Mark Walford – 24 in 24

Here is Mark’s write up of his epic 24 triathlons in 24 hours challenge.  We all knew that if anyone could do it, Mark could.  The are no superlatives sufficient to express how amazing this is, Mark!  Huge congratulations from all your Tuff family – and what a worthy cause!

Knowing I would be asking for donations, I had to make it big, but having spent all my triathlon time doing mainly sprint distance I didn’t know what to do.  Since being a child, I was always fascinated by 24-hour challenges, and one day the idea of a SuperSprint triathlon (I expected 45-50 mins) every hour for 24 hours was born.  After seeking advice about whether this was possible from a few trusted peers, the general thought was, it’s crazy, but you might be crazy enough to do it – that was enough motivation for me!

After finding Cowfold Community Pool which would let me use its pool for 24 hours, in October after my final sprint race of the year, training started.  Now short fast sessions were replaced with long, slow, dark sessions. 

In May I delivered a school assembly for St Peters School which is where the pool was.  I think I was more worried about this than my training, but I didn’t need to be – the kids were amazing and engaged in what I was doing.  The school have decided to do a triathlon because of my challenge.  I wanted to help people with Alzheimer’s but also wanted to inspire people to be active. 

Fast forward lots of early morning training and organising, the day was finally here!  27^th June 2025 7pm Cowfold Community Pool …

To start with I was blown away by people who came out to support me.  I had my transition support (mum, dad, boss Richard and his wife Joy), people from Alzheimer’s Research UK plus people from the local community who came to see me start.

I started with what was meant to be a 400m swim in a 12.5 m pool, but because of a problem with my watch, it turns out I did an extra 4 lengths: not the start I wanted!  Jumping out, getting ready for my cycle I cycled across the school field onto my bike loop.  Having done the loop before, I knew it wasn’t flat, but was definitely hillier than I remembered, plus I had never had the chance to cycle it from the gate to transition, which I knew would be about 10km, hoping not too far over, or even worse not long enough. 

Due to access to the pool, it was a split transition.  T2 was actually right next to the main road, as I cycled in, my watch buzzed for 10km, I couldn’t have made the distance more perfect!   A little crowd of people had come to watch.  I then changed into run kit and off on my run.  The run was again hilly, downhill to start with, down the main road, turn left at the pub onto a side path to a turnaround point, back past the pub up the hill, run though the church (grave) yard to the swimming pool. 

Simple, 1 SuperSprint done, just another 23 to go!  I knew pacing would be key, but my bike was quicker than expected due to being on a better bike and in TT position.  The run was bit quicker but nothing crazy.  Time to eat, sit on my orange air lounger, rest and go again.

Don’t worry I won’t go through every triathlon, but over the next 23 hours the following highlights and disasters happened.

High levels of support started to drift away from 8-10pm.

10.30pm run – A girls’ night from the local mums who were supporting me as pool responders came out to give me a cheer: 10-15 ladies filled with wine cheering was a boost as it got dark, as well as locals from the pub cheering me on.

I found a love for pot mash potato as my food of choice.

11pm, first proper swim in the dark, finding the pool had no lights, we set up makeshift floodlights, (my girls’ night light one end and my dad holding a torch at the other) which meant I was swimming in the dark aiming for the light. 

12am local parish council member coming out wondering what was going on and giving us access to the local community hall, people coming out of the tandoori drunk cheering me on!

Midnight until 3, only seeing transition support plus night life, a badger running alongside me, fox and hedgehog dodging.

2.30am running in the dark 1.5km in, my run light suddenly failed on me.  I had to run the rest in the dark and it was especially hard through the scary uneven graveyard.

3am – 4am was the lowest I felt.  It was dark, I was alone and it was now mentally tough.

4am new support crew, and even better, company on the bike in the way of Olly Sampson.  This was great for morale and also for breaking the boredom.  I set off at 4.30am on the run and it was light.  I was now back feeling good and over the next few hours I had more support with Graham, Clare and Amy.  Not only was I not alone on my run and bike, a bigger atmosphere was building at the pool.  My girlfriend Stacey and my girls turned up, all of which made the time fly and gave me great enjoyment on the rest period. 

Cloud cover stopped me getting too hot, Tuffs were coming and going: Dom and Charlotte, Kate and Polly.  Pace holding well, minus me not telling Graham what the route was and running into him!

Then at about 10am Clare was now bike support and whilst cycling on the route, a car stopped and told us the road ahead was closed, insert swear words in my head.  I stopped, looked at my watch and we were just over halfway.  If we turned around, we would do over 10km but definitely get back.  My bike was 11.5km that leg and everyone at transition was very confused why I came the other way.  No time to explain as I had to run because the rest period was going to be shorter: I got about 8 mins that time!

Next bike loop, it was decided don’t chance closed road just 5km out 5km back.  However, I then heard a few noises on my bike, a ding and crunch.  Again, swear word internally, but externally appeared calm, I stopped to find a spoke had come out, placing it back in never worrying as I never had this as an issue before.  I didn’t know if it was ok, gentle ride now,  a bit slower meaning less rest again.  My run was steady but when I got back, I was starting to cramp in my right leg.  Luckily Charlotte gave me some nice but rather painful massage to ease it!

The cloud cover had lifted it was now getting very hot. I had Simon and Ed join me now, a mate from home. Christine, Shelia, Elaine, Kate E, Clare M, Jenny and Adrian all popped by to support

The local community was amazing, a wedding of the local landlord meant the pub was now full of boozy guests wondering what this orange and white clad man was doing running by every hour.  Word got out and I got louder and louder cheers.

The next few hours I was just in a swim, bike, run haze.  I hit my £3000 target and I might just do it.

Food was now taken more in liquid form, an ice cream felt amazing in the moment but is not advisable to get in a pool just after!  I was finally convinced I would make it when I had a local help me on the bike for the final 3, Andy came for a run or two.  I honestly can’t remember now who was there and not.  But now I was 23 down 1 to go.

Loads of the school kids and my girls all started the final swim together.  Poppy joined me for final 4 lengths, as I got out, she said how tired she was after 4 lengths.  I knew my mood was good when I laughed at this.

Paul, the local who was made by his wife to come help me on the bike, was great company but I was struggling to be much company back.  He was a strong cyclist and I was clinging on.  My final ride also happened to be one of my quickest because I was glued to his back wheel hanging on for dear life.  Knowing I had time in the bank, I wanted to enjoy my final run, having one of my best mates from school do it with me was great, turning past the pub which was now in full-on riot mode was keeping me feeling good, then onto side rode where an anxious lady was struggling to contain 4 big dogs and asked us to be quiet.  We gave them a big wide berth and carried on. 

At the end of the road a schoolgirl called Serena was there with her parents and I waved, to my surprise she started running with us.  We chatted and she told me how she got into running after my school assembly and how she loves it. I looked at my watch and this 10-year-old was holding a conversation with us at 5.30km pace. she was a machine – this made me feel like everything was worth it just for that one moment.