My name is Mark Kelly.  I am 32 years of age, and attempting my first ironman.  This blog is about the training I do, and whatever I am thinking about as I prepare for the longest race I have ever done. My background for triathlon is Swimming, I swam with Terenure swimming club from the age of about 7 to 12.  I decided at that stage to concentrate more on Rugby, and ended up playing for 20 years, before a neck injury forced me to retire. This is my fourth season in triathlon, and what started as a bet has become a great hobby though most people would say it is closer to an obsession rather than a pastime.  I originally started triathlon as a bet.  Someone challenged me to do a marathon ( something I had no interest in at the time).  My response was I would do a triathlon before I would do a marathon.  Shortly later I was downloading a sprint triathlon taining program off the internet.  Next thing I know I am a member of Pulse Triathlon club with a new group of friends with the same love of sport as me. I suppose when I started triathlon I always had doing an ironman in the back of my mind. I actually entered Ironman Austria last year, but ended up not doing it.  I realised that I hadn’t everything I needed to give it my best shot.  Now a year later I feel I am ready to at least do it justice.  If I can finish and have a beer after, it will be a success.