Triathlon challenge for Indicoll director

13th March 2014

Director of Indicoll and chairman of the Beverley and District Chamber of Trade, Julian Minshall, has faced up to the one life challenge with which he is yet to come to terms.

The 51 year-old fulfilled the physical challenge he set himself last year - The Way of the Roses, coast 2 coast cycle ride - despite not being on a bike for 20 years, so decided this year he would go one better.

It was his son, Matthew, who attends Beverley Grammar School, who thought a sprint triathlon would be a good idea, so, not to be outdone, Julian took on the challenge, which consists of a 400m swim, 24km cycle ride and 5km run.

But, first, he had to learn to swim.

“Without doubt this has been the biggest challenge,” he said. “I must thank Rob Jones at the Beverley Leisure Centre, my swimming instructor. He had the biggest challenge, getting from me not being able to swim to now having the confidence to complete the swim in a reasonable time.

“I have been learning to swim since November, which has been very hard for me. Now I have started participating in the Park Runs on a Saturday morning to gain confidence completing the 5km run. The bike has just come out again now the weather has allowed, to get the legs back going again.

It is this perseverance and determination to succeed which has characterised his professional life to date, which has seen him grow Indicoll at a steady rate in the last three years, and become a well-known and highly respected voice in the local business world.

And this is something on which Julian is drawing, in order to drive himself forward during his training.

“In my working life I like to achieve, this is done through hard work, a positive attitude and ignoring the doubts in your head,” he admitted. “Achievers in sport always refer to a positive attitude, never being beaten. In work and training I try to push myself to the limits. So, it is an attitude which helps me.

“At times I have wondered why, but, having young children I like to show them what you can achieve with a positive mindset.

“So I guess that having the support of the family and colleagues at work has been the driving force to doing this.”

But Julian isn’t just doing it for himself and his family, with Marie Curie Cancer Care also benefiting from his efforts.

“It’s hard when a close one has cancer,” he said. “So to have help in dealing with the situation is a massive support for the family, so any money I raise will go to the local nurses.”