Morning:
11°c
Jon Alexander emerges from his triathlon training session
He will swim twice the length of Oxford Street, cycle the distance of the M25 and run a full marathon in one go - all without leaving a footprint. A carbon footprint, that is.
Londoner Jon Alexander will ditch his regular trainers, swap his carbon-fibre bike for a bamboo one and wear recycled-fibre clothing to become the first eco-competitor in an Ironman-length triathlon in Barcelona.
Only attempted by a few thousand people a year, races in the gruelling series take about 12 hours to finish and are regarded as some of the most challenging endurance events. They include a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run.
Mr Alexander, 27, an environmental strategist at a Soho advertising agency, has run four marathons and rowed for Great Britain at under-23 level. He is training by swimming in the Serpentine, trudging parks and towpaths and covering miles of the city's roads by bike.
But his training and preparation are focused not just on the physical challenge but on the environmental one.
He will travel to Challenge Barcelona, which is on 4 October, by Eurostar and overnight train, and will auction off his bike and other reusable pieces of his environmentally-friendly kit after the race to raise money for charity.
He will eat a vegetarian diet, getting protein from beans, pulses and cheeses and dreaming up recipes "using eggs in ways that the average person never thought possible". He will also munch on fair-trade, organic sports nutrition products.
Mr Alexander, who lives in Wandsworth, wants to draw attention to open spaces available for sport, and aims to raise funds and awareness for the Wilderness Foundation, a charity which encourages city-dwellers to become connected to nature and wild places.
He said: "If I can inspire people to find more of a place for nature in their lives, and raise money for those who otherwise wouldn't get the chance, I will definitely feel like I've succeeded."
The Ironman events culminate in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii every October, although this is a problem for Mr Alexander: "I don't think you can get the train to Hawaii."
Reader views (13)
Its usually those that complain loudest that are the worst offenders or the most resistant to change. It would be more beneficial to get the correct information on the problem and make an effort, than ignore what ALL reputable scientists now acknowledge. Its not about sitting at the back of a cave with the lights out but it is about changing our lifestyles and hopefully avoiding climate choas.
- Mitch Cooke, London
Jon,
Your efforts are to be commended and just to be able to attempt an IronMan is a tribute to effort. I am glad you appear to have taken the comments with good humour - the bamboo bike does create a sniggerable mental image. The environments problems are simple, over population and over consumption, but changing human nature, that is probably impossible.
There will always be reasonable, thoughtful people like yourself who want to make a difference, but that also is part of the problem, we must learn to make no difference and just quietly enjoy our beautiful planet (although I find it hard Streatham).
Best wishes for Spain, a 12 hour Ironman on a bamboo bike now that is impossible.
- Bob H, Streatham
Must say it's quite fun being the one getting shot at by the greenie-bashers (I find Dk most amusing - never heard of the IPCC then?)! Couple of small things I'd point out - I personally never said there wouldn't be any footprint, and I'm perfectly prepared to accept it would be greener not to do it at all, and to commit suicide instead. But what I'm most concerned to do is to show how possible and stimulating it is to appreciate the natural world on a day-to-day basis, even living in London. And to celebrate the funky companies springing up to help us all be as responsible as possible, whatever we're doing. Life's too short to snipe, get out there and have some fun.
PS - Julian definitely has a point. I fart more than I should. Working on it.
- Jon Alexander, Wandsworth, London
I have known Jon since he was a young lad and admire his commitment. I wonder if the comments made on this page were from "lard a***s" and "couch potatoes" They obviously don't get out much or they would have seen bamboo growing in England as well as bejing.
Good luck Jon,
- Eileen Searle, Pyrford, Surrey
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Jon and found him to be totally sincere and genuine. I commend his efforts and admire him for his values and beliefs. Good luck Jon!
- Richard, Witham, Essex
Likewise Ben - A bamboo bike ! doesn't he realise that somewhere in China there'll be a peckish Panda extremely unimpressed that his afternoon snack has been swiped for a one off Spanish bicycle ride.
The bike does seem clownesque and I hope the run leg will be completed in a pair of size 300 NIKEs.
- Mannie Muckle, Clapham
A bamboo bike? Where do you get Bamboo from in Soho? Or does he have it especially flown in from Bejing?
Being super green myself I don't own a bamboo bike or a caron-fibre one? I wonder if I qualify for a grant?
- Ben, London, W1
No "carbon footprint", a completely annoying phrase, if ever there was one.
So he has perfected the art of not breathing throughout this 12-hour event. Thus not inhaling air rich with oxygen and exhaling air richer in CO2.
I seriously wish all these people who are on the "carbon footprint" bandwagon would think a little bit more sensibly.
Bob of Cheam had it spot on, there is no such thing as "carbon neutral", whatever carbon neutral means.
As far as I remember, Carbon is a element that is normally black - graphite, sometimes transparent and sparkly - diamond, and occasionally small and rounf - buckyballs.
CO2 is a colourless, odourless gas exhaled by every person on this here planet of ours....and every mamal....and most reptiles and amphiboans.
Greenhouse gas and increase in CO2?
Not one scientist or group has come out with a figure showing that the percentage of CO2 in the make-up of air has increased since I was a wee child - some time ago.
And of course the training, food and travel to the event are indeed valid stumbling barriers to this "carbon neutral" event.
- Dk, London
What a great way to show people how it's possible to live a life that has a minimal impact on the environment and still do the activities you enjoy. Very inspirational.
- Helen B, City, London
All seems rather twee and naive. If you want to limit your impact on the world live a primative life, otherwise shut up. No need to recycle - consume less.
- Mr Pastry, Brisbane
Um, he will leave a carbon footprint, he will need energy to do all of this which will come from food which in turn will undoubtedly come from intensive farming processes which have a huge carbon footprint. And how exactly does he propose to get to Barcelona? Or Hawaii? Swim and run?
There's no such thing as carbon neutral.
- Bob, Cheam
Impressive... as long as he does not pass wind, and in doing so leave a carbon footprint during the course of the competition. On a diet of "beans, eggs, pulses and cheeses" and competing for over 12 hours it would truly be a noteworthy achievement.
- Julian Ehrhardt, London, UK
Environmental Strategist in Advertising eh - sounds like he's using his entry to the Barca iron Man to promote his employers agency. That aside it would be far more environmentally friendly to consume less by not going and using up excess energy in this endurance event, I feel fully justified in not taking part, for the benefit of the planet, and not because I'm a slob.
- Bob H, Streatham
