This month has been a bit slow with regard to rowing on my ergo, have just managed to get my 10km row in for the Concept2 challenge series, not my best effort but have had a bit of a rest from indoor rowing this month.

As I don't have to rack up the mileage just rowing this year for the 2013 miles in 2013, I have been concentrating on the elements for our impending triathlon debut this year. So to that end I started running, something I haven't really done for about 30 years, so that was a bit of a shock to the system. Because of this I did a bit of research and found a program of running that is called "couch 2 5k" which seemed perfect. Not because of fitness levels, but for the fact that all my exercise has been rowing specific so I have had to build up some different muscles. It is a nine week program and I was getting through it quite nicely, until we went running around a local lake which had large puddles which one had to jump over, after 12 laps of this I noticed that my Achilles' tendons were very sore, I just thought it was because I had run a bit more than normal and it would get better after a couple of days. But I have to report that I am still not running and walking is a bit tricky as well. But with some exercises from the brilliant Ben from Performance physiotherapy in Rochester it is now on the mend.

The other 2 elements of the triathlon are fine, swimming and cycling are going well, I just need some more speed but that is coming each time I go out, so I'm quite pleased with that. I have got to modify our mountain bikes a bit to make them a bit more competitive with some slick tyres and new chain sets which I have yet to do and luckily my wife's Aunt is a swimming coach, so we are going to get some coaching next month.

The sponsorship for last year's challenge is now slowing up but I have raised nearly £3000 for The Meningitis Trust, which is much more than I was hoping to achieve and I hope to keep fundraising for them this year, and for however long I can keep doing these challenges.

I am myself going to be getting some help from them as my hearing has really got an awful lot worse, so I am hoping they can help me find some lip reading courses to combat this. I am also having to go to my cranial osteopath much more regularly than before, so am hoping for some assistance with that as well as it severely effects my balance, back and stomach which this chap sorts out for me.

On a much more positive note, we are getting nearer to obtaining a boat for my rowing partner and me to compete in the Boston rowing marathon and the Ringvaart regatta in Amsterdam. We had several leads for a stern coxed pair, as if we are to get to the Ringvaart regatta neither of us wants to be steering for a 100km race, so we thought it would be safer to have a cox. On that note if there is anyone out there that has a stern coxed pair then please let us know, just in case there are any problems with the one we are after.

As always this is all for The Meningitis Trust and before the page ends it would be nice to get a bit more sponsorship in, so please donate here cheers