When you’re a MAN v FAT member based mostly within the north west, you may properly have performed a double take while watching this yr’s Race Towards 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 – consists of Harrison Devine and his sister Katie.
Harrison is an extended standing member of our unbelievable MAN v FAT Warrington neighborhood and he and his sister can be travelling throughout Europe and Asia, the most important continental space on earth.
The route carves by means of eight distinctive international locations: Italy, Greece, Türkiye, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia – every bringing its personal language, tradition and local weather.
In essentially the most excessive race so far, situations swing from 30-degree Mediterranean warmth to subarctic temperatures of –20°C. They usually’ve received 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 on account of his prolific goalscoring. He additionally featured in our Superb Losers recreation at Leyton Orient, having misplaced over 30% of his beginning physique weight on the programme.
With the present presently 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 properly rising my confidence. While being away on the Race, you need to consistently work together with individuals and it takes lots of confidence to go up and communicate to strangers understanding that there’s going to be a language barrier or that they won’t give you the option that will help you.
MAN v FAT instils a way of self-worth again into you as you’re employed exhausting to really feel higher about your self, extra comfy in your personal pores and skin and that provides you extra confidence to go and communicate to individuals and never fear about what they might 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 properly sufficient that we by no means caught having to run for a prepare or bus, however the Race itself is an 8-week journey, so it consistently checks you bodily. I imply, you’re carrying round a 20kg rucksack more often than not, so it’s a very good 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 have got your ups and downs, and as males who clearly love that additional little bit of food and drinks, it’s troublesome to not let one or two dangerous weeks grow to be one or two dangerous months. I personally discover it very simple to say after a foul weekend calorie smart, 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 following weigh in, however you be taught that’s not the perspective to have.
It’s a must to 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 general try to be in a very good 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 neighborhood 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 symbolize MAN v FAT on nationwide TV means lots to me. I’m hoping it spreads the phrase in order that different males who have been in my state of affairs hear about MAN v FAT and provides themselves the chance to vary 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 performed… and doubtless 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 fighting their weight or confidence?
When signing as much as Race Throughout the World, one in all my largest hopes was that my story would be capable to attain a wider viewers and assist different males shed extra pounds and improve 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 stage the place you not sit in public readjusting your t-shirt each few seconds, or not eager to eat at a pal’s BBQ for concern of judgement, is such a surreal feeling for us males who’ve all the time felt that method, and it’s genuinely liberating.
I joined MAN v FAT with the intention of simply eager to play soccer once more. I had all the time been a much bigger lad and by no means knew it was doable for me to be something totally different. I then began to lose a 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 will by no means shed extra pounds and that you just have been born to be large, 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 targets or challenges you may be setting your self?
I’m all the time wanting to enroll to new occasions and challenges. I lately 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 method I can mix my new love of journey with health as properly. Possibly a 10km run in each nation in Europe… one thing daft like that!