Steve Tighe
Manchester Property Triathlon (Salford Quays)
Fundraising for We Love MCR Charity
Story
We are a bunch of guys who all work near to the Manchester Arena. Manchester is an amazing city and we feel moved to support the families and friends of anyone who may have been injured or lost their lives in the tragic bombing on 22nd May.
This triathlon event is made up of an 800m swim (in Salford Quays!), a 20 km bike ride and a 5km run.
Our plan is simple – swim, bike and run as hard as we possibly can to get through this gruelling event. The team are made up of corporate animals, used to white collar clashes in woollen suits, not open-water splashes in wetsuits!
Here is the team breakdown as it currently stands:
Paul Roberts (aka ‘The Coach’).
Paul is a keen runner who has prior experience of the Salford triathlon having completed it in 2016. Paul will ‘coach’ the other team members in the art of Triathlon tactics by bolting out of the blocks and leaving us all well and truly behind. Secretly, the other team members will be looking for any opportunity to sabotage Paul’s progress along the way.
Richard Oxley (aka ‘The Beacon’).
Richard Oxley (aka ‘The Beacon’).
Richard can’t swim, at least not in the conventional sense, anyway. Richard’s credentials as an ex-professional rugby player will stand him in good stead for the bike and running legs – if he makes it through the swim leg. We have fitted a distress beacon to Richard’s wetsuit in case his doggy-paddle technique starts to fall apart. When asked about his chances of completing the swim leg, Richard ‘joked’ “I’m pleased that I now have my 50m swimming badge so I don’t really see what could go wrong….”
Phil Taylor (aka ‘The Shuffler’). Phil is an accomplished swimmer but confesses to not actually owning a bike or being able to complete the designated running distance. Phil has a history of knee operations which has left him with a gammy running style, known as ‘the shuffle’. When asked about his chances of completing the running leg, Phil commented “Well, I’m following the couch-to-5K training plan. I’ve almost reached the 5K target but I tend to leave out the 2k warm up / down bits and struggle to keep running for the other 3k”.
Steve Tighe (aka ‘The Mechanic’). Steve has a history of mechanical back injuries including a slipped-disc and torn ligaments. If Steve manages to make it into his wetsuit without physio intervention, it will be a minor miracle. Steve has never taken part in a triathlon or an open water swim before (unless you count the outdoor pool at Center Parcs). Steve commented “This is probably a ridiculous idea”.
The team of four will be training individually for the event and will post updates to show what they have been up to. All four chaps will be trying their best to look good (if that’s possible) in their wetsuits and unnecessarily tight lycra. Points will be awarded for the most accurate impression of a sack of potatoes along with the inevitable Baywatch posing.
Humour aside, we are committed to giving up our time to do something difficult to support those who might benefit from a few quid to help during this difficult time.
Phil Taylor (aka ‘The Shuffler’). Phil is an accomplished swimmer but confesses to not actually owning a bike or being able to complete the designated running distance. Phil has a history of knee operations which has left him with a gammy running style, known as ‘the shuffle’. When asked about his chances of completing the running leg, Phil commented “Well, I’m following the couch-to-5K training plan. I’ve almost reached the 5K target but I tend to leave out the 2k warm up / down bits and struggle to keep running for the other 3k”.
Steve Tighe (aka ‘The Mechanic’). Steve has a history of mechanical back injuries including a slipped-disc and torn ligaments. If Steve manages to make it into his wetsuit without physio intervention, it will be a minor miracle. Steve has never taken part in a triathlon or an open water swim before (unless you count the outdoor pool at Center Parcs). Steve commented “This is probably a ridiculous idea”.
The team of four will be training individually for the event and will post updates to show what they have been up to. All four chaps will be trying their best to look good (if that’s possible) in their wetsuits and unnecessarily tight lycra. Points will be awarded for the most accurate impression of a sack of potatoes along with the inevitable Baywatch posing.
Humour aside, we are committed to giving up our time to do something difficult to support those who might benefit from a few quid to help during this difficult time.
We can’t imagine what it must be like for anyone affected by the attack in Manchester, but if we are able to help just one person by taking part in this event, then we will all be winners at the finish line.
Thank you for your generous support!
Paul, Richard, Phil and Steve.
#WeStandTogether