Just months after starting their journey to improve their fitness, members of Leeds Rhinos Foundation’s men’s health programme ‘Try Club’ completed their first ever Leeds 10k together as part of the Run with the Rhinos team.
After graduating from the twelve week programme the eleven, the men lost over 120lbs and reported that the course had given them a new outlook on their fitness and diet. Following the completion of the course the group were inspired to continue their new healthy lifestyle and decided to take on a new challenge, by signing up to compete in the Asda Foundation Leeds 10k.
Try Club graduates Andy Dye, Bill Brady, Alan Vickers, Simon Scott, Chris Green, Nick Hartley and Graham Hamlyn all completed the run and raised money for the charity at the same time. Brady, 63, raised the record amount of any of the Run with the Rhinos runners and got the opportunity to meet Rhinos legend Kevin Sinfield in the VIP area pre race.
Speaking about their achievement, Leeds Rhinos Foundation’s health improvement officer, Stephen Turrell, said: ‘I am so proud of the guys from Try Club, it no easy feat completing a 10k but it just goes to show that with consistency and determination you can achieve anything. When I first met the group back in January most of the group struggled to run 200 meters so it just shows how far they have come. It’s fantastic to see the camaraderie, support and friendships that have developed through the group. To top it off the guys have expressed their determination to do the same again next year!"
Try Club was developed in partnership with Public Health Leeds and is a free health management programme for men with a body mass index of 25 or above. The aim of the programme is to help as many overweight men as possible engage and be successful in achieving their goals. On completion of the 12-week course the aim is for every participant to be educated, motivated and committed to getting healthy and staying fit.
For more details click here and sign up for a future course.