Paul Thomas decided to take part in the events after taking a more positive approach to a back injury, and realising the benefits activity and sport could have in overcoming the barriers of disability.
The 47-year-old has suffered from a long-term back problem but it was when he sneezed on one occasion that he ended up with a spinal cord injury leaving him with Cauda Equina Syndrome – a rare condition that affects the nerve endings at the bottom of the spinal column.
At the weekend Paul took part in a team triathlon in Nottingham in a national team relay competition.
He was a member of one of three disabled teams which entered.
Previously he competed in the Steelman triathlon in Windsor in July and an event in Rotherham.
And this weekend (August 9 and 10) the Kingston Way resident will be at the Mazda London Triathlon after he was contacted by the Spinal Injuries Association – which he has previously supported – to see if he was willing to be involved.
Paul has dedicated much of his time to preparing for the latest events and has been seeing a Seaford-based personal trainer to help keep fit.
He said, "I have spent time in the gym carrying out the suggested exercises, continued to develop my cycling speed and teaching myself to do the front crawl. I have spent some time in Friston Forest which is a natural area to improve stamina by using all the hills and I have cycled and walked up and down the hills. I have also started to jog for a few metres at a time which I will need to develop."
To date Paul has walked the running stages of his triathlons.
Paul, who teaches horseriding at Plumpton College, has been supported greatly by his workplace which has sponsored him, enabling the Seaford resident to put the money towards training and equipment costs.
Paul also plans another triathlon for later this year before starting winter training in preparation for next year.