Hello World! Welcome to my Ironman challenge blog!
Welcome to my page!
My name is Mat, I’m 31 and I’m a keen sportsman and traveller. I’m from the UK but I’m currently working in the Czech Republic.
In July 2010 I’m competing in my first full Ironman Triathlon in Roth, Germany. This is one of the 3 biggest triathlons in the world with over 4,000 participants (including teams and individual starters). This event has been running for more than 20 years and is regularly attended by some of the best triathletes in the world. It attracts over 150,000 spectators with both TV and radio coverage. An Ironman Triathlon consists of a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride and 42.2km run – a total of 226km
After my recent trip to South East Asia last summer I’ve decided to use my sporting hobby in an attempt to raise money for the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation in Vietnam.
I’m supporting the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation in Vietnam – a charity helping street kids, orphans and children from very poor families to get a better start in life. After seeing the difficult conditions for myself, observing Blue Dragon in action, and talking to young adults that received support from Blue Dragon when they were kids, I believe Blue Dragon are doing a fantastic job. The children there have somewhere they can feel safe, where they can grow and look forward to a positive future. Their philosophy is:
“All children have the right to be children: to be safe, to attend school, to play, to be treated with respect, to be heard, to be under-stood and to be loved.”
Some facts about Blue Dragon
To date, Blue Dragon has:
- Sent 1,083 kids back to school and training
- Provided accommodation to 92 girls and boys
- Served 121,692 meals
- Built or repaired 18 homes for families
- Distributed 3,345 litres of milk
- Handed out 15,250kgs of rice
- Reunited 55 runaway children with their families
- Taken 408 kids to a doctor or hospital
- Put 5 teens through drug rehabilitation
- Obtained legal registration papers for 158 children
- Rescued 56 trafficked children
- Placed 42 teens in jobs
Played 668 games of soccer!
Blue Dragon is also currently involved in distributing food and other aid around Vietnam after recent tropical storms there.
My aim is to raise money for this charity and Intrepid Travel, a small group adventure company and a supporter of Blue Dragon, have agreed to match the donations that I raise* as well as advertise my progress on their web-site and in their global e-newsletter.
If you read this page and are interested in sponsoring me and supporting Blue Dragon please follow the link to make a donation:
http://www.theintrepidfoundation.org/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=19_34&products_id=77
* up to a maximum of AU$5,000 total per donor for the financial year.
