Man with muscle-wasting condition completes gruelling Ironman triathlon

Chris Stennett, from Suffolk, said that, within two months of being diagnosed with FSHD, he had decided he ‘wasn’t going to let it hold me back’.

Chris Stennett, who has the muscle-wasting condition facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), has completed an Ironman triathlon (Muscular Dystrophy UK/PA) (PA Media)

A man with a muscle-wasting condition said it “feels epic” to have completed a gruelling Ironman triathlon, seven minutes within the 17-hour cut-off time.

Chris Stennett, from Felixstowe, Suffolk, said that, within two months of being diagnosed with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) at the age of 26, he decided he “wasn’t going to let it hold me back”.

Now 30, the copywriter has successfully tackled Ironman Austria for charity.

Sunday’s race saw him swim 2.4 miles (3.9km) and cycle 112 miles (180.2km) before taking on a 26.2-mile (42.2km) marathon run.

Mr Stennett completed the challenge in 16 hours and 53 minutes – just inside the 17-hour cut-off.

“It feels epic to have finished at last,” he said.

“This was my second attempt at the full distance Ironman after failing in 2021.

“I was meant to race in 2022 but broke my arm last April so I had to defer.

“I’ve trained hard and learnt a lot since 2021, and to finally hear ‘Christopher, you are an Ironman’ feels so good – I’m going to bask in the glory for a while!”

FSHD is a muscle-wasting condition that results in weakening of the muscles in the face, shoulder blades and upper arms. There is currently no cure.

Mr Stennett, once a keen rugby player, was diagnosed with the condition in 2019.

He had been referred to a neurologist after a shoulder dislocation, following repeated rugby injuries and more than 10 years of shoulder weakness.

A genetic test confirmed he was living with FSHD, a condition that affects approximately 2,500 people in the UK.

“Before I started training back in 2021, I couldn’t swim, hadn’t ridden a bike for years, and had a weak running track record,” said Mr Stennett.

“Every improvement is an achievement, and you never know how far you’ll go until you try.

“Better to not win than wonder if you could have done it.”

He took on the challenge to raise funds and awareness for Muscular Dystrophy UK, the national charity that supports those with muscle wasting conditions, and more than £2,800 has been donated to his JustGiving page.

I was the last athlete home for the marathon but the last finisher is a big deal at every Ironman - 17 hours is the cut-off and everyone wants you to make it after a day like that!

Chris Stennett

He said the race was tough, with the bike ride bringing on “some hip, back and quad trouble”, but he completed the cycle in seven hours and 57 minutes.

“By the time it came to the run my lower back and hip were not in good form so I opted for a walk/run strategy to prevent myself getting into a hole I couldn’t come out of,” he said.

“I was the last athlete home for the marathon but the last finisher is a big deal at every Ironman – 17 hours is the cut-off and everyone wants you to make it after a day like that!

“I had a whole crowd waiting on me – I will never forget it.”

He said he will have a couple of weeks off to recover and get his bike repaired, but is already eyeing up his next challenge.

“If the bike and I are good to go, then there is a half-distance triathlon in Minsk at the end of July in Belarus,” he said.

Kiera Santry, senior challenge events officer at Muscular Dystrophy UK, said: “Chris is such an inspiration and we’re so proud of him.

“We’re so grateful for his ongoing support.

“At Muscular Dystrophy UK we support many of the 110,000 people living with muscle-wasting conditions in the UK and we couldn’t do what we do without people like Chris, who really go the extra mile.”

Mr Stennett can be sponsored at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/fshd-ironman2