Anita Wells (41) and Andy Pearce (32), Harwich, Essex

100km Indoor Rowing Challenge at Top Notch Gym, Colchester, 17 March 2012

With a June date set for their wedding, Anita and Andy decided to get fit and lose weight by each rowing 100km (62.5 miles) on indoor rowing machines at their local gym and raising money for Sport Relief (23-25 March). As a further challenge they set out to chase times of eight and a half and seven and a half hours respectively, which, if attained, would take them into the top 10 indoor rowers in their gender and age range in the world*.

For Andy, this was an easier task as he had always been active, enjoying football, rugby and cricket, and four years ago, he had joined his colleagues in a Charity Challenge to row as far as possible on a Concept2 machine at the gym in 40 hours. However, neither Anita nor Andy had faced anything that demanded the level of endurance required to train and row all day. Their training would cover over 3000km (1875 miles) and include two rowing marathons before their challenge on 17 March.
"We started on 3 October, and we haven't looked back," says Andy. "Anita has lost a stone so far and I have lost two - with both of us losing many centimetres from all the right places - and we have also toned up and changed shape. We tackled Scafell Pike last year, which was okay but somehow I think we'd find it much easier now." With most of their training behind them, they are each on course to complete the 100km in time, which will make them some of the fastest over that distance in their categories in the world. Once the challenge is over they intend to continue their exercise regime to lose more weight prior to their wedding day on 29 June. They are also enjoying a further bonus - more energy. "We work in insurance which is a sedentary profession, but mentally taxing and you are drained when it's time to leave," explained Andy. "We now go to the gym, spend one and a half hours there exercising and feel great."

                        ENDS 

Notes to editors:

• Anita: Rowing 100km in under eight and a half hours place her number 1 in the world in the heavyweight, 40-49 age group for the 2012 season.

• Andy: Rowing 100km in under seven and a half hours would place him in the top 4 in the world for the heavyweight, 30-39 age group for the 2012 season.

Anita and Andy have a Justgiving website if you would like to donate (www.justgiving.com/Anita-Wells)

They also have a blog detailing their training to date (anitaandandy100km.blogspot.com)