Imagine running a marathon after having already swum two miles and cycled over 100 miles: that was the feat Sanctuary Housing employee Gareth Dixon faced and conquered when he competed in the European Ironman Championships in Frankfurt , Germany on Sunday 23rd July 2006.

For Gareth, who works as a Financial Corporate Services Manager at Sanctuary’s head office in Worcester, it was his first attempt at the distance, having only taken up triathlon less than two years ago. He entered the race along with 13 fellow members of the Birmingham Running and Triathlon Club.

The 26-year-old from Erdington, Birmingham covered 140 miles in the gruelling challenge to finish in 735th place out of 2,100 entrants from across the world in a respectable time of 11 hours, 23 minutes. It took Gareth 16 hours a week for nine months to train for the event and as part of his preparation, he competed in his first UK Half Ironman Championships on Exmoor in April.