Road running Richard sets steely sights on Ironman challenge ahead of 51st birthday

A dedicated fundraiser for Kidscan Children's Cancer Research has been spending the run up to his birthday a little differently this year, by training for a gruelling Ironman competition. University of Salford lecturer, Richard Talbot, who turns 51, on 28 September 2018, is getting set to swap his shirt and tie for sports gear and turn his triathlon hobby into a charity quest after beginning training for it when he turned 50 last year. The Ironman Wales challenge is not for the faint hearted, with Richard training more than 13 hours a week to prepare for the course's 2.4 mile sea swim, 112 mile hilly bike ride and 26.2-mile marathon run through the town of Tenby. And it's not the 1st time the ACTri Southport and Southport Cycling Club member has set himself a feat with a difference, having already completed a 5k run in clown shoes for Kidscan, a charity which specifically supports research into new and improve treatments for children with cancer. The Southport resident has been donating money from his salary for Kidscan for around 3 years and has also taken part in events run via the University of Salford, but this will be his 1st solo fundraising challenge for the charity.

Richard, who is also part of the Southport Waterloo Athletic Club said that:- "After reading about their support for research into the specialist requirements of the treatment of cancer in children, I had to get involved. Kidscan has a close involvement with researchers at the University of Salford and I do think that University research of all kinds is able to have a positive impact on everyday lives, and the relationship with Kidscan is a great example of this. I have run a couple of races for Kidscan at my University, such as the Vice Chancellor's 5k Fun Run, but this Ironman challenge will be the 1st time I've gone it alone. Now it's nearing the time of doing it, it's just as well I didn't really know what I was letting myself in for because the course is notoriously tough with a sea swim and lots of hills on the bike and run routes! But I'm so excited for the challenge and can't wait to raise some money for Kidscan."

Martin Keelagher, Chair of Kidscan Children's Cancer Research, added:- "Richard is such an inspiring individual, pushing himself to the extreme to raise money for Kidscan. We can't thank him enough for the support he has given to the charity over the years and wish him all the best of luck."

Ironman Wales 2018 takes place on Sunday, 9 September 2018. Richard has set himself a target of raising ₤500. To donate, visit:- Give.EveryDayHero.Com. For more information about Kidscan, visit:- KidScan.Org.UK.

Fixing a hole… Potholes in focus as we go on the road with the Council's highways team

THERE'S just no getting round it, potholes are a big issue. They are a menace to motorists and have the potential to hold every 1 up as they go about their daily business. It's a fact that many of Liverpool's roads are in a poor condition and when it comes to putting it right, Liverpool City Council's in the driving seat. Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson recently pledged an extra ₤200m to tackle the deteriorating quality of the City's roads. It includes extra cash for reconstruction, resurfacing and creating new routes. And of course, for tackling the City's pothole problem. In fact ₤15m has been set aside specifically for dealing with the holes in the road.

Mayor Anderson said:- "We have been listening to you loudly and clearly telling us that the state of the roads was unacceptable. We have seen our budgets from central Government drastically cut, but we have been able to borrow the money to fix the roads because we have built new houses, regenerated the City, brought in new business and introduced new business rates that will help us to repay the loan. This isn't Government money, it is your money that we are using to pay for the roads. We have listened, we have heard what you have said. The roads are in a terrible condition and doing nothing is not an option."

But what does it take to repair a pothole?  We went out and about with the Council's pothole repair team to find out more. You can watch a video all about it, online, now! The pothole repair programme is part of a much larger ₤500m project to revitalise the City's road network entitled Better Roads. It's all about improving key routes that carry large volumes of traffic and making Liverpool a better place to live, work and visit.  You can find out all about the scheme here on the Council's website.