7th September 2010

Ian Waller

This forthcoming week-end sees a team of staff from First Hull Trains head north to Scotland to take part in the annual First Monster event.

The event has drawn in some big names in previous years with Nell McAndrew and Gavin Hastings competing last year.

This year, Olympic Gold Medal 400m hurdler, Sally Gunnell, is lined up to compete in the team relay event alongside Gavin.

The First Hull Trains team are heading to Inverness to take on the 120k duathlon, the First Monster Challenge to raise money for First Group's nominated charity, Save the Children.

First Hull Trains is entering two teams in the team relay challenge this year and one employee, train driver Ian Waller, is taking on the 120k challenge solo, even competing in the Iron Monster.

Ian tells us how he ended up taking on such a challenge.
"In my thirties, I looked down at my expanding waistline and decided to take matters in hand by taking a more active lifestyle.

Seeing as I had previously competed in swimming and athletics at school, I decided to give triathlons a go.

The first event I participated in was in Scarborough involving a one mile swim in the cold North Sea, ploughing through shoals of jelly fish and then onto a 40 kilometre bike ride around the North Yorkshire Moors on my 10 year old mountain bike.

We then finished off with a 10k run which nearly finished me off as I crossed the finish line in a daze, almost in last place and overtaken by a fellow competitor who was double my age!

However I had caught the bug and by combining some serious training with better equipment, namely a decent bike and some running shoes, I managed my best finish to date – 21st place out of 500 competitors in the Lincoln triathlon in 2008.

Now in my forties, minus my beer belly, I have competed in numerous triathlons and am now making final preparations to compete in the solo Iron Monster at this weekend's First Monster event in Scotland.

This will involve me undertaking a 40k run along with an 80k bike ride around the shores of Loch Ness all in aid of Save the Children.

I took part with colleagues last year in the team event and enjoyed it so much I thought I should really have a go at the individual event.

If anyone would like to sponsor myself or the whole team your support would be appreciated and you can sponsor quickly and securely online at http://original.justgiving.com/hulltrains

For more information about the First Monster event please visit www.firstmonster.com - who knows you might just get the bug to join us and take part next year"