Bypassing A Braid Tradition

Paula, Scottie and Me at the REAL Duathlon

Challenges… some people are made to throw them out and some people are the suckers who say "I can do this" and take on a worthy cause. This time I'm the sucker, and I need your help.

Now you can read all the words in the world about how bad heart disease is, watch endless hours of television or cruise the internet but it's not until you or someone you love is staring death in the face that you go … "Oh shit… that actually means something" and decide to take a little bit of action in your own neck of the woods.

Heart disease runs in my family. I suppose it's because we're all a bit passionate about certain things, but the icy cold feeling that runs through your veins when you get the call that someone you love is either on their way to or is in the hospital and it's touch-and-go isn't one that should be a required experience. Somehow everything else drops away until you have some additional sliver of information, and even then, if you're lucky, there's the recovery phase to go through.

According to the research: "each day 16 New Zealanders die as a result of coronary heart disease. That's one person every 90 minutes. And many of these deaths are premature and preventable."

Now I'm not going to nag you to give up the ciggies if that's your poison, or bang on at you to get off your arse and get moving, because I figure if you're indulging (or not) in activities that aren't exactly healthy, then age will eventually come up and bite you on the arse. That's, of course, assuming you do achieve a decent age, which could be statistically dodgy.

Anyway - the gist of all this is that I've signed up as a Heart Racer to raise money to support the Heart Foundation.

How can you help? By donating through my webpage you will be helping the Heart Foundation continue its vital work in research, cardiac rehabilitation, education programmes and resources (that's the official bit).

I'll do all the hard work (train for and complete the event, and do the written version of busking with this blog), but I really need you to make a difference in your little neck of the woods.

So, please could you sponsor me?

Select the "Make a donation" button below. It's simple, fast and totally secure and the money goes directly to the Heart Foundation's bank account.

If you live in New Zealand your donation is tax deductible and a receipt will be issued.

So please help me today! And pass it on to your family and friends!

Many thanks for your support