Where did all this getting fit and losing the fat begin?

I guess the other thing is that one day I was at a Christmas meal with my team at work. This chap. Let’s call him Dave. Big Dave. Was fresh out of university and for the whole meal he was challenging me to some kind of fitness challenge. I ignored him. But the more we drank the more boisterous we both got. Finally we agreed to do a challenge around the serpentine in London. Details were arranged later.

I think it was a mile run (which I almost died doing) and some Burpees and pressups which I have always been terrible at. Dave basically beat me hands down. That he was about 15 years younger should not have been a surprise. But still. I was embarrassed by my lack of fitness. I look back at the photos and realise just how big I had got (17stone) and how unfit I had become after working in an office and doing no exercise for years. It was the wake up call I needed. I lost weight after that. Over 5 stone in 6 months. And then I started running.