Alan loses three stone, hoping for Punchestown ride

Alan Jordan of Narraghmore is testament to what some determination and a good cause can do, writes Brian Byrne.

Since last November he has lost three stone, and next week will be assessed to see if he can get a licence to ride in the annual Punchestown Charity Race inaugurated by local kidney transplant man James Nolan.

This is the 25th anniversary of the inaugural race, and the 10th year since Diageo took over the sponsorship. More than €1.2m has been raised over the quarter century, in aid of support for dialysis and people waiting for organ transplants.

Alan got something of a shock when he looked at the scales last November and thought it was telling him the time instead of his weight. Now he's running duathlons. The whole story is here.