DIY Ironwomen

Louise and Pascale are dynamic, amazing, inspiring women, who always seem to be doing something a little, well, offbeat.

The last time I went to a party at their place, Louise had dressed up as a smurf , blue skin and all lol...

Anyway, to celebrate Louise’s 40th birthday, they decided to do an Ironman triathlon,  an endurance race comprising a 2.4 mile (3.86 km) ocean swim, a 112 mile (180 km) bike ride, and a marathon (26.2 mile, 42.2 km).

When the only official Ironman event they had time to prepare for sold out in hours (without them getting a place), they decided to create an event of their own.

Here’s the story:

After we thought about it for awhile, we realised we didn't need the t-shirt, the travel, and the hoo-ha of an OFFICIAL event, and that we actually live in one of the most perfect places in the world to train and complete an Ironman event: Dubai.

And so, the Unofficial Do-It-Yourself Ironman Dubai 2008 was born.

The summer training was a tad hotter than we would have liked, not the mention the raw sewage issue that hit the press the week after our Jumeirah beach swim!

We’ve become complete exercise bores, regaling all who will listen with talk of long nights in training (min 3 hours per), early mornings on the weekends in the summer, hills, heat, protein shakes and chafing (but we won't go there now).

We decided all this effort shouldn’t go unrewarded, and that a charity, in some way related to what we are doing, should benefit.

So, to mark the event, we’re asking people to donate to "United Through Sport" ,  an international sports development charity that aims to alleviate the symptoms of poverty through the power of sport; they work primarily with kids in Africa and South America.

No amount is too small; you can donate here.

If you’re in Dubai and would like to support us in any other way, please feel free. You might want to swim with us, bike with us or run with us, and no, you don't have to do the entire distance! Your company would be much appreciated whatever the distance.

Only one proviso: No making fun of us as we crawl over the finish line and land in a heap!! (Volunteers with stretchers and Veuve Cliquot also welcome!)

For more information contact Pascale de Jong or Louise Adamson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.