Father and Son Duo Enjoy Roker GO Tri

What started out as a challenge between friends has now become a regular activity for father and son duo Adam and Fin.

“Last year, it was my 40th birthday,” Adam explained. “The lads were asking what we were going to do, are we going away. All that kind of stuff. I said ‘no I want to do a triathlon’, so 10 of us did a triathlon last summer. We did the Sprint Distance at Woodhorn in Northumberland.

“What I didn’t want to do was just sit in the pub in some European country. I was just really after a challenge to see if I could still do something. Would my body let me down was the point?”

His body did not let him down and Adam came through the challenge with his biggest supporter, who would later become his training partner, watching on.

He said: “I just loved it. It was a scorching hot day, and it was so friendly. Everyone was encouraging us and cheering us on. I just enjoyed the challenge.

“For Fin it was seeing me do it, he got the bug from there to be honest.”

An already active duo, taking part in swim, bike, run has become an important part of their time together with them regularly taking part in the GO TRI Local run, bike, run events at Roker Park. Fin has even started trying to get better at what is now his favourite sport through training and joining a swimming club.

Dad, Adam, explained: “We just enjoy that time together and we love the run, bike, run at Roker. It’s a great course, it’s very relaxed and friendly. 

“Fin learned to ride his bike and we’re regular parkrunners, so he was more comfortable with that and to this point he’d done swimming lessons. He did an aquathon [swim, run] and he’s just signed up for a swimming club off the back of that because he wanted to get faster at his swimming. He likes to say triathlon is favourite sport because its three things. He hasn’t got to pick one.”

The pair’s love of swim, bike, run saw them on the start line in Sunderland last year at the British Triathlon Grand Final and gave Adam a chance to see an old friend.

“We got to the start line and stood next to us was a mate of mine, who I went to university with, with his son who is the same age as Fin. We did the swim and the run together and it was incredible.

“The last time I saw him we’d have been sat in a student’s union drinking beer and there we were 15 years later with kids stood at the start line of a triathlon event. After that and seeing all the athletes with their road bikes and all their kit, Fin asked for a road bike from Santa for Christmas which he got. He was just inspired.”

As well as enjoying the time together, there is an element of competition.

Adam said: “At seven years old he’s faster than me so we just love the banter we can have, the competition, and it feels great when we finish.”

Fin got the last word though. He said: “We say at the start ‘I’m going to win’ but my dad’s always wrong!”

Find out more about this year’s AJ Bell 2023 World Triathlon Championship Series Sunderland here.