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IN THE SPOTLIGHT WITH - PERSONAL TRAINER, JOSH DAVIES  Getting involved in a new sport or activity can be daunting. Whether you played a sport at school and want to try it again, or you are trying an activity for the first time, our series putting the 'Spotlight on' a range of activities should help you along the way. We've been in touch with various people from a range of sporting backgrounds, starting with St Pierre Park's personal trainer, Josh Davies.  How long have you been going to the gym?                                     11 years, including a mixture of weightlifting, CrossFit and endurance running. What was your initial motivation to pursue exercise as a career?                     To guide others and prove that they can aspire to always ask more of themselves. Once you see the difference you can make in a person’s life through exercise alone, it becomes more than just a career. What is your pre-gym ritual?  Simple, trainers on, headphones in, music blaring…go! Working in a gym must have its highs and lows… what are these for you and how do you remain positive? Coming to work is nothing but a joy, I have a great team of staff, members and clients around me daily. What is it they say? Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. Very cliched but true. What is your go-to training outfit? Running shorts, a comfortable T-shirt and my ever-faithful Nike Turbo 2s. What is the one piece of advice you give to everybody you train? Get outside your comfort zone, you might just surprise yourself. The scariest thing is to say you didn’t try. Do you notice if your workout clothes are high-end/low-end? Does it affect your performance? I can tell if I am wearing ‘cheaper’ running shoes. It’s worth investing in shoes that are suited for your sport, it’ll reduce the risk of niggling injuries. Tell us your most embarrassing story from in the gym! I was doing box jumps, misjudged it, barrel rolled off the side landing on a dumbbell! We’ve all been there right!? How do you reach your personal best? I chip away at my goals a little each day, some days are better than others, but they all serve towards improving - the personal bests will follow. If you could train/ be trained by anyone of your choice, dead or alive, who would it be? I have a love for endurance running so to train with the master Kilian Jornet would be unforgettable. What would your advice be to someone who has neglected exercise for a long time? Any words of encouragement to get involved?                                  It’s never too late to start, find something that gets you up and out of the house and just keep at it. There are countless activities on island, find one you enjoy and get stuck in!    If you fancy getting into the gym, Fletcher Sports has a large range of trainers, running shoes and clothing. Come and speak to one of our experienced sales assistants who will help get you kitted out. You can shop online and collect in store too. To find your perfect pair of running shoes click here

This month we switch our attention from the sports men and women to team behind one of Guernsey’s most successful annual sporting events. The Guernsey Dairy Milk Run (or Father’s Day Half Marathon) takes hundreds of man hours to put together, and Fletcher Sports would like to recognise the efforts of the 70 volunteers who helped make this year’s event a huge success. The first Father’s Day Half Marathon was held in 1981 and attracted 300 starters; in 1982 the field had grown to over 1,000. The Guernsey Dairy was one of the earliest long-standing sponsors of the event, doing so from about 1984-1994.  With the running boom and many new participation events around, interest waned so that through the late 90s the field had dropped to 250 or so. Consideration was even given to dropping the event, but thankfully this never transpired. Guernsey Athletics was approached by the Guernsey Dairy again just over six years ago and developed a joint aim to re-establish the half marathon as a big community event, which would attract 500 or more starters. The requirements for organising public events, including running races, grow more demanding each year, but with the help of the Guernsey Dairy and a small army of volunteers, the event grew again to 800 entries this year, with around 600 who made it to the race itself. The Guernsey event is also beginning to attract attention from further afield, with 112 entries from the UK, along with some from Jersey, France and this year, Ireland. One runner who finished the race this year had also competed in 1985, ‘86, ‘87, ‘88, ‘89, ’90 and ’91; another, in finishing this year’s race, completed his 100th half marathon and was awarded a commemorative T-shirt by the sponsors. Planning for the event ramps up from the December the year before until race day in mid-June. There is a huge amount to sort out, including general administration, liaising with sponsors, suppliers and public bodies, promoting of the event, ensuring the event is safe, legal and athletically viable, attracting and deploying volunteers and arranging equipment. There were 70 volunteers this year – a core team of eight or so comprising volunteers and staff from Guernsey Athletics and the Dairy, and on the day about 60 marshals, crew and officials. Special mention must go to Danny Blake as lead coordinator (and problem solver extraordinaire) in the run up, who also managed to compete on the day and run a PB.    

Running Remixed - sign up now for our exclusive On running and Tri Fitness night   On 3 May at 6pm we will be holding an exclusive On running and Tri Fitness session in Town where you can get the exclusive opportunity to try out On running shoes in this one of a kind 'try before you buy night'!   A great evening, join us for a short fitness session including a short run as well as a fitness session with Tri Fitness - all whilst you get to try out a great pair of On running shoes, before returning to Fletcher Sports for a much-needed pizza refuel.    Spaces are limited to a maximum of 30 people, so hurry to sign up now before you miss out. To find out more or to secure your space email ben@fletchersports.co.uk or send us a Facebook message. Please also let us know your shoe and clothing size in advance so we can get your kit ready!