Mark is an age group triathlete racing with The Trimarket Triathlon club. The club, launched on 1st January 2014 and is based in Lymm, Cheshire. Mark’s first triathlon was in 2008 after wanting to challenge himself to raise money for the Children’s Heart Federation, a small charity providing support for children and young people with congenital and acquired heart conditions and their families.

The triathlon was the inaugural Tatton Park sprint distance event and he turned up with a borrowed wetsuit, goggles and bike…. it wasn’t long into it before he was hooked! Mark raced mainly Sprint and Olympic distance events since that time, with the aim of working my way up to an iron distance event.

1. What is the best thing about triathlon/running?

The best thing about triathlon is the personal challenge. It enables amateur athletes to test themselves over a range of disciplines and compete in some of the same races as professional athletes who are some of the best in the world! Due to the varying distances of races within triathlon it is also a sport that is pretty much available to all.

2. Who is your sporting idol?

My sporting idols have changed over the years. The main people I admire at the moment are Sir Bradley Wiggins and the Brownlee brothers.

3. What Trion:Z bracelet are you currently wearing?

For training and racing I can currently wearing a DUO-LOOP and ACTI-LOOP wristband in black and lime from the new 2014 range. The colour choice is down to them being a great match for thetrimarket club kit! I am currently wearing (as I type) a black and red DUAL-LOOP bracelet and a black and grey ACTI-LOOP bracelet. Trion:Z products are an essential part of my everyday life as well as my training and racing kit!

4. What are your sporting goals this year?

To beat my time from last year at Ironman UK and get a new PB! (The race isn’t exactly the same as last year as the bike route has changed; which has made it a tougher race. The aim is still to beat last year’s time).

5. Away from your sport, what other sports do you take part in?

The multi-disciplinary nature of triathlon and training for Ironman in particular makes it difficult to find the time to take part in other sports regularly.  I do a fair amount of gym work and mountain biking outside of the UK triathlon season. Before taking up triathlon I used to climb and play cricket.

6. Which other Trion:Z sponsored athlete would you most like to meet?

There are two: Jimmy Anderson: to ask him in particular about his Ashes experiences; and Stuart Hayes: to ask him in particular about racing at the 2012 Olympics.