A bit about me...
After a spending most of my childhood and teenage years swimming, running, and cycling competitively, I like many, found beer, cigarettes and kebabs and all thoughts of exercise went out the window. But one day, it all changed. In November 2009, after giving up my 25-30 a day smoking habit, and noticing that through constant snacking and a salesmans diet of Ginsters pasties, client education meetings out, and weekend takeaways, I noticed my weight rocketing to a massive 16 stone. Being as short as I am at only 5ft 7in, my weight classified me in the morbidly obese section if we follow our doctors BMI scale. Some, and believe me i see many of them hanging around hospitals and doctors surgeries, would just continue on their downward spiral wrecking their lives, however I decided that a return to exercise was on the cards.
In 2010 I laced up an old pair of trainers and attempted to run all of 1 mile. To be honest, I'm not even sure that I managed that distance on my very first jog, however I persisted. I got back on my bike and set the target of completing the Great North Ride. In August 2010, I completed the 65 mile Great North Bike Ride in just over 3 hours to raise £300.00 for charity. Upon crossing the finish line, I felt a great sense of achievement at doing something for others, and entered and won my place in the Great North Run half marathon in which I aimed to complete in an ambitious time of 1hr 45min.
In 2011 I took it to the next level. I joined NE31 triathlon club, based in Hebburn in the North East of England, and signed up for no less than 9 triathlons, completed the Yorkshire 3 peaks marathon trek in less than 10 hours, and of course, my big challenge, of taking my frame around the Great North Run – all in aide of The Polycystic Kidney Disease Charity, smashing my predicted 1hr 45min target time, to come home in 1hr 24min 29sec. Not bad for a first effort to finish 324th overall out of around 50,000.
My focus and re-gained passion for fitness has been infectious. My sheer hard work, and determination to be the best I possibly can be, has inspired not only family, but friends and colleagues to take up a more healthy and active lifestyle, something which I have supported with advice and encouragement.
To date, I have seen amazing success in the triathlons I have entered, reaching the podium for both sprint and Olympic distances, and qualifying for European and World championships finals in Europe and the USA. All of which can be seen in my Results page.
2012 saw me win the ETU European Gold medal under the guidence of my coach Elliot Gowland. Saw me win the North East Duathlon Championship at Stokesley and become a founding member of Coalfields Racing team. A new North East multisport racing team affiliated to British Triathlon, British Cycling and Cycling Time Trials.
Oh and my weight?
Dropped down to racing weight for 2012 European championship season - 68kgs (10st 10lbs in old money) and remained there or there abouts ever since.
In 2010 I laced up an old pair of trainers and attempted to run all of 1 mile. To be honest, I'm not even sure that I managed that distance on my very first jog, however I persisted. I got back on my bike and set the target of completing the Great North Ride. In August 2010, I completed the 65 mile Great North Bike Ride in just over 3 hours to raise £300.00 for charity. Upon crossing the finish line, I felt a great sense of achievement at doing something for others, and entered and won my place in the Great North Run half marathon in which I aimed to complete in an ambitious time of 1hr 45min.
In 2011 I took it to the next level. I joined NE31 triathlon club, based in Hebburn in the North East of England, and signed up for no less than 9 triathlons, completed the Yorkshire 3 peaks marathon trek in less than 10 hours, and of course, my big challenge, of taking my frame around the Great North Run – all in aide of The Polycystic Kidney Disease Charity, smashing my predicted 1hr 45min target time, to come home in 1hr 24min 29sec. Not bad for a first effort to finish 324th overall out of around 50,000.
My focus and re-gained passion for fitness has been infectious. My sheer hard work, and determination to be the best I possibly can be, has inspired not only family, but friends and colleagues to take up a more healthy and active lifestyle, something which I have supported with advice and encouragement.
To date, I have seen amazing success in the triathlons I have entered, reaching the podium for both sprint and Olympic distances, and qualifying for European and World championships finals in Europe and the USA. All of which can be seen in my Results page.
2012 saw me win the ETU European Gold medal under the guidence of my coach Elliot Gowland. Saw me win the North East Duathlon Championship at Stokesley and become a founding member of Coalfields Racing team. A new North East multisport racing team affiliated to British Triathlon, British Cycling and Cycling Time Trials.
Oh and my weight?
Dropped down to racing weight for 2012 European championship season - 68kgs (10st 10lbs in old money) and remained there or there abouts ever since.
Vital Statistics
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