TOTAL FITNESS PRESTON MEMBERS ATTEMPT TO BREAK GUINNESS WORLD RECORD

TWO MEMBERS of leading fitness and health club brand, Total Fitness, are attempting to break a Guinness World Record by tackling a marathon with a difference.

On Thursday 25th August, Dan Callaghan and John Darwen, who are both members of Total Fitness Preston, alongside James Baker, will each be strapped to a vehicle that weighs a staggering 1.5 tonnes and given a 24-hour time period to try and go beyond the 30-mile mark.

With only one person able to hold the record, the trio will go head-to-head as they’re put through their paces and battle it out to see who can go the distance – attempting to beat the current record set at 22.1 miles.

The trio are using this endurance challenge to help raise money for two worthy causes – Cancer Research UK and Redeeming Our Communities (ROC) – both of which have played a significant part in their lives. Their aim is to raise £10,000 in total to support their chosen charities.

Each of the team have been benefiting from Total Fitness Preston’s extensive range of facilities to help train for the event, including use of their 200-metre running track, swimming pool, gym floor cardio and functional equipment, alongside the expertise of personal trainers. This has helped them to prepare both physically and mentally in the lead up to the challenge.

Dan Callaghan comments: “While my initial aim for this record-breaking attempt was to get in shape and become healthier overall, my driving force for doing it has surpassed even this as I want to raise as much money as I can for Cancer Research UK due to it being very close to my heart. The personal trainers at Total Fitness have given us training ideas and daily motivation which has been a huge support.”

John Darwen comments: “Our aim is to raise as much money and awareness as possible to help and support two fantastic charities. For myself, both ROC and Cancer Research UK have been significant parts of my life. The facilities at Total Fitness, including their running track, have been ideal for helping us with our training because I could use this to pull a weighted sled for miles on end. We could not make this journey alone and we have realised that what makes this event possible is knowing and having the right people around us that would inspire, help, motivate and push us to go the extra mile on the day.”

James Baker comments: “I work for Redeeming Our Communities (ROC) and see the remarkable work that they do. My main motivation is to support people who are fighting to get back into work and need an employer to believe in them, empower them, and release them to be the best they can be – and this is what we’re doing with ROC.”

Garran St Vall, General Manager at Total Fitness Preston, comments: “We’re delighted to see our members tackling such a big fitness challenge to help raise money for two worthy charities – and we’re here to support them every step of the way. The team have been regularly visiting the club and using our diverse range of facilities to help in their training regime, and we’re excited to see who comes out on top.”