crisis if you wish, but I decided that, as I approached 50, I really needed to set myself a challenge, as well as doing something to get a little fitter and to lose some of that puppy fat.

This has now blossomed into a number of us at Perrys and some of the guy’s from James’ company, Cannon Services, as well as a number of friends and family, taking part in the London Triathlon (www.thelondontriathlon.com) on 8 August.

The Perrys team consists of:

• Emma Palmer
• Mat Palmer
• Dave Horn
• Mark Hale
• Scott Relf
• Declan McCusker
• Elaine Flynn
• Darren Edwards
• Stewart Pope
• Me

Some of us are attempting to do the whole thing and others, as part of a relay team, with each member of the team taking on a particular discipline.

The distances, and I prefer to say them quickly, are:

• Swim 1,500 meters
• Cycle 40km
• Run 10km

Then some bright spark says “what are you going to do?  Get Sponsorship in aid of our adopted charity?”

“Well I wasn’t”.  I thought (how could I welch out if sponsor money was riding on it?)

“What a great idea” I said, so I am delighted to say, that we will be asking you kind and generous people for sponsorship in aid of the Kent Cancer Trust, www.kentcancertrust.org.uk, a fantastic, locally based charity, providing research into treating this horrible, and all too common, disease.

As the time counts down to the event, I will be blogging with updates, so watch this space and if you feel so inclined, please visit our Virgin page www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/perrystriathlon to make a donation and perhaps a few words of support, as I expect the next 8 weeks to be somewhat challenging.

Yours,

Feeling slightly self-conscious in lycra!

Steve