Good question, I am just your average 40 year old man who definitely doesn’t see himself as athlete. I have a full time job in the city, a wife, two teenage kids, two dogs and a mortgage... oh and a really, really bad bike addiction! My biggest fear is that when I die, my wife will sell my bikes for what I told her I paid for them! Previously, very overweight and a committed smoker, I decided to turn my life around when a retailer told me bluntly that they didn’t cater for people of my size. It's been a challenge and I still fluctuate yearly but I no longer smoke and I am at least recreationally fit. When I started the triathlon journey, I couldn’t run for a bus, nevermind the 5km distance involved in a sprint distance tri! I wanted to run a marathon, and realised that I was never going to accomplish this without running, so I started running. It was painful, it’s still painful, but it’s easier than when I began I set my sights on completing a half-marathon one year, and a marathon the next. In fact, I did two marathons that year and through some people I met running, I began to dabble in triathlon. I rather liked the idea of triathlon, I liked swimming and cycling as teenager and at least I didn’t suck at these. Not that I was any good, you understand? I just didn’t suck... So I guess triathlon was a natural evolution?!? Iron Distance racing isn’t exactly normal, and it’s not for everyone, in fact with it cumulating in a full marathon at the end I often question whether or not it really is for me BUT on the flip side, I love a challenge, I love the fact that it’s unique, a real accomplishment and I love that fact that at the longer distance it really doesn’t matter how slow you are... I love that fact that simply by taking part in something so huge, you can inspire others to do something too Through triathlon, I have made friends for life, it’s changed my life and I’ve been able to get involved in a charity that is investing in research for a rare terminal illness I've discovered the world that is bigger than me, a reason to exist beyond the corporate ladder and a way to give something back The charity I support is Harrison's Fund Read about us, check us out on Facebook & go to www.harrisonsfund.com Together we can make a difference. You can also support harrisons fund by buying my book "Triathlon it HURTS" from Amazon