Cancer survivor: ‘Sod it, I’m going for it!’

The stars have aligned for a real life Ironman who has more reason than most to come to Cork this weekend.

Science fiction writer, triathlete and cancer survivor Andrew Lambert will compete in Ireland’s first ever Ironman race this Sunday in Youghal.

This will be the sixth Ironman event for the Birmingham native, who was convinced that his previous event in Wales in 2015 was to be his last.

“I've been a triathlete for 20 years and this will be my sixth Ironman. The last one was always going to be the last one. Not long after I completed Ironman Wales in 2015, I went onto chemotherapy and I thought that was the end of it,” Mr Lambert told the Cork Independent.

Mr Lambert had been diagnosed with Chronic Lymphatic Leukaemia which meant that, all going well, it would be least a year before he could go back to training.

“I had chemo for six months and I had a lot of time on my hands. A friend of mine suggested that I look at writing a book because he had read some short stories I had done,” said Mr Lambert.

Mr Lambert, (66), who had never been to Cork before, chose the county as the setting for his first book, a science fiction adventure story.

“I was looking between Scotland and Ireland for a setting, and I went with Cork because I had always thought of southern Ireland as being a rugged and beautiful area, that I always wanted to visit.”

Having finished chemotherapy, Mr Lambert made plans to visit Cork, but due to illness was unable to make the trip.

“So my plan was to look at the various locations via Google, and then back it up with a visit. Because my immune system was rock bottom, I got some severe chest infections because I had gone back to training too quickly afterwards,” he said.

He added: “But when they announced the Ironman last year, I thought 'oh my God, the first one in Ireland, sod it, I’m going for it’.

Mr Lambert will join over 2,600 athletes this Sunday morning as they begin their epic race which kicks off at Claycastle beach in Youghal.

“So, now I’m finally going and can visit the places I’d researched, and the little job of completing an Ironman triathlon. Good job I know what’s coming,” he concluded.