In the event you’re a MAN v FAT member based mostly within the north west, you would possibly nicely have accomplished a double take while watching this 12 months’s Race In opposition to The World sequence on the BBC.
One of many groups featured on this 12 months’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 incredible MAN v FAT Warrington group and he and his sister shall be travelling throughout Europe and Asia, the biggest 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 probably the most excessive race to this point, situations swing from 30-degree Mediterranean warmth to subarctic temperatures of –20°C. And so they’ve bought to do all of it on a finances 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 Wonderful 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 suppose 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 nicely growing my confidence. While being away on the Race, it’s important to continually work together with individuals and it takes a whole lot of confidence to go up and converse to strangers realizing 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-worth again into you as you’re employed onerous to really feel higher about your self, extra comfy in your personal pores and skin and that offers you extra confidence to go and converse to individuals 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 prefer to suppose we deliberate nicely 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 continually exams you bodily. I imply, you’re carrying round a 20kg rucksack more often than not, so it’s a great job I’ve misplaced 45kg within the first place in any other case my knees would have been in a world of bother!
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’ve 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 change into one or two dangerous months. I personally discover it very simple to say after a foul 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 following weigh in, however you study that’s not the angle to have.
You must perceive that there shall 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 finances on costly meals and drinks, don’t miss your transport) then total you have to be in a great 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 scenario 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 one of the best factor I’ve ever accomplished… and possibly will ever do. I wrestle to place into phrases how cool the entire expertise was.
How do you hope your story will impression others who could also be battling their weight or confidence?
When signing as much as Race Throughout the World, certainly one of my greatest hopes was that my story would have the ability to attain a wider viewers and assist different males drop a few pounds 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 once I joined MAN v FAT. Attending to a weight and confidence stage the place you now not sit in public readjusting your t-shirt each few seconds, or not eager to eat at a pal’s BBQ for worry of judgement, is such a surreal feeling for us males who’ve at all times 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 at all times been an even bigger lad and by no means knew it was doable for me to be something totally different. I then began to lose slightly little bit of weight and have become in a short time encapsulated by it and getting fitter. For any males studying this who suppose they will by no means drop a few pounds and that you simply had 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 can be setting your self?
I’m at all times wanting to enroll to new occasions and challenges. I lately ran my first Marathon in April 2026 so perhaps seeking to do one other a type of, however I’d prefer to see if there’s a method I can mix my new love of journey with health as nicely. Possibly a 10km run in each nation in Europe… one thing daft like that!
