Vichy Ironman 2019

[p]On 25 August 2019 I will be racing the 2019 Vichy Ironman and raising money for [url=https://weareadvocate.org.uk/]Advocate[/url] (what was the Bar Pro Bono Unit) and the [url=https://www.middletemple.org.uk/education-and-training/scholarships-and-prizes]legal charities administered by the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple[/url].[/p][p]I made the dubious decision to enter the 2019 Vichy Ironman in the hope that it would encourage me to stay fit over the winter. As the year has passed, the idea of more than 12 hours of exercise in 30°C has become rather daunting and so I've decided that if I'm going to put myself through the ordeal I should also try to raise some money for a good cause.[/p][p]Advocate do invaluable work in finding free legal help from barristers in any area of law and in any court or tribunal across England and Wales for over 20 years - a job that is only becoming more important with reductions in legal aid. [/p][p]Middle Temple offer a great many scholarships, which are provide essential financial support for individuals who want to join the Bar but cannot afford to support themselves. I am fortunate enough to be benefitting from this scheme when I study the BPTC next year and I would love to pay back into it because only through the support of charities such as this can the Bar truly be open to everyone.[/p][p]As you may know, an Ironman Triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile (3.86-kilometre) swim, a 112-mile (180.25-kilometre) bicycle ride and a marathon 26.22-mile (42.20-kilometre) run. I completed the 2016 Mallorca Ironman but I was younger, fitter and naive to the challenge. Nonetheless, I hope to better my time of 12:02.54 this time around.[/p][p]Finally, as a part of the pre-race ritual I am going to have my hair cut (and hopefully donate the offcuts to the Little Princess Trust, if it is long enough by August). My friends will be cutting my hair into an asymmetrical homage to the mullet replete with worrying amounts of peroxide. This will truly be a sight for sore eyes.[/p][p]Please donate generously to two incredibly worthy causes or alternately chip in a few pounds to celebrate the schadenfreude of my completing an arduous day of sport in Southern France on the August bank holiday with a terrible haircut.[/p][p]Love, James[/p]