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Press release:
Club La Santa, 16 th March 2005 - ALMOST ONLY 2 MONTHS TO GO…
‘Batman’ is at Club La Santa, training to race the IRONMAN LANZAROTE 2005! He is one of the 635 triathletes who have registered so far…
Mike Griffiths, member of the Team Deviant Triathlon Club and also known as the guy who completes triathlons dressed as Batman, is here at CLS and is going to take part in this year’s edition of the IRONMAN 2005. Mike Griffiths dresses up like ‘ Batman’ to raise money for the charity ASPIRE. This week he is here at Club La Santa on the Robin Brew Triathlon Training Camp to do some training and preparation for the IRONMAN, which will take place on May 21 st. He took the time to tell us something about himself and the charity ASPIRE.
Mike is an osteopath in Wales for 12 years now. The IRONMAN this year is going to be his first, before that he has only done half IM’s and half marathons. Besides that he has participated in sprints, the London Marathon and a lot of local races in Wales. Mike has won a couple of fancy dress prices with his Batman-suit. He also dressed up a couple of times as a cowboy and an Indian. He explains us that he does it because he wants to show the people that there is also a fun-aspect in doing triathlons, it is not all that serious like a lot of people are thinking. In this way he wants to show the people that anybody can do it if they want to. Besides that it is a way to collect money for the charity ASPIRE.
ASPIRE, which stands for Association for Spinal Injury Research Rehabilitation and Reintegration, was founded in 1983, as an answer to the concerns for the people with spinal cord injuries of doctors at the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital in Stanmore Middlesex. From a humble charity it grew out to a nationwide operating charity with its own unique ASPIRE National Training Centre (ANTC), where disabled and non-disabled people can integrate in sports and leisure activities. Currently the centre has 30% disabled usage. The ANTC encourages disabled people to join and participate in all activities by subsiding their membership and activity costs.
A nice example how important the ASPIRE can be in a person’s life is the story of Paula Craig. Paula was working at the Metropolitan Police since 1986 and first competed in the London Marathon in 1995. In 2000, she succeeded in running the Flora London Marathon in a time of 2 hours and 57 minutes, which placed her within the elite class. In 2001 she started training to participate in the World Triathlon Championship, but then at an unfortunate day in May she was driving home on her bike after having lunch and all of a sudden her life changed in a moment. She landed in the road and had no sensation in her legs. The injuries were severe, but in 2 weeks she was determined to do what she loved the most, she wanted to take part in the 2002 Flora London Marathon. The ASPIRE National Training Centre gave her all the possibilities to make a tremendous recovery.
To donate money to ASPIRE, please go to the following link:
www.justgiving.com/DeathByBatman |
