The 'you know what' has hit the fan!

This weekend, our fantastic supporter, Samantha Sheridan was meant to be taking part in the London Triathlon to raise money for With Kids.

However, things didn't go to plan and after months of hard work and dedication, unfortunately for Samantha illness got in the way.

But all is not lost - read all about what other challenge she is taking part in below.

So after 2 months of training, cycling, running, squeezing wetsuits on and then off again... a virus seems to have taken GOLD!

Over a week of not being quite right has left me exhausted and dehydrated... I continued to run but 'runs' of a different theme have got in the way. My supporters who have kindly flown down from Glasgow sporting a banner have even commented on my muscle loss!!! Can I hide behind the banner???

I am gutted. My number is 2508 and my bike was serviced last week, it's all shiny and ready, plus my new Lycra tri-suit arrived which matches my wetsuit. I cant believe the weekends swimming in the cold outdoor pools of London has been a waste (way before the heatwave too!!!). 

However ALL IS NOT LOST!!! I am not a quitter and when I say I'll do something, and get sore bum cheeks from training so hard doing it, then I am not about to say 'oh well never mind'. And I want to compete for With Kids - its a charity I really believe in and want to do something for. 

So my friend Natalie has signed me up for the Brighton Triathlon - it's LONGER, TOUGHER and sea swimming!!! I'm scared, as all training has been for a sprint distance, but I do feel like I want and need a bigger challenge and I can assure you this time I will NOT be eating seafood or going near any busy virus filled places and in fact will maybe lock myself in a darkened room a week prior to race day. 

On a positive I think it will give more time for donations and it's definitely a life lesson,  because sometimes we work hard at something only to be halted by something else out-with our control - get up and aim higher!

I do thank everyone who has supported this far and I can't express how sad I am but please lets all keep momentum up. Brighton is in September and I'll keep you all updated soon... x

If you'd like to donate please visit Samantha's Just Giving page HERE.

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Good Luck Samantha!

If you've been keeping up to date with our blog posts over the past couple of months you will have noticed that one of our supporters, Samantha, has been training very hard for the London triathlon.

Samantha is kindly donating all funds raised to With Kids and we really cannot thank her enough for her continued support!

She will be taking part in the Virgin Triathlon which takes place this weekend in London on Saturday 27th July.

The Virgin Active London race is the largest and most established Triathlon in the world and the team at With Kids would like to wish you the very best of luck!

We'll be sure to hear from her when she finishes the race and will let you know how she gets on.

If you would like to make a donation  please click on Samantha's Just Giving page HERE.

Or if she has inspired you to get involved in fundraising for With Kids then find out how you can help by clicking HERE. 

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

Samatha's Training Update...

Welcome to Samantha's blog, where you can find out how her training is coming along in the lead up to the Virgin Triathlon on Saturday 27th July! We've been following her closely to see how she's been getting on and below you can read the next step in her training journey...

Arghhh Clips!!!! Ok so in the crazy world of road biking, for the competitive amongst us, it becomes necessary to attach your shoes to the pedals in order to gain as much power as you can.

I have to say out of everything I have ever attached myself to (which more recently includes a windsurf sail using a hook) this is by far the strangest and most unnatural thing I've ever done! My feet are attached to the pedals! I'm attached to the bike! Attached!! Clipped in!!! Oddly these special pedals are called 'clipless pedals'?

So from now on every time I come to a stop, I have to twist my foot and pop it off the pedal so I can put my foot down on to the ground. Should I by chance forget this, or time it wrong, I will fall over attached to the bike... Attached!!! So nothing like this picture at all actually.

I researched online and decided to go with Look Keo CroMo max 2, my friend Anna works with Free Flow Bikes in Scotland and she looked after me! I also purchased quite a bit of Lycra and padded shorts. That involved a lot of research too...never thought I'd see the day where I'm googling Lycra and viewing people modelling bum padding, but life can take you in all sorts of directions and I'm secretly loving this new found passion. I'm even happy to admit to buying cream which you rub into the shorts before you put them on... It's to avoid chafing... I haven't had any issues with chafing incidentally, just FYI!!! Prevention is key!

So I planned my first 'clipless' cycle in Richmond park with my friend Sam (he has done more than a few triathlons)! It was my first outing in the clips, so I picked up the bike jumped on and had an absolute nightmare at a set of traffic lights with a double decker bus on a hill.

If you take anything from this please let it be that you try out clipping and unclipping in the safety of your home or against a wall before you ride off into the sunshine. However, I am still here to tell the tale and it now feels quite natural.

I'm no show off though and although I'm clipping in and out fairly well there are folks that keep themselves clipped in at traffic lights and bounce around to stay balanced... I think this has the potential to end in a disaster and it looks way more effort than its worth!!! I admit this takes skill so these people must have been practising it indoors for hours at a time and that's taking it all way too far... plus the clipping noise is cool!!! Just in case I do fall, I found this hilarious cartoon cycling tips website. There's a video on falling and also on how to blow your nose and spit the 'correct way'... Love it!

This weekend it was a friend's birthday, yes that meant no training. So yesterday it was back on the bike at 7am, it's day 2 and the weather has held up! Last night I did my first kinda 'brick session' running 5km straight after my cycle home. These are to get my legs used to the quick change in movement... painful! I completed it in 28mins on the treadmill at speeds 10.5kmph and 12.5kmph intervals. (Treadmills give you slower times than running outside by the way, it's an ongoing mystery?) Tomorrow morning I want to do a run straight after my cycle into work, maybe along the River Thames. I'll take pictures! x

To make a donation to Samantha and her good cause, please click on her JUST GIVE PAGE.
To find out more about With Kids and to hear the latest from Samantha, remember to follow us on Facebook and Twitter or you can visit our website.

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And so it begins...

Last month we introduced you to one of our fantastic fundraisers, Samantha, who's taking part in the Virgin Triathlon on Saturday 27th July and all proceeds are being kindly donated to With Kids. As promised, here is an update on her progress. 

With only 12 weeks to go until her sprint triathlon begins, you can read how she's preparing for the big event below...

Hey peeps! I'm sorry for the lack of updates but now it's exactly 12 weeks until my sprint triathlon and training has properly started, so let the updates commence!

For those who are not triathlon experts (including me as this is my first one) a sprint triathlon includes a 750m outdoor swim, a 20km bike ride and then a 5km run. I was running quite a bit last year, although winter halted that and I used to swim in swimming pools when I was young but not sure thats going to help...

Cycling is quite a new discipline for me and as it's the longest part in the sprint, it's a good starting point. Work is pretty hectic so I'm trying to fit training around my busy schedule. My plan is a bit loose, I cycle lots, as quickly as I can and then go for immediate 3km runs when I get the chance. 

Down the line I'll need to find an outdoor swimming pool and hopefully get a time of under 130mins for the Virgin Active Sprint Triathlon. Maybe I shouldn't have typed out a time but I've got to have a goal otherwise what's to aim for?

I've been cycling around 36km every day, which is my daily work commute, and of course grabbing a shower each side! So its a routine of two cycles and two showers every day at the moment. I bought a second hand road bike; it's black and yellow as you can see (that's the girl in me)!

I want to get a good time in the sprint triathlon and my mountain bike wasn't going to get me there, it's too heavy and clunky. So I'm officially a road cyclist now, lycra'd up to the max. The bike is super light and I'm learning lots of stuff like my tires should be at 120... whatever that means, carbon is cool and I'm even managing to attach my chain back on when it pops off. Eh yes, need to get that checked but I'm so in love with my bike that I cant bring myself to part with it for the two days the shop would need to repair it. 

However don't be fooled by my 'jargon', I was a bit (very) shaky on it the first few times and going down hills is still not as enjoyable as I know it will be but its much smoother than the mountain bike and now I'm more stable, I'm really enjoying it.

To be honest, I am a little sad I have to practice swimming and running, but I will, of course! Well I'll have to because you can't cycle through water.

In order to get better, I thought I should note a few times so I can gauge improvements. My cycling is where I'm focussing on right now so as a starter for 10.... Once around Richmond park (11km), which is my weekend training spot, currently takes 24minutes. There is one large hill which would burn the hind legs off a Tyrannosaurus Rex but I'm hoping I'll get this down to 20minutes.

My 5km run at the moment is taking 28minutes, this is not me running immediately after a 20km bike ride and I don't have a clue what my swim time is... I'm confident?!

To make a donation to Samantha and her good cause, please click on her JUST GIVE PAGE.

Remember to keep up to date with what's going on at With Kids by following us on Facebook and Twitter. 

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.

Samantha's Sprint Triathlon for With Kids

We would like to introduce you to Samantha - who is taking part in the Virgin Triathlon on Saturday 27th July all in aid of With Kids. We feel extremely uplifted by her kind and selfless actions and will be updating you on her progress.

You can read her touching story below...

I was privileged as a child, I was lucky then I guess.

I was fed properly, I was educated, I played and most crucially I was loved. To know there is one vulnerable child living less than a mile from the successful corporate and shiny world of Glasgow city centre not receiving physical, emotional and social needs or getting enough love is more than hard to swallow. Imagining 90,000 children living in severe poverty in Scotland is impossible and tragic.

Working on the opening of citizenM Glasgow gave me the opportunity to work and be based in the city most weeks. Having lived in London for nearly 10 years it was a refreshing and positive experience to learn about the city and country I am from all over again and from a different perspective; as a visitor this time.

During a corporate dinner I was very lucky to meet a couple who talked passionately about their work with a local children’s charity, With Kids. I was taken aback and emotionally moved by the story they shared with me of the work they do. I got involved a bit by gathering some friends and helping to donate and wrap gifts for the Christmas Day Dinner which runs every year for the children and families living in and around the East End of Glasgow. This carefully organised Christmas Day that they would most definitely never have the chance to enjoy otherwise resonated with me as it seemed such a beautiful approach in what these children need at times, just to be kids just like other kids.

This year I wanted to support again, something that would challenge me physically and emotionally. I want to reinforce the belief the charity hold true to their work; that with the right input, training, facilities and most importantly love and support we can all achieve our full potential, and for a child this has to be truer. I do hope my efforts generate awareness; much needed finance and maybe crucially remind us all that we can’t determine our starting point but we can all run the race.

I will be keeping you all updated weekly on my training on a guest blog.

Any donation however small will go straight to help a child...

Thank you friends x

If you would like to make a donation to Samantha's cause you can do so by visiting her Just Giving page.

If you have found this post of interest then please feel free to share it with your online community via the share buttons below. Thank you.