Should you’re a MAN v FAT member based mostly within the north west, you may effectively have carried out a double take while watching this yr’s Race In opposition to The World sequence on the BBC.
One of many groups featured on this yr’s sequence – which sees contestants aiming to journey over 12,000km – contains Harrison Devine and his sister Katie.
Harrison is a protracted standing member of our implausible MAN v FAT Warrington group and he and his sister can be travelling throughout Europe and Asia, the most important continental space on earth.
The route carves by eight distinctive nations: Italy, Greece, Türkiye, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia – every bringing its personal language, tradition and local weather.
In essentially the most excessive race to this point, circumstances swing from 30-degree Mediterranean warmth to subarctic temperatures of –20°C. They usually’ve bought to do all of it on a funds of lower than £26 per individual per day.
Harrison is probably going well-known to MAN v FAT golf equipment within the north, having picked up XIs Participant of the 12 months in 2024 as a result of his prolific goalscoring. He additionally featured in our Superb Losers sport at Leyton Orient, having misplaced over 30% of his beginning physique weight on the programme.
With the present at the moment airing on the BBC, we caught up with Harrison to learn how the story unfolded for him, each with MAN v FAT and on the TV present.
Do you assume your time with MAN v FAT helped put together you for Race Throughout the World?
Sure undoubtedly. MAN v FAT has given a lot, not simply by way of being bodily fitter, however being mentally stronger and devoted, as effectively growing my confidence. While being away on the Race, you must consistently work together with folks and it takes numerous confidence to go up and communicate to strangers understanding that there’s going to be a language barrier or that they may not have the ability that will help you.
MAN v FAT instils a way of self esteem again into you as you’re employed arduous to really feel higher about your self, extra snug in your personal pores and skin and that provides you extra confidence to go and communicate to folks and never fear about what they could consider you.
Have been there moments within the race the place your health journey gave you a bonus?
I’d wish to assume we deliberate effectively sufficient that we by no means caught having to run for a practice or bus, however the Race itself is an 8-week journey, so it consistently assessments you bodily. I imply, you’re carrying round a 20kg rucksack more often than not, so it’s a superb job I’ve misplaced 45kg within the first place in any other case my knees would have been in a world of hassle!
Did your MAN v FAT expertise affect the way you dealt with challenges or setbacks?
Weight reduction usually isn’t a relentless linear development. You may have your ups and downs, and as males who clearly love that further little bit of food and drinks, it’s tough to not let one or two dangerous weeks turn into one or two dangerous months. I personally discover it very simple to say after a nasty weekend calorie sensible, ah sod it, I’ll have already put weight on, so I’ll double down and never get again on the well being kick till the subsequent weigh in, however you study that’s not the angle to have.
You must perceive that there can be setbacks however look to a extra long-term view whereby one dangerous day of energy doesn’t have an effect on your week or month. That was fairly much like the Race, sure one or two issues can go dangerous on a leg of racing, however so long as you do most issues proper (Discover low cost lodging, don’t blow the funds on costly meals and drinks, don’t miss your transport) then total you ought to be in a superb place!
MAN v FAT has modified my life. It has modified who I’m as an individual, my pursuits, my hobbies, my friendships, and my life-style. It’s a group I’m extremely proud and honoured to be part of because it’s not simply your personal story, it’s everybody else round you that’s equally as inspiring.
So to characterize MAN v FAT on nationwide TV means quite a bit to me. I’m hoping it spreads the phrase in order that different males who had been in my state of affairs hear about MAN v FAT and provides themselves the chance to alter their very own lives by signing as much as it.
I say this to everybody, apply for the present and see what occurs. It’s the perfect factor I’ve ever carried out… and possibly will ever do. I wrestle to place into phrases how cool the entire expertise was.
How do you hope your story will affect others who could also be battling their weight or confidence?
When signing as much as Race Throughout the World, considered one of my greatest hopes was that my story would be capable of attain a wider viewers and assist different males reduce weight and enhance their confidence.
I really feel a very totally different individual from the person I used to be 3 or 4 years in the past after I joined MAN v FAT. Attending to a weight and confidence degree the place you not sit in public readjusting your t-shirt each few seconds, or not desirous to eat at a buddy’s BBQ for worry of judgement, is such a surreal feeling for us males who’ve all the time felt that means, and it’s genuinely liberating.
I joined MAN v FAT with the intention of simply desirous to play soccer once more. I had all the time been an even bigger lad and by no means knew it was attainable for me to be something totally different. I then began to lose a little bit little bit of weight and have become in a short time encapsulated by it and getting fitter. For any males studying this who assume they’ll by no means reduce weight and that you just had been born to be huge, that was me earlier than MAN v FAT. Simply give it a go and see how far you’ll be able to push your self.
Are there any new objectives or challenges you may be setting your self?
I’m all the time wanting to enroll to new occasions and challenges. I not too long ago ran my first Marathon in April 2026 so perhaps trying to do one other a type of, however I’d wish to see if there’s a means I can mix my new love of journey with health as effectively. Possibly a 10km run in each nation in Europe… one thing daft like that!