Why set up Magpie?

I was overweight, unfit, drinking too often and heading into my fifties. My old lifestyle was not making me happy and I know that I will make a terrible elderly person without good health. I had lost weight with some fad diets but would always yo-yo back to old habits. I had done some running and a sprint triathlon but never stuck to it. Like the diet I would yo-yo back to old ways.

Along came 2019 and I had successfully lost weight over 3 months with diet alone. I could see the inevitable yo-yo cycle start again. I knew I needed to do something different. I signed up for the Cardiff Triathlon and told the world I was going to raise money for Bowel Cancer. Hoping the public humiliation of failing would keep me going.

It did. In training I swam a half decent front crawl for the first time since school. I tried open water swimming. The kilos lost meant I could run a 10K and I developed a love of cycling.

That chain of events may have saved my life. It definitely improved it. I have not gone back to old ways. I am much better at controlling my weight, although this is a continual battle, I train most days, I have completed a half Ironman and I have travelled to many beautiful places to “compete” and spent time with people I may not have otherwise.

The nerdy side of my character has got me interested in all things fitness, nutrition and the science behind it. I started my journey late so I need to live with the fact that my potential is limited but I can improve and grow and reap the many benefits of being healthy and participating in triathlon.

There is a wealth of information out there but I find much of it is not aimed at people like me so I want to add a slightly different voice. Adding to the amazing work of people much more talented and cleverer than me - people that have the time to do scientific research.

I stand on their shoulders and share my experience as an occasional last placed age group triathlete.