Making life a holiday with interesting vacation and adventure ideas.

Congratulations to Penny Edwards, a UK teacher who has just completed the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii; finishing in the top ten for her class, in one of the most gruelling race events in the world. Not bad for someone who did not take up running until her 40s and is now a very fit 52 year old. More.

Congratulations also to Chrissie Wellington, who won the women's event and became the first British athlete to claim an Ironman World Championship title. This under-sung, relatively unknown 30 year old, did not turn pro until this year and only took part in her first Ironman a couple of months ago, a race which she won convincingly.

Winner of the men's event was determined Australian, Chris McCormack, who says that he has dreamed of being the World Ironman Champion for 20 years.

The Ford Ironman World Championship involves a 2.4 mile swim in the open sea, a 112 mile cycle ride and then a 26.2 mile marathon run through the lava fields of Kailua-Kona. Nearly 1,800 athletes took part in the event, ranging in age from 18 to 78 years old. Yes, 78. Most of the Ironman athletes have quite a story to tell, some exceptionally inspirational and you can read more on the Ironman website.

Labels: 2007, Chris McCormack, Chrissie Wellington, Hawaii, Ironman, Penny Edwards, Triathlon, World Championships

Eight years ago Jamie Andrew and his friend Jamie Fisher were trapped in sub-zero temperatures for five days in the French Alps. Tragically, rescue came too late to prevent the death of Jamie Fisher, and Jamie Andrew lost both his hands and his feet, but since that time, he has learned to walk again, taken up skiing, run a marathon and even returned to climbing.

Now, with the wonderful Olivia Giles, who is also a quadruple amputee, this remarkable man has set up the 500 miles organisation, which aims to fund projects helping amputees to get prosthetics in parts of the world affected by war, poverty or disease. To launch their fund raising, on 4 August, 2007, he is going to attempt to complete a Triathlon type event; a 2.4 mile swim in Scotland's Loch Tay, followed by a 112 mile cycle from Kenmore to Falkirk and then a 26.2 mile marathon run alongside the Union Canal to Edinburgh and the finish.

They need sponsorship, so go to their web site and see what you can do to support the Titanium Man, so called because of his prosthetic limbs. Oh and 500 miles, yes the name is inspired by The Proclaimers' famous lyrics "I would walk 500 miles".

Labels: 500 miles, Titanium Man, Triathlon

Each year, on the first Saturday in March, the people of Taupo, New Zealand, are used to their towns population doubling as 20,000 visitors descend on the town for the worlds oldest international Ironman event, on and around Lake Taupo. Actually, things kick off the weekend before, with the annual Cross the Lake Swim (4.2 km) and an Ironkids Triathlon, then there is a week of related events.

This year's Ironman New Zealand is 3 March, 2007, and features more than 1400 competitors from 39 countries. The race format is a 3.8km (2.4 mile) swim in the warm, clean, fresh waters of Lake Taupo, followed by a flat to undulating 179.2km (112 mile) cycle ride through spectacular scenery and then a 42.2 km (26 mile) marathon run to finish.

Lake Taupo is the largest lake in New Zealand and is a centre for all sorts of adventure sports. The lake contains rainbow and brown trout up to six pounds in weight, so is a magnet for trout fisherman; 30 rivers flow into the lake and fly fishing is a popular option with many companies organising fishing trips.

Labels: fishing, Ironman, Lake Taupo, New Zealand, Taupo, Triathlon, trout