It's the initial impression that counts....

It's not what it looks like, really!

Right, so now that is out of the way I can assure you that is not one of "those" blogs.

So the most interesting thing that is going on in my life at the moment is that I have signed up to something called Ultimate White Collar Boxing.  Now if my parents had their way, my eligibility for this event would be instantly null and void, not because of any secret boxing pre-experience, but that I am not known for wearing white collars (even though I am a member of the IT profession - as is everybody these days!).  Hell I don't even wear proper ties.  Clips ons and slip ons, that's my game!

In a nutshell, you are provided with 16 training sessions over 8 weeks to take your from zero to...well maybe a couple a bead slides across the abacus.  After 8 weeks you are then thrown into the ring at a black tie event so that all your family and friends can watch as your nose explodes into a red spectacle of the worst fireworks show you have ever seen.  However...maybe, just maybe, you may make your family proud....maybe.  Nothing is guaranteed. 

What can be relied upon though is that money WILL be raised for charity.  This is through sponsorship and tickets sold to the big event.  At least some good will come of it.  

Below you can find the link to my just giving page (along with my story) where you can join me in shedding a few pounds.  As you can see from the photos posted at the head of this article, I am happy to drop quite a few pounds on this event, maybe even a ton!

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Stephen-Milton?

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My Story:

First things first, what have I signed up for?  I had nerves before I clicked the sign up button, followed by an intense fear once I received the email to tell me that I had been accepted.  In little over 3 and a half months time I will be stepping into a ring to participate in a boxing match. Wtf?

It is then I remember that I chose that fear, nothing like a kick up the a*se (or a punch in the face) to get fit right?  People who are diagnosed with cancer don't get a choice.  They face a battle each and every day more fierce and frightening than my few bruises and the risk of losing my pride.  They are battling for what most of us take for granted - their life.

A close family member has recently been diagnosed with cancer.  A cracking healthy young lad whose fitness put me to shame.  He didn't ask for his life to be put on hold at 16, he didn't ask for that fight, yet he has no choice and he is bravely battling it each and every day.

If I can take even a tiny proportion of that young man's bravery into the ring with me, I would be proud.  I hope that the gesture of this challenge and the money raised will in some way make a small difference.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

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So what does the future hold for this blog?

Well in the short term, hopefully over the coming weeks I will be keeping you posted on my progress, my regime, the ups, downs, highs, lows, you name it, I will share it.  But I guess the bit that you will all be most excited about is seeing my transformation in glorious technicolor from pork scratching to dry roasted peanut!

I may intersperse the riveting tale of athleticism with the odd musing.  For all I know I will be talking to myself, no change there but at least give me the sense of popularity by following this blog, even if you don't read it.  Perhaps even share it with your Nan, maybe she can comment on how masculine I am?  Or maybe that in her day, real men knew how to box properly wearing stripped shorts, grand mustachios and a gentlmenly demeaner.  Share it with Tony too, he is bound to give me some 'Bro Grief' but that is the sort of thing that I need to keep me in check.  Whatever you do though, don't share it with your dog, I hear they love pork scratchings?  Is that true?  I don't know.  To be honest I lost where I was going with this.  In the words of my Dad, my heads gone :-S

Thanks for reading my latest take on life

Steve

P.S Weigh in this week is 92.7KG - diet starts tomorrow ;-)