Northampton Saints Foundation trustee Mike Price can't wait to go the extra mile to help improve the lives of young people in the local community.
The 50-year-old will look to smash the Guinness World Record for most half ironman triathlons completed in a year – and it's all in aid of raising money for the Saints Foundation.
Price has set a target of taking part in 50 triathlons in 2020, and he already has 42 written on his calendar.
It is some mission, especially when you consider each race will encompass a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile cycle and a 13.1-mile run.
But Price is used to overcoming challenges, having recovered from a life-changing event in 2004, when he suffered a broken neck and spine in a car crash.
He was a member of Great Britain's taekwondo squad at the time but was hit by joyriders while travelling to a training session.
It meant he was no longer able to take part in the sport he loved and he also had to change jobs due to not being able to travel as much.
But during the past five years, he has thrown himself into a new challenge, training for what will be a big year of triathlons.
"I wanted to compete for GB but I can't do that now because I'd never get into any performance-based squad," Price explained.
"I can't go quick but I can do long-distance events and that's why I've chosen triathlon.
"What I didn't want to do was spend five years training, do 25 events, break the record and then have someone break it next year.
"I'm going to try to put that record so far out of sight that no one else will even bother trying.
"I picked 50 because I turned 50 years old in December.
"I'm feeling great about the year ahead."
Price is the owner of Mike Price Associates, who are also supporting the Saints Foundation through staff fundraising, with the target set at £10,000.
Price's personal target is £100,000 by the end of 2020 and his world record bid will begin in Sarasota, USA on January 5.
The starting point is significant as it is the location of the tragic event that led to the creation of Always A Chance (alwaysachance.org.uk). The charity was instrumental in funding the start of the Saints Foundation's Engage programme and it still provides financial support each year.
And while he is looking forward to completing triathlons across the globe, Price, who is being fuelled by Northampton Saints club partner Nutrition X, wants to time it so that his 25th event – the world record attempt – will take place closer to home.
"I would either like to do it at Emberton or at Bedford and I'm trying to time it so that one of those two events will be the one to take the record," said Price, who lives in Weston Underwood near Olney.
"It would be great if we could get as many members of the Saints squad and support staff over there to run it with me.
"If we could have a relay around the local villages it would be fantastic."
Saints Foundation managing director Catherine Deans was delighted to hear of Price's world record attempt.
And Deans said: "Mike is taking on a fantastic challenge and we are behind him all the way.
"We couldn't be more grateful that he is raising money to help us educate, inspire and support young people in the community.
"We can't wait to see him break the record and we have no doubt that he will achieve all of his aims as he helps us to achieve ours.
"Good luck, Mike!"
For more information on Price's journey, please head to https://www.halfironmanmike.com/ or his Instagram page: halfironmanmike. To sponsor Mike, please CLICK HERE.
