When Revd Stuart Cornes's doctor said that he was "a bit overweight" he came up with the idea of combining a bit of keep-fit with a way to raise money for essential church repairs by entering the Ironman 70.3 Staffordshire competition.
Stuart is the Vicar of St Mary the Virgin, Disley. It's a church that requires substantial repairs to the tune of £200k, which is not the kind of money that comes easily. Although the task of raising the cash was quite daunting for Stuart and his congregation, he knew that he had to get the ball rolling somehow.
It was during an appointment with his doctor that he got the idea to compete in an Ironman competition. His Doctor, in the kindest way possible, told Stuart that he was getting "a bit overweight".
The Ironman competition is a grueling, 70.3-mile race, that comprises three different sporting disciplines, a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride, and a 13.1-mile run. Although Stuart has competed in one before, it was thirteen years ago and now aged 53, he's fully aware that he's not as fit as he used to be. To prepare for the event, Stuart has a daily training routine, which involves a mixture of running, cycling, swimming, core, and strength work.
Stuart explains: "Getting a good time is not my main priority. You have to be able to finish each part of the race within a certain amount of time or you are not allowed to continue the race. Being able to complete the event is my main goal. I hope that my participation will capture the imagination of the local community and raise awareness of the work that needs doing, which will take some time to accomplish. Just like the Ironman, it's not a sprint, it's a marathon, sort of."
You can see Stuart's Go Fund Me page here.