5 Members of York Tri Club take on the inaugural Ironman Leeds this weekend

This weekend Ironman is coming to Yorkshire for the very first time with the inaugural Ironman Leeds. And 5 members of local Tri club, York Tri, are taking on the challenge.

An Ironman is a hard day out on the best of days, consisting of a 3.8km swim, 180km bike and finishing the day off with a marathon.

 But Ironman Leeds promises to be harder than most. The bike course includes over 2,500m of climbing, with no less than 3 summits of the Black Hill Road climb, which featured in the 2018 Tour de Yorkshire. Plus a fairly hilly marathon around the backstreets of Roundhay, before finishing on the red carpet in Roundhay Park, where the pros will have finished earlier that day.

 Five members of York Tri club were unable to resist taking on the challenge. When the only Ironman to take place in England was announced this close to home they just couldn’t say no!

 They have been training on the course, doing multiple laps of the bike course around Leeds, as well as swimming out at Allerthorpe Lake near York, over the last few months.

 Stephen Naylor, 46, a roofer based in Fulford, joined the club in January 24 and has worked his way up, with the support of the club and club members, from being a beginner triathlete to being ready to take on a full Ironman.

 “I'd done two sprint triathlons 10 years ago, but lost fitness since then. Since I joined York Triathlon Club I've lost 30kg and I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life.

 I’m so grateful for the support from York Triathlon Club. Doing this training has also inspired my son to start running and he's lost 3 stone. It's changed our lives as a family”

 Lucy Hurn, 48, a triathlon coach based in Haxby, also coaches with York Tri,

 “Having an Ironman on the doorstep has been so inspiring for the club. As a club we cater for all everyone, from beginners through to Ironman, and have members racing at all distances. The Ironman has created a real buzz and it’s been great getting so much support from our club mates ahead of this weekend”.

 Lucy has done 4 Ironman distance races before, but says this one will be the hardest.

 “It usually takes me about 6 hours to do the bike and 4 for the marathon part of the Ironman, but I expect to add an extra hour onto the bike and the run at Leeds because it’s such a hilly and technical course.”

 York Tri Club aren’t only going to be racing out on the course. 10 volunteers from the club will be staffing one of the aid stations on the run.

 Dan Johnston, 41, from Accomb says “I’m really excited that Ironman is coming to Yorkshire and want the opportunity to be part of it and help others achieve their goal. Volunteering with other members of the club makes it so much more fun”