On 28th July 2013 I ran the London Virgin Triathlon in a time of 03:41:30. I was 40 years old. The race that I ran that day was plagued with injury, I had cramps in my muscles and I had recently been diagnosed with arthritis in my hip and that had troubled me throughout my training and had virtually given out completely in the run phase of the race.

It would appear that the years of contact sports: rugby, football and Kung fu, had taken their toll on my joints and muscles. As I limped and dragged myself across the finish line at the Excel centre that day in July, I was ready to throw in the towel and give up in order to take up the less strenuous activities of golf and lawn bowls.

My doctor had said my only course of action was a hip replacement, my Kung fu instructor thought differently and suggested that I see Errol Lynch.

So I did, what harm could it do, after all my doctor was just going to: cut me open; replace my hip joints bones with a metal alloy; recommend that I stopped all running or contact sports; get a golf handicap and see him in 10 year time when the alloy had worn out to go through the process again probably for the last time. If I followed my doctor’s recommendation, I risked being in a wheelchair for life by the time I was in my mid 60’s.

I explained the situation to Errol and he made me a promise, he would stop my deteriorating joint and ease the pain, allowing me to train and perform effectively through massage alone, strengthening the muscles in the area – no surgery. I was sceptical that he could follow through on his promise but if there was marginal improvement I thought I could buy some time.

Errol worked on my damaged body over a four month period and he was true to his word, he rolled back the years for me. Yes there was pain but it was bearable, and I dared to train harder than I had done for years.

On the 3rd August 2014 I ran the London Virgin Triathlon in a time of: 03:04:25! I was 20 days short of my 41st birthday and the quickest triathlon I have ever run.

I can say that without Errol’s intervention my triathlon days would certainly be over!