Date:- 16th March 2009                            Location:- Bolton Town Hall I was quite shocked to receive an email from the IMUK Race Office inviting me to be part of the official team at the launch of IMUK to the Press in Bolton Town Hall but all the same a great opportunity to promote the race After the race launch and speeches from the Chief Executive for Development at Bolton Council, the Chief Executive of the North West Development Agency and details of the course and race from Richard Wallace and Alison Boon from the IMUK Race Team it was off into Victoria Square for the photos and interviews !!! I have to say that witnessing it first hand, I think that the Council and the NWDA have seen what a fantastic opportunity this is for the North West and for the UK and will be backing this race to the hilt. The numbers of press and internet media on show certainly proved that. The guys from www.tri247.com were on hand to take some interviews and video and then I was asked if I didnt mind driving them up Sheep House Lane and other bits of the course to take some footage. Great Stuff ...... what was even better was that one of the other athletes there was a good friend of mine and the guy who heads up the Oxygenaddict team Rob Wilby and he was going to ride the course anyway, so we got over to Rivington and whilst Rob did the hard stuff, I followed with the camera crew filming it all, and whats more the weather was absolutely stunning - beautiful sunshine and great views.......not sure if they got anything the could use, as it was rather unsteady, but I suppose we will have to wait and see for that.  All I do know is that they were both blown away with the climb up Winter Hill and reckoned that the course would be so much better than Sherborne. They have to see it in the wind and rain of course and then they might change their minds !!! One of the most encouraging bits of the day was when we were stood around in the square and several of the local "characters" came over to find out what was going on........when we told them, I expected blank faces (you know the ones we all get when we mention triathlon, let alone Ironman) but everyone said something along the lines of "Oh Yeah, Ironman is coming to Bolton isnt it - great stuff"