Here is a brief profile of myself and the 5 other athletes competing at IM UK on the 1st August. I have made most of it up so I hope that a) they don’t bother reading it or b) their lawyer is in St Tropez for the summer and will not sue me for slander!

Neil Kirsh (author & poet)

http://sn119w.snt119.mail.live.com/att/GetAttachment.aspx?tnail=2&messageId=f5606f08-9959-11df-8019-00237de3fb26&Aux=50|0|8CCFB7DDD5C6120||Russ Andrews

Russ is 45, works for Ford, is married and has 3 kids who are all members of the club and compete.  Russ’ daughter won a triathlon when she was 8 so plenty of pressure on Dad I reckon to return form Bolton as champion. This is his first and probably last Ironman.   Russ started tri in 1993 then took a break from them and came back to it 12 years later. (Seeing how fast he is I reckon he has been training solidly for those 12 years at La Manga)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David Browning

David is competing in his first Ironman and is a police officer. On that basis I will just say he must be a wonderful chap and am looking forward to meeting him on the finish line when he wakes up from his 3 hour siesta waiting for me!

 

 

 

 

Gary Lane

Gary is a 40 year old ‘racing snake’ who is married with a young son and twin girls.  Gary is also a police officer so Rob please bring all the receipts for your new bike with you!. This is Gary’s first IM and he is really looking forward to it (this is known as artistic license). Rob and I tried to ruin Gary’s preparation with a ‘lung bursting’ and ‘torturous’ 16 mile bike ride last Sunday at Gosfield but Gary somehow survived to tell the tale. (when people normally cycle with me they get bored, fall asleep and subsequently  fall off!....ask Rob or Andy)

 

 

 

 

 

Stuart Payne

I don’t know much about Stuart apart form the fact he is not a police officer, that it is his first IM and that the will fly through the whole event and sign up for next years the very next day. Oh yes…he is Rob Ambridge’s brother in law (we won’t hold that against you Stuart). Good luck on Sunday Stuart.

 

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs101.snc1/4992_105825503360_602018360_1807674_1451998_n.jpgRob Ambridge

Rob is married with 3 children and this is also his first Ironman. Rob has had the pleasure of training with me a lot other the past few months so I can guarantee he will be; slow, miserable, disorganised and lack both motivation and enthusiasm. It seems like we have spent every Sunday since April driving to Gosfield Lake on the way to training passed that great white elephant…no not Andy Dawbarn I mean Great Leighs Racecourse!!! Seriously, Rob is a great guy and will do fantastic at Ironman UK

 

 

 

 

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs101.snc1/4992_105824463360_602018360_1807669_1971864_n.jpgNeil (The Paper Boy) Kirsh

Athletic, motivated, strong, quick, focused are all words to describe…. Richard Fuller. As for me I am delighted to be on the start line in my first IM event and am looking forward to the event very much (just keep saying it Neil, over and over again as a mantra and you may even believe it!). Took up Tri in 2006 and have enjoyed every minute of it although hitherto the highlight has been the DNF with Janice at Braintree this year! Thanks to the club for all the support, congratulations to all the IM Nice finishers and good luck to everyone on the 1st August.