ELY man John Maiden took the plunge, got in gear and laced up his running shoes on Sunday to take part in Tri Together, an inclusive triathlon event organised by Leonard Cheshire Disability.

John, 45, travelled to the Crystal Palace National Sport Centre, near London, to take part in Tri Together, a short distance triathlon for people of all abilities to take part together, so it is particularly popular with beginners.

Tri Together consists of a 400m swim, 15km cycle and 5km run. This was the first time John had competed in a triathlon and he finished in 2 hours and 25 minutes, raising more than �500.

John said: “Crossing that finish line was a fantastic feeling, the excitement across the stadium was contagious and the crowds really gave me a lift.

“When my muscles started to ache and I began to feel tired, the fact that I was raising funds for such a fantastic charity helped me to get to the end.”

John works for Howdens Joinery, which designs kitchen, bathroom cabinet and joinery products. The firm has a long-standing partnership with Leonard Cheshire Disability and has supported the charity for seven years.

As a result of this close partnership, Howdens has been able to carry out extensive research into inclusive design and multi-ability kitchen installations.

This was the second Tri Together event, following last year’s successful launch. The current World Paratriathlon Champion, Jane Egan, supported the event and also took part. When paratriathlon is included in the Rio 2016 Paralympics, Jane is hoping to compete for team GB.

For more information about Tri Together visit www.lcdisability.org/tritogether.