Author: paullander100

Despite (forcibly) easing up on yesterday’s triathlon, my calf muscles are very painful to even touch. And the brain was not in much better shape too.

As I arrived at the gym I realised I did not have my cycling shoes with me. Fortunately, I had left them at the gym the previous day and they had been handed in. And then as I prepared for the first element, I had forgotten to put on my swimming shorts before leaving home and they were still sat on the bathroom radiator.

Wearing my baggy running shorts, I completed the 1,500 metre swim seven seconds per 100m slower than usual. I could feel the cord on the shorts digging into my hips as they acted like a sail and provided considerable resistance.

Each time I kicked off from the end of the pool I could also feel the pain in my calf muscles so when it came to the cycle I was focused on not exacerbating the problem. I completed the 40km three minutes slower than the day before.

Then onto the run and the pain was intense. As I started I was unsure how long I could continue, would the pain force me to stop or walk, or would I be able to carry on albeit at a slower pace. Fortunately, the latter was the case and I trudged along attempting to protect my muscles from further damage. It seemed to take forever, it was very slow at almost 57 minutes but relief at completing another and I have my fingers crossed that tomorrow’s triathlon will be easier, although I will accept just possible.

I am attempting to complete an Olympic-distance triathlon every day for 100 days to raise awareness and funds to build a memorial to the more than 4,000 police officers and staff who have died on duty.

Please support me to see this fitting tribute begin construction at the National Memorial Arboretum in 2019. You can donate here.

Today I paid tribute to those who died on December 11, they are:

1876 – Inspector Joseph Drewett – Berkshire County Constabulary

1876 – Police Constable Thomas Shorter – Berkshire County Constabulary

1914 – Special Constable Samuel Claxton – East Riding of Yorkshire Constabulary

1914 – Police Constable John Quinnell – Metropolitan Police

1920 – Temporary Cadet Spencer Chapman – Royal Irish Constabulary

1927 – Station Sergeant Anthony Sullivan – Metropolitan Police

1940 – War Reserve Constable John Barrier – Birmingham City Police

1940 – War Reserve Constable Harold Kavanagh – Birmingham City Police

1940 – Special Constable Eustace Speller – Birmingham City Police

1941 – Police Constable Evan Davies – Cardiff City Police

1958 – Police Constable Royston Adams – Metropolitan Police

1973 – Detective Constable George Rolston – Royal Ulster Constabulary, GC

1995 – Sergeant Robert Pearman – Bedfordshire Police

Today I may have paid for the enthusiasm of reaching the 40 milestone, and possibly the celebration afterwards. Not only was the stomach affected but my calves have turned painfully solid.

The 1,500 metre swim was notable for its simplicity and once again having a lane to myself. The 40km cycle was fairly quick – 1hr09mins. But the 10km run was three minutes slower than the day before, as the calf muscles started to seize up and stomach cramps took hold.

Another one completed and just 59 to go, hopefully the muscles will have eased by tomorrow’s effort. Apologies to colleagues and anyone who meets me for the strong smell of Tiger Balm, it has been applied extremely liberally. Hopefully the shower will remove most before I get in the pool tomorrow.

Today I paid tribute to the police officers and staff who died on December 10. Remarkably, there are just four, the lowest of any day so far. They are:

1864 – Police Constable John Ward – Dublin Metropolitan Police

1865 – Police Constable Hugh McDougall – Greenock Burgh Police

1985 – Acting Detective Sergeant Patrick Burns – Grampian Police

1985 – Detective Constable David Ellis – Grampian Police

A milestone was reached today and a cause for celebration.

After 40 days of completing Olympic-distance triathlons it is back to our favourite Turkish restaurant – Village Mangal in Amersham – and replenishing the carbs and generous portion of protein (apologies to any non-meat eaters).

It was a good day, the fastest 25 miles on the bike so far (1 hour 8 minutes) followed by the fastest 10k run so far (48 minutes). The 1,520 metre swim was on a par with usual times (29 minutes).

All despite a very sore throat so hopefully the times are a sign that it is just a minor issue that won’t have much impact.

I had good company for the last 5k on the bike and a couple of toots from passing car drivers while on the run.

While it has been a very good day for achieving my goal, it was also a day for remembering police officers and staff who have died protecting the public. On December 9, the following made the ultimate sacrifice:

1857 – Sub-Constable John Glavin – Irish Constabulary

1858 – Police Constable Matthew Sharp – Lancashire County Constabulary

1865 – Police Constable Enoch Hooper – Staffordshire County Constabulary

1877 – Police Constable William Peet – West Riding of Yorkshire Constabulary

1881 – Inspector John Pearman – Metropolitan Police

1892 – Police Constable Ernest Ellis – Metropolitan Police

1895 – Police Constable Robert Murray – Glasgow City Police

1908 – Police Constable Joseph Williamson – Metropolitan Police

1940 – War Reserve Constable Harold Lambert – Metropolitan Police

1941 – Police Constable William Hasson – Royal Ulster Constabulary, GC

1964 – Police Constable Brian Darnell – Oxfordshire County Constabulary

1961 – Sergeant Rex Robinson – Doncaster County Borough Police

1970 – Police Constable Geoffrey Allsopp – South Wales Constabulary

2013 – Detective Constable Adrian Grew – Kent Police

We are indebted to them and will build a fitting tribute at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, where relatives, friends and colleagues can go to peacefully reflect and where events can take place to commemorate the sacrifices of over 4,000 police officers and staff.

With your help we can get this memorial built. Please support me and donate here. Thank you.

Today was very welcome for the opportunity it gave to get outside again and enjoy the fresh, relatively warm if blustery weather.

The swim saw me compete with a very similar speed of swimmer in the same lane, and it meant the effort was pretty vigorous. The bike ride was straightforward although I forgot to press start on my Garmin and it only recorded just over 22 miles. Fortunately I have witnesses can vouch for the distance. On the run I switched route, back to my original along the Oxford Road, which is more pleasant.

Another Olympic-distance triathlon done and a return to my usual pre-Christmas fundraising in the afternoon as one of Santa’s helpers outside a shopping mall, collecting cash for the Rotary Club.

If anyone reading this is feeling down or dispirited, try to help out on something like this. Just seeing the joy on children’s faces when they get to see Father Christmas, the banter with teenagers, or the inquiries from adults about when we will visit them with the Christmas float this year, and you can’t help but be lifted.

We raised a few hundred pounds for local charities today but it was amazing how my tiredness disappeared. We will see how that goes next week when I get to play the main role.

I am very pleased to have completed the last triathlon before another milestone and to raise awareness of the attempt to build a fitting tribute to fallen police officers and staff at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

Today, I paid tribute to the following officers and staff who made the ultimate sacrifice on December 8 to keep the rest of us safe:

1836 – Police Constable William Bruff – Metropolitan Police

1868 – Police Constable John Maule – Newport Harbour Police

1930 – Deputy Chief Constable Ralph Thompson – Devon County Constabulary

1940 – Special Inspector William Bone – Metropolitan Police

1940 – Police Constable Arthur Smith – War Department Constabulary

1940 – Police Constable John Vaughan – Metropolitan Police

1952 – Police Constable Franklin Davies – Worcestershire County Constabulary

1954 – Police Constable Robert Housden – Bedfordshire County Constabulary

1959 – Police Constable Melvin Davies – Metropolitan Police

1971 – Police Constable Leslie Harrod – West Midlands Constabulary

Please support my efforts and donate here to see this memorial built in 2019, thank you.

Today the heavens opened and I had to complete all of my triathlon indoors. So far, I have only done one other all in the gym, with the run on the treadmill. It was not the most pleasant so I was not looking forward to it. The howling rain ensured there was no alternative.

But, I was again joined on the Wattbike by the Head of Happiness for the pork scratchings company, someone I now know is called Hayley, and at least a chunk of the ride passed very quickly. Then on the treadmill and Lucy, who started running for the first time after all sorts of injuries so she could accompany me, took my mind off the banality of an indoor 10km and offered some fabulous advice.

And suddenly another Olympic-distance was done, although massively dehydrated from the heat of the gym. Another major milestone – the 40th out of my overall target of completing 100 Olympic-distance triathlons in 100 consecutive days – is not far away.

I paid tribute today to the following who were killed or died while protecting the public on December 7:

1823 – Sub-Constable John Orpin – Munster Constabulary

1886 – Sergeant William Coutts – Lancashire County Constabulary

1906 – Police Constable Frederick Smith – Great Eastern Railway Police

1941 – War Reserve Constable Norman Williams – Salford City Police

1976 – Police Constable Terence Mickleburgh – Derbyshire Constabulary

1976 – Police Constable Geoffrey Rowland – Derbyshire Constabulary

1985 – Reserve Constable William Clements – Royal Ulster Constabulary, GC

1985 – Police Constable George Gilliland – Royal Ulster Constabulary, GC

Please donate to the charity that will build a fitting tribute to them and all other fallen officers and staff at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

Following the previous day’s extreme tiredness, and once the day’s work was over, I was pampered more than ever with the best food, sweaty sports clothes unpacked and washed for me, and best of all, allowed to collapse on the sofa for much needed sleep.

I am finding that some days are good days and some are bad. The bad ones are mostly marked by niggles and concerns over possible injuries and the good days are significant for the lack of such things. After a slightly later entry to the pool than usual due to grabbing another hour sleep, today was a good day.

The slight shoulder pain was not a problem on the swim, and the knees did not hurt on the bike. And, despite having developed a huge mental challenge to set off on the 10km run each day, the legs seemed less heavy than the past few days. Without realising, I had run the 10km in 48 minutes, while well below race pace, it was as fast I had gone on any of the previous runs on the challenge.

Best of all, the niggles were minimal, so it was a great day. Thirty-seven done, just 63 to go.

As I do every day, I paid tribute to the police officers and staff who died on this date in the past, and today I remembered those who died on duty on December 6. They are:

1929 – Police Constable John Burr – Glasgow City Police

1941 – Special Constable John Stevenson – Ulster Special Constabulary

1942 – Special Sergeant William Grout – Metropolitan Police

1963 – Police Constable John Brown – Royal Ulster Constabulary, GC

2005 – Police Constable Vassili Bogomoletz – British Transport Police

Please support me in raising money to help build a fitting tribute to these and more than 4,000 who have died protecting us at the National Memorial Arboretum.

Today was the most tiring of any day so far. The cumulative effect of completing an Olympic-distance triathlon every day for 35 days while running a business made today one of survival.

Plus the stomach problems from yesterday are still with me and draining me of energy.

After the swim, the rain forced me to take to the Wattbike in the gym once more but even though I got extremely wet I could not face the treadmill for the run. And I was rewarded with the appearance of the sun half way through.

Here are the Garmin stats from each leg:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/3205370138

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/3205487735

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/3205604886

I am so glad to have completed another day and be able to pay tribute to every police officer and staff who died on December 5. They are:

1788 – Peace Officer John Parry – Chester, Cheshire

1859 – Sergeant Robert McClelland – Irish Constabulary

1896 – Detective Officer James Palmer – Dundee City Police

1897 – Police Constable Richard Penman – Lancashire County Constabulary

1920 – Temporary Cadet Hedley Balls – Royal Irish Constabulary

1940 – Police Constable Clifford Josty – Folkestone Borough Police

1944 – Special Constable John Cheeseman – Durham County Constabulary

1956 – Acting Sergeant Denis Cole – Buckinghamshire County Constabulary

1960 – Police Constable William MacCulloch – Greenock Burgh Police

1981 – Police Constable Jack Harvey – Lothian & Borders Police

I am undertaking this challenge to help raise money to build a fitting tribute to more than 4,000 police officers and members of staff who have given their lives while protecting the rest of us.

Please support me by donating here, thank you.

Today, on my 35th triathlon in 35 days, it was such a relief that the niggle that developed yesterday, a sore left calf muscle, was much better.

However, no day is without a concern and today the problem had moved upwards to the stomach. And the stomach issue was a result of brain failure.

I have been keen to reassure people that I am not losing much weight during the challenge, I have been weighing myself regularly and have remained at around the 71kg mark for the last three weeks after a drop of two kilograms in the first two weeks. However, after a further 2kg drop over three days, I took the opportunity to over-indulge in sugary food.

Anyone who knows me will tell you I do not need an excuse to eat cake. But four pastries, a whole malt loaf and slice of lemon roullade was probably too much for anyone and I paid for it.

I still managed to complete the triathlon in my usual times but with slightly longer transitions to manage the tummy problem.

Once again I had some very welcome company on the bike, and the sun helped make the two degree temperature bearable on the run.

Today is press day so no time for my usual mini-celebration after every fifth one, that will be tomorrow.

Meanwhile, if you have not yet donated to my cause, please can you do so now, the mental side of this effort, of every day getting up at 4am to complete another Olympic-distance triathlon, is made much easier when I see a donation arrive.

Together we will build a wonderful memorial to police officers and staff who die while protecting us – you can donate here.

Today I paid tribute to those who died on December 4, they are:

1857 – Detective Sergeant Charles Thain – City of London Police

1895 – Sergeant Joseph Winpenny – West Riding of Yorkshire Constabulary

1906 – Police Constable Ernest Moore – Midland Railway Police

1940 – Special Constable John Greenslade – Metropolitan Police

1993 – Commander Hugh Moore QPM – City of London Police

After yesterday’s concern expressed by a GP about possible damage being done, today’s was a more careful effort.

I had the pool lane to myself so was able to relax more easily. The bike ride was just 30 seconds slower and then I did the 10km on the treadmill for the first time. This was partly due to the weather and also due to wanting to have as much of a controlled run as possible. I am not sure it was the best move as I now understand there is more control on the road, where you can slow down and speed up more easily.

My left calf is particularly sore now, a worry as I suffered an achilles tendon injury in 2017 that kept me out until April this year.

After completing today’s effort, the foam roller has been used extensively to try and ease the tension. Another Olympic-distance triathlon done for the UK Police Memorial.

As I do every day, I paid tribute to all the police officers and staff who died on this date. On December 3, they are:

1823 – Sub-Constable John Young – Munster Constabulary

1854 – Police Constable William Henderson – Lancashire County Constabulary

1920 – Police Constable Maurice Prenderville – Royal Irish Constabulary

1963 – Sergeant Francis Prendergast – Oldham County Borough Police

1976 – Reserve Constable Joseph Scott – Royal Ulster Constabulary, GC

1976 – Police Constable George Spencer – Lancashire Constabulary

2002 – Police Constable Darren Pike – City of London Police

2004 – Police Constable Kevin Biglin – Suffolk Constabulary

Pleas join me in saying ‘Thank you’ to them and to every police officer and member of staff who continues to regularly enter extremely dangerous situations to protect the rest of us by donating here.

The sun was a welcome sight on this fabulous milestone – after today’s effort I am one third of the way through the challenge to complete 100 Olympic-distance triathlons in 100 consecutive days.

However, I was forced to consider exactly what impact it is having on my body. A GP friend and fellow member of a tennis club, having seen me dash freely about the court, had spotted me at the end of one of my recent triathlons. Concerned that I did not look like my usual athletic (her words) self, she urged me to reconsider what and how I am doing the challenge.

There is nothing like a personal appeal from a medical expert to make you think twice.

I told her that my slower (controlled) speed was deliberate, although difficult (as mentioned in the day 6 and 14 updates), and I think she is reassured, although a check with my own doctor would not go amiss.

On this day, control was everything. After a black-tie dinner the night before, and quite a bit of dancing, the legs were heavier than usual.

But another one has been completed and I am now just 67 away from the finish, as long as the doctor does not put me in a straitjacket when I see him. Seriously though, I have to have regard to medical advice, but it will be agonising and difficult to change the commitment made to complete a triathlon on consecutive days until February 7.

I am attempting this challenge to raise awareness of and money for the UK Police Memorial Trust, which is trying to build a fitting tribute to the ultimate sacrifices made by over 4,000 police officers and staff who have died protecting their communities.

On this day, December 2, they are:

1894 – Police Constable James McLean – Leith Burgh Police

1920 – Sergeant Thomas Keighary – Royal Irish Constabulary

1921 – Special Constable William Lyttle – Ulster Special Constabulary

1921 – Police Constable Michael Gorman – Royal Irish Constabulary

1940 – Special Constable Arthur Pennymore – Norwich City Police

1941 – Police Fireman Frederick Appleby – Bristol Police Fire Brigade

1941 – Police Constable John Cunning – Royal Ulster Constabulary, GC

1949 – Police Constable Harry Harding – Metropolitan Police

1956 – Police Constable James Dolan – Hampshire & Isle of Wight Police

1965 – Sergeant Archibald Hollis – Oxfordshire County Constabulary

Please support me by donating here, and say a huge thank you to all police officers and staff who continue to put themselves in danger to keep us safe.