Chris Pierce's Barcelona Ironman fundraising

I have taken the plunge and entered the 2017 Barcelona Ironman this coming October.

Having never run a marathon, bought my first set of cleats only recently and being blessed with legs that refuse to float, the big picture stuff suggests that I should have started with something more realistic. But that would be boring... Given a ton of motivation combined with the support of family & friends, the next 6 months will be exhausting, but hopefully worth it. Everything raised will be going to Thrombosis U.K., a fantastic charity working hard in its support of a cause close to my heart.

Now, I am not putting myself through this for no reason

Those of you who are close to our family may be aware of the recent journey that we have been on and how it has shaped the way we move forward together. In late 2015, my father, Tony (TP to most of us), unexpectedly fell ill on a business trip shortly after a long flight to Mumbai. Despite being a strong man in the best shape of his life (refereeing rugby matches most Saturdays and being an enthusiastic member of the local tennis club) he suffered what we later understood to be a pulmonary embolism that stemmed from unpredictable deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Despite the incredible efforts of doctors in both India & the U.K., our father fell into a coma shortly after arriving in India, and at just 56, passed away peacefully two weeks later with his family by his side. In leaving behind a legacy of love and togetherness he would be immeasurably proud of the belief we have found in each other and those around us over the past 16 months.

Our family, from my grandmother to my mother have all been affected by clotting in one way or another. I too was hospitalised in 2012 following the discovery of several clots in my lungs. Thankfully, and without further complication, I have since been under the care of Professor Beverley Hunt, who, in introducing me to Rivaroxiban (a self-regulating anticoagulant), has ensured that I am a direct beneficiary of research driven clinical trials.

With this all said, on October 1st I will be swimming 3.86km, cycling 186km & running a marathon in an effort to raise as much money as possible for Thrombosis UK.

Crossing the Finish Line