Triathlon: K.I.D.S. Road to Ironman Australia - Day Two - Warragul to Sale...

The K.I.D.S. Road to Ironman Australia (March 28 to April 2) began its first of a six-day event in Ballarat yesterday, before arriving in Warragul last night.

TODAY, the charity event will see triathlete Andrew Stanfield, begin his attempt at completing a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride and 42.2km run each day on the road. He will clock up five consecutive Ironman distances, then have a rest day before competing in the 226km Snap Ironman Australia triathlon in Forster on April 4 to attempt six Ironman's over seven days.

Andrew will be travelling between Warragul and Sale today with a support crew of 33 people and a fleet of seven Mitsubishi vehicles. He will begin his day at 6am at the Warragul Leisure Complex for a swim, then ride from Warragul Sale through Moe, Traralgon, Rosedale, Heyfield, Maffra and Stratford from about 9am. He will then run near Lake Guthridge in Sale at about 5pm.

"The preparation has been done and now its time to get going,'' said Andrew Stanfield today as he warmed up with a swim at the Ballarat Aquatic centre yesterday.

While Andrew himself didn't begin his quest to complete the five Ironman distances until today - his support athletes who will provide morale and physical inspiration along the road, got under way between Ballarat and Warragul yesterday.

The six-day 1,360km road trip between Ballarat to Forster, NSW, will include a team of 33 elite athletes, celebrities and support crew who will assist Andrew on his journey - which is all to raise money for the K.I.D.S. Foundation.

The event structure to help Andrew along will include a 3.8km Orica Community Swim for schools, businesses and sporting groups to join Janelle Elford at local swimming pools, a 180km bike ride by a team of elite cyclists and a 42km run to be completed by four K.I.D.S team athletes, who will run 10.5km each. An Asics Community Fun Run will take place in Sale tonight followed by a Survivors Sports Night at the Princetown Motel Function Centre in Sale from 7pm with a panel from the K.I.D.S. Road to Ironman Australia Crew and at other night stops along the way.

In what has been a six-month training schedule for Andrew, he has estimated he will be burning up to 10,000 calories a day.

"As far as we know no one has ever done Ironman's on consecutive days and I am sure the body will hold up,'' he said.

"What the mind can conceive the body can achieve.''

Along the way, Andrew will be fuelled by Snickers Marathon Bars and the courage shown from burn survivors that inspired the whole event. Burn survivor Chris Doulis is travelling with the crew, along with Olympic swimmer Janelle Elford, past Hawaiin Ironman champion Greg Stewart, and Big Brother II housemate, Brodie Young.

Andrew put the idea to K.I.D.S. Foundation's CEO, Susie O'Neill, and the charity event now hopes to raise $100,000 to top last years inaugural event total of $60,000.

K.I.D.S. Foundation is an Australian charity, which provides facilities and programs for children involved in accidents. It incorporates the Burn Survivors Network and the establishment of rehabilitation centres for accident victims. It is also the official charity of the Snap Printing Ironman Australia triathlon in Forster, NSW.