My Big Tri – 230 Miles For Tiny Hearts

I’m aiming to cycle, swim and run 230 miles across the Yorkshire Dales from Leeds to the Lake District and back. I don’t know whether I’ll manage it, but I’ll give it everything I’ve got.

The challenge will start on Saturday 8th June 2019, and end roughly six days later – back where I started.

Leg one is cycling 113 miles from my home in Methley, Leeds, to Lake Windermere in the Lake District. I’ve never cycled more than 20 miles before.

Leg two is swimming two miles in Lake Windermere as part of the Great North Swim. The only other organised open water swimming event I’ve done was 750 metres as part of a sprint triathlon.

Leg three is running – lots of of it. 115 miles back from Windermere to Methley, Leeds. I’ll be running the full route of the Dales Way, through the stunning Yorkshire Dales from Windermere to Ilkley. Then I’ll be adding on the Dales Way link route to the centre of Leeds and, finally, the River Aire back to Methley. I’ll be aiming for roughly a marathon a day, on trails, carrying all my gear, until I reach home. I’ve done one marathon in the last 16 years, so this will be pushing it!

I’ll be camping and carrying my tent and all my kit throughout the run – my wife Andrea said staying in plush B&Bs would be cheating.

Why, I hear you ask? Because of my daughter Zoe. Because of Tiny Tickers. And because of all the future babies who will have life-threatening heart defects (CHD).

CHD is one of the biggest killers of infants, and every two hours a baby is born in the UK with a serious heart condition. Tiny Tickers helps those babies get the life-saving treatment they need by improving detection and diagnosis – by training NHS sonographers, funding vital equipment and spreading vital awareness of undiagnosed CHD.

I’m privileged to be Tiny Tickers’ CEO. We’re a small charity, and every penny raised is vital to our mission. And I know the difference early diagnosis and treatment can make – my own daughter, Zoe, was born with CHD and had life-saving open heart surgery when she was just three weeks old. She’s only alive today because of the wonderful NHS – I want every baby with CHD to have the same chance of survival as Zoe.

Thanks for reading about #JonsBigTri.  If you are able to donate, thank you so, so much.

If you would like to sponsor Jon, visit his Just Giving page here. Alternatively you can donate via the Jon’s Big Tri Facebook fundraiser here. Or, text BIGTRI to 70085 to donate £5. Thank you.