When we heard about Sam Sinclair completing a half Iron Man – a consecutive 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run – in the name of the BHWT, we all thought the same thing: ‘this man must love hens!’
Thankfully Sam had enough energy to tell us how he completed an event that most people would shrink away from:
A real driving motivation for me was the fact that I was doing all this for the BHWT and knowing my fundraising would make a difference to quite a few hens’ lives.”
Before tackling his massive challenge, Sam knew that he would have some serious training to do before the event in July, and for the next six months, Sam would push his limits to breaking point.
Sam says, “I got into running and cycling during the first lockdown. I didn’t follow any programme, I just set myself targets each week.
“Nearly all my runs took place in the dark as I work full time, and my rides were in the garage on a trainer. As the winter came to an end and the days became longer I really started to enjoy the training. The open water swimming is only something I have been doing for the past two months, however, I soon caught on and now really enjoy it.”
On the day of the event, there was a 4 a.m. alarm call to be ready for the 1.2-mile swim at 6.45 am. Sam says, “As I got to the event, I became nervous but also excited as I knew I had spent the past six months training for this one day.”
Despite the shock of the cold water, the swim went well despite a minor kick from another competitor.”
Next up was the 56-mile bike ride. Sam says, “Around the 20-kilometre mark, I realised I had dropped most of my energy gels! Luckily halfway around they had set up a refuel station. After a quick stop, I was off and finished the ride in just over three hours.”
After all that, it was just the small matter of running 13.1 miles. Sam suffered from cramps in his legs during the first few miles but motivated by his desire to help the hens, he pushed on.
All the training and hard work paid off and he finished the course in six hours and 11 minutes.
Support from his family and fiancé, who cheered him on during the run, was a big motivational boost for Sam. Even if he was overtaken by his brother, who was also taking part, during the bike ride!
When he finally crossed the finish line, Sam felt ecstatic, if a little exhausted and slightly wobbly. After collecting his medal and giving his family a sweaty hug, they all headed to the nearest pub for a well-deserved Sunday roast and veggie option for Sam, who says “It was a great feeling knowing I had completed the race knowing my fundraising was well earned.”
Since finishing the half Iron Man challenge, it seems Sam has caught the exercise bug and already has two more events planned for this year: an Olympic distance triathlon and a half marathon.
He tells us, “I think now I have completed a half it’s only natural to think about taking on a full Iron Man, potentially next year! With that in mind, I can only imagine how my fundraising efforts for the BHWT could be substantially increased.”
Sam has raised an amazing £655 so far for the BHWT – thank you – and if you would like to support Sam’s achievements, check out his JustGiving page here.
