THE STORY BEHIND THE MAN - PETE ROPER

Pete has an extensive background in competing as a long-distance runner and a fitness instructor. His overwhelming passion, mental focus and obsession have helped him to win many accolades and have earned him the respect of my fellow competitors. 

Pete started competing in 1992 when ran his first half marathon in Bath. During his running career, Pete has achieved a 2:29:35 marathon and a 1:10:04 for the half.

After many years of hard road running, Pete developed two stress fractures to the middle section of his right tibia which put him out for one year. Pete had to change the way in which he ran; he was a bad heel striker and had to make the transition from the heel to his forefoot. This took him a year to master, but it made all the difference to his enjoyment of the sport, and to his success as a runner.

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After many years of road running, Pete wanted another challenge and a new buzz, and off-road running was the answer; once he had made the transition from road to off-road, there was no going back; it was a feeling of freedom, once he had enjoyed and explored the coastal paths he started free running, running on untrodden ground, ground that most runners would never attempt to tread, but this gave him such an adrenaline rush due to the shear risk you put yourself under and at times a risk where there's no going back.

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Today he runs his own business- Pete's Functional Fitness Club in Sturminster Newton, Dorset, where he shares his experiences and instructs the benefits of functional training.