Mike is an experienced triathlete, having completed nearly 30 triathlons since his first race in Bristol back in the 1990s. After picking up the sport again in his sixties, and following a few health issues which didn’t slow him down, he and six other members of his family took part in the T100 weekend in London in July this year. This is his – and Theo, Jodie, Steph, Harry, Annabelle and George’s – story.

A tightness in the chest

In January 2021 when Mike was 73, his daughter invited him to go for a jog with her. As he ran, he became aware of a tightness in his chest and immediately knew something was wrong. After a visit to A&E and a variety of tests, he was diagnosed with stable angina and three months later he had had three stents inserted into his right coronary artery. Over the next eighteen months he gradually returned to his triathlon training regime, culminating in completing a sprint triathlon in October 2022 and going onto do 12 more since then. Earlier this year he was diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis, but by following health guidance and training appropriately, he’s continued with his triathlon adventures.

A family weekend in London

It was Mike’s nephew Theo who was to ‘blame’ for the family taking part as a group at London T100. Theo is the other triathlete in the family, competing in a number of events over the years, culminating in IRONMAN Kalmar in Sweden in 2025 where a number of the family went out to support. It was in Sweden where the plan was hatched to complete a triathlon as a family and Theo organised places for Mike, his two brothers and all their partners to race alongside him at the London T100 weekend in July.

Other than Mike and Theo, Steph and Harry were the only other family member who had done a triathlon before, but the rest of the family were all ‘tri novices.’ At the London T100 weekend, Mike’s nephews Theo, Harry and George all entered the Olympic race on the Sunday, while their partners Jodie, Steph and Annabelle took part in the Sprint on the Saturday. The family involvement didn’t end there, as Mike’s wife, sister and brother-in-law – all runners themselves – were there on the day at the Excel Centre to support.

Looking back on the weekend Mike said:

“The T100 made it the best family weekend ever.  The atmosphere and organisation was incredible, especially as the event sat alongside the elite sprint race on the Saturday afternoon. The encouragement and support we gave to each other meant so much to all of us and I was so proud of my nephews and their partners for what they achieved, and how it has inspired them to enter future events.”

Each couple who took part all had great experiences as well, with more than one member of the extended family signing up for future swim, bike and run fun.

Theo and Jodie

Theo: “I had such a great time doing the T100 Olympic Triathlon – it was such a buzz with the atmosphere, and the blue finishing line was great. The whole event was super organised with such a fun course – cycling on closed roads down to Big Ben was a proper highlight for me!”

Jodie: “T100 was my first ever triathlon, and I was extremely nervous, especially as I’ve never been a strong swimmer. Training with Theo and taking part alongside family made the experience so much more enjoyable and special.

Crossing the finish line was an amazing feeling and has definitely inspired me to take on more triathlons in the future. One of the highlights was seeing my partner’s uncle, Mike, win gold – such an incredible achievement and the perfect way to finish an unforgettable day!”

Steph and Harry:

Harry: “Racing the T100 Olympic Triathlon in my hometown of London was unforgettable. There’s something about mass participation events in this city, the atmosphere is always electric. The whole weekend was a rollercoaster and having so many of my family take part made it uniquely special. The event staff were brilliant throughout, always organised and enthusiastic, so everyone could get on and enjoy their day.

For me, the race wasn’t about chasing a personal best, it was about taking on the challenge for the fun of it – for the support on the course and the buzz of the finish. Days like this stay with you, and they always make me want to go again.”

Steph: “Doing a triathlon – at any distance – is not something I ever thought I would do. The T100 was so well organised from start to finish, which took away so much of the pre-race nerves. What really kept me going on the day was knowing I was doing it alongside my two ‘sisters in law’, as we took it in turns to regret not doing enough preparation and then reassuring each other we could do it – and although I found it very challenging, we did it!

I won’t remember my finish time, but I will remember that feeling of seeing my family cheering me on at every transition and the finish line. Some families go away on city breaks or weekends to countryside cottages, but it seems mine all sign up for a triathlon, and it turns out I am quite happy with that!”

Annabelle and George:

Annabelle: “T100 was my first triathlon and indeed my first ever adult sporting event, and what a debut it was! The swim was a real challenge, but the bike and run were both great, there were tons of support staff and supporters along the way which made it all the more fun to take part. The hype and the course has made me want to book another one, so I’m signing up to a half marathon next and then I’ll be doing another sprint tri not long after to get redemption in the water – thank you T100!”

George: “T100 was my first ever triathlon and it did not disappoint! A new experience naturally came with some nerves, but after I got into the swim I felt strong and ready to attack the race. Going through each transition gave me an adrenaline rush like no other, and there is no better feeling than crossing the finishing line with all your family and loved one cheering you on!

“Completing this and seeing my family do it has inspired me to do more. I’ve now signed up for Venice IRONMAN 70.3 in April next year which I’m incredibly excited for!”

No plans to stop anytime soon

As highlighted by Jodie, Mike won his age category at the event, taking home the gold medal in the 75-79 category. His ambitions don’t end there though, as his personal trainer is encouraging him to try and qualify for the European age group championships next year, in the 80-84 category. We’ll leave the final word to Mike:

“It was a tremendous feeling to win. While waiting to pick up my medal, I was talking to Maria, mother of Olympic champion Flora Duffy who won her age category and we were saying what a privilege it was to be going on stage with all these younger people. It was great to go out there and stand on that podium and have all my family there and I got a big cheer from the crowd, it was all quite emotional.

“I believe it’s so important to stay fit and healthy as you get older. Being fit has helped with recovery from the various health issues I have had, and I will continue to take part in triathlons for as long as I can, I was proud to be the oldest sprint finisher on the weekend. But more importantly I was so proud of my nephews and their partners for what they achieved, and how it has inspired them to enter future events.”

If Mike and his family’s story has inspired you to do something different for a weekend getaway, we have loads of events you can enter on our website that you can create a magical weekend around.