Come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough
With the Virgin Active London Triathlon fast approaching and a number of our members and staff taking part we thought we'd have a chat with the five boys from our Manchester Deansgate club who will be heading south for the London Triathlon.
In true team style the five triathletes; VA fitness coach Daniel Allen and VA members; Brian Johnston, Paul Greenhalgh, Ben Magee and Ben Lake meet up on a regular basis to keep each other motivated during their training regime.
Let’s meet the team who are prepared to take their bodies to hell and back by taking part in the Olympic distance in the London Triathlon, all in the aid of Diabetes UK. We asked them ‘What was your motivation for taking part in the London Triathlon?’
Daniel Allen
After 3 operations on my right knee and 3 years of not being able to perform any kind of running activities, I was looking for something challenging that would push me and get me back on track. I regularly swim and cycle and the Triathlon looked like the perfect challenge for me to take part in. Whilst I was looking at challenging myself, I also thought it would be a good idea, as a fitness coach at Virgin Active, to take some of the members along with me. We have a strong team of five and I am fully confident with all our training, that we will perform well on the day of the Triathlon.
Brian Johnston
I weighed 17.5 stone on the 2nd January and wanted to have something to train towards which was a serious challenge but I also wanted to train as part of a group to keep me motivated. I feel the fittest I have ever been at the moment.
Paul Greenhalgh
I have always fancied doing an Olympic distance triathlon so I thought why not do the big one? It also gave me a goal following a car accident I was involved in and has been a great way of keeping in shape since I gave up football.
Ben Magee
I am taking part in the triathlon to raise money for Diabetes UK because my paternal grandad had the disease. and I remember him always feeling tired and never having much energy. It’s nice to think the money we raise could help find a drug which prevents diabetes or funds publications to make people more aware of the foods which can contribute to the condition.
Ben Lake
I like to challenge myself and this was a perfect opportunity to go a step further with my training, having taken part in a few half marathons I thought the London Triathlon would be the next step.
Will a group of toughened northerners be able to show the southerners how it’s done on their own turf? Watch this space.