PORT Macquarie's Warren Schuch will make the move from the couch to the Ironman 70.3 start line on Sunday.
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Schuch, whose partner is well known local triathlete Emma Cudmore, was spurred on by his better half to get off the lounge and into training.
The 35-year-old has been working with Cudmore, Mel Cockshutt and her team for the past five months to get into shape for the biggest challenge of his life.
It all started when he stood at the finish line, ready to catch Emma as she finished the event this year.
"Emma was doing the Ironman and I was at the finish line catching people and decided then and there that I wanted to enter the half event," he said.
"I wasn't doing any exercise. Emma would be out training and I would be sitting at home watching movies or sitting at the beach and to see what Emma was putting herself through made me want to do it.
"Going from doing nothing to a half Ironman is very hard with a lot of injuries and hard work along the way."
His first training session consisted of a 2km run, in which he walked most of the way. But he has since come a long way and is fitter then ever.
"The training has been very intense including a 235-kilometre course in three days but it will all be worth it in the end," he said.
The journey has been a long one, but he is most looking forward to competing alongside his partner and grabbing that finisher's medallion at the end of it all.
"It's been tiring but a great journey," he said. "Emma has a lot of history with Ironmans and she will do very well. She will finish before me well and truly, she will be there to catch me at the end, but I just want that medallion to say that I have finished."
He has competed in the famous City-to-Surf event before and grew up playing some cricket and rugby, but nothing as serious as this.
"My longest competitive run was 40km," he said. "This is the first serious event I have ever entered. I want the feeling of accomplishment when I finish, as it's such a huge achievement.
"I have loads of support from Mel, the team and of course my partner.
"There have been training sessions where I've wanted to give up but they push me and encourage me to keep going."
