Fundraising for Oliver Duerden - Half Ironman Triathlon

[DaveDRFC]

Hi everyone,

I have decided to try and raise some more money for Ian Duerden's son Olly and to do this I have signed up for the Sundowner Middle Distance Triathlon near York on the 14th September. So while a lot of you will be watching the Rovers at Huddersfield I'll be doing a 1.2 mile open water swim, 56 mile bike ride and 13 mile run - a half ironman! I'm hoping to complete this in around 7 hours but as it's the first time I've taken on something of this magnitude I'll be happy just to finish it.

If you would like to sponsor me, I have set up a fundraising page here -

http://www.justgiving.com/sundowner

The money is going to Olly's school in Norwich, who are trying to raise enough money to build a hydrotherapy pool to benefit all their students.

Also, Ian has been kind enough to send us his hat-trick ball from the Rushden and Diamonds away game in 1999 (I think!), which has been signed by the squad from that day including Mark Hume, Scott Maxfield and Dave Penney. We will be looking to get this on display in the Belle Vue Bar soon.

Thanks for reading,
Dave

[DaveDRFC]

Just a quick bump for this, not too long now, a week on Saturday!

I'm doing Donny Triathlon this Sunday as a warm up and a test at a smaller distance (0.9 mile swim, 25 mile bike, 6 mile run), then 6 days later it's the big one.

As well as the link above you can also text DRFC99 £?? (where ?? is how much you want to donate) to 70070.

Cheers!

[DaveDRFC]

I did the Donny Triathlon in 2:33:03 and came 30th out of 94, but Saturday will be a whole different experience! Just hoping to finish it, and get to the pub afterwards in one piece.

Still looking for sponsors, come on, you know you want to...

[RoversDave]

Just a quick bump for this, not too long now, a week on Saturday!

I'm doing Donny Triathlon this Sunday as a warm up and a test at a smaller distance (0.9 mile swim, 25 mile bike, 6 mile run), then 6 days later it's the big one.

As well as the link above you can also text DRFC99 £?? (where ?? is how much you want to donate) to 70070.

Cheers!

Just texted you the £25 I'm not giving to Huddersfield Town. Good Luck.

[DaveDRFC]

Thanks very much Dave, that's very kind of you!

[DearneValleyRover]

Just sent you a donation fella, good luck.

[DaveDRFC]

Cheers mate, much appreciated!

[RoversDave]

Thanks very much Dave, that's very kind of you!

You're welcome, I'm sure all the keyboard warriors on here will find time to text or send you a few quid to give you encouragement. hint hint.

[DaveDRFC]

Just a reminder that I'm doing this tomorrow, anybody feels like donating to a good cause the link is...

http://www.justgiving.com/sundowner/

or text DRFC99 £?? (where ?? is how much you want to donate) to 70070.

Thanks to those who have already donated, I'd like to get to £200 if possible so any further donations will be very gratefully received.

I'll update over the weekend with my finishing time, assuming I survive of course!

[DRNaith]

All the best for today,  Dave

[DaveDRFC]

Completed the race yesterday in 5:33:18, in 66th place out of 154. I am in bits today, hopefully normal functionality will return in the next few days!

Thanks to all who donated, it's not too late for anybody who still wants to.

[wilts rover]

Well done Dave, not being a triathlete I am unsure s to how good the time is, (why go running and swimming when you could be riding a bike?) but the placing sounds good for a first time.

[DaveDRFC]

See I'd disagree there because the bike is my least favourite part! My splits were (approx) 33 mins for the 1.2 mile swim, 2 hours 59 for the 56 mile bike, then 1 hour 55 for the half marathon at the end. The two transitions between swim and bike and bike and run brought me up to 5 hours 33. It was the second slowest half marathon I've ever run but coming on the back of over 3 and a half hours solid activity I've got to be happy with it.

I was pretty pleased with my time, I just wanted to finish but in my mind I had 6 hours so did a lot better than that. It wasn't just a first time, it was an only time!!

[Jenny]

Your half marathon time on the back of all that is still quicker than my best one. Damn you Dave!!

[wilts rover]

They always say you should work on your weaker events - so we will be seeing you on the Leicester bike ride at the end of the season Dave? You can take solace in the knowledge that 5hrs 33 would probably be my time for the run and I would still be trying to do the swim today!

[DaveDRFC]

I am considering the Leicester bike ride wilts, but with a baby on the way my training is going to have to take a huge back seat I'm afraid. That's why I've been cramming all these mental things into the last few months, before June I hadn't even done a triathlon and now I've done 2 sprints, an Olympic and a half Ironman!

What's the distance from Donny to Leicester? I did a training ride from my house in Thurcroft to the in-laws near Boston, 74 miles and it took me 4 hours 12 mins. That's the longest ride I've ever done by a very long way, Saturday was only the second time I've done over 50 miles!

[wilts rover]

Its 80 miles according to google maps - most of it on a signed cycle route 6. You certainly wont have any problem doing the distance with your fitness, riding with a group is always easier than riding alone as you save energy in the peleton. And you don't have to start out wet through (hopefully anyway).

[DaveDRFC]

Just an update on this, I managed to raise £170 for Olly's school in the end. Thanks to all who donated. Also, a display case has been bought for Ian's Rushden and Diamonds hat trick ball so this will be going on show in the Belle Vue Bar very soon so make sure you get a look at a piece of Rovers history!

On that subject, I don't suppose anybody has a programme from that match that they would be willing to donate to live in the case with the ball do they? Thanks

EDIT - I have finally found the date, it was on Saturday 23rd January 1999.