LBU students support ironman fundraising challenge

The challenge which starts on 11 December is inspired by Rugby League legend and Leeds Beckett University Honorary Graduate, Rob Burrow MBE, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in December 2019.

Martyn underwent physiological testing and received nutrition and psychology support in the state-of-the-art Carnegie School of Sport building from a team led by Professor Kevin Till, providing valuable real-life experience for the students involved.

Professor Kevin Till said: “Martyn is undertaking an extreme challenge of performing seven half Ironmans in seven days to support the MND Association and Rob Burrow, which is a cause close to the hearts of a lot of people in the Carnegie School of Sport.

“We have provided Martyn with a range of specialist support, which has also provided some great learning opportunities for our students. We really hope our support helps Martyn complete the challenge and raise further money and awareness for MND.”

The challenge will see Martyn Clarke complete a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile cycle and a 13.1 mile run every day for seven days.

Martyn Clarke said: “The support from the students has been enlightening to the say the least. I thought I knew a bit about sport and endurance, but the detail that they’ve gone into about nutrition has been amazing.

“They’ve come up with a full seven-day nutrition plan, when I should eat, what I should eat, which foods I should eat when I’m preparing to run, swim and cycle. I’ve also had psychological support on sleep, relaxation and listening to music.

“It started off being just myself and a couple of colleagues but now it’s gone international and people have come back from Detroit, South Africa and all over Europe and asked how they could help.”

Rachel Nicholas, MSc Psychology of Sport and Exercise student said: “We’ve been supporting Martyn with the psychological side of things, helping with rest and recovery and helping with events support throughout the challenge. It’s been really nice to get involved and it’s for a great cause. I was inspired to study this course by my own struggles with sport.

“I used to do quite a bit of sport and had some difficult challenges and it spurred me to get into psychology and specialising in sport. It’s really important to get some experience within sport and working for a great cause with Martyn is a great step in the right direction for a career.”

Vicky McKinnon, MSc Sports and Exercise Nutrition student said: “It’s been a great opportunity getting to meet Martyn and find out his motivation and what he already knows about nutrition and just trying to provide him with some support. It’s been great to apply the theory we are learning into practice.”

Charlie Curtis, MSc Sports and Exercise Nutrition student said: “It’s been good fun and interesting getting to develop some different graphics and a different way of learning, putting theory into practice. Knowing that I’ve helped someone with my theory is quite nice. I did the undergraduate course here and absolutely loved it. Nutrition and how it impacts the body is something I’ve always been interested in and so I thought I’d stay on and do a Masters course and carry on.”

The MND Association was founded in 1979 by a group of volunteers with experience of living with or caring for someone with MND. Since then, they have grown significantly, with an ever-increasing community of volunteers, supporters and staff, all sharing the same goal – to support people with MND and everyone who cares for them, both now and in the future.

The MND Association focuses on improving access to care, research and campaigning for those people living with or affected by MND in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.