WHEN Iain Hindes completed the Florida Ironman Triathlon in November he could not resist a stylish celebration in front of the cameras.

Donning a Devon flag and posing like Usain Bolt, Hindes was paying tribute to his friends back home at the North Devon Triathlon Club.

Watching in the early hours of the morning on the internet, they had witnessed their club-mate fulfil his long-held ambition of qualifying for Ironman Hawaii.

However, the cheeky celebrations are where comparisons between Bolt and Hindes end.

While the world's fastest man has blazed the 100 metres in 9.58 seconds, Hindes, of Chivenor, deals more in times of nine hours and 58 minutes.

Starting with a 2.4-mile swim, ironman competitors then complete a 112-mile bike ride before finishing with a marathon run of 26.2 miles.

"It's the sort of distance that freaks people out a little bit," said Hindes. "A marathon is a long way, but a marathon if you've been on a bike for six or seven hours is a bit stupid.

"Doing the distance isn't the massive challenge. Doing the distance in a time is the challenge."

The prestigious Ironman Hawaii, held at Kona on October 9, will be the culmination of 15 years as a triathlete.

Starting out in the sprint events, Hindes, 40, took part in the first of his six ironman races in 2003.

"This is the big one. The ultimate race to do," he said.

"It is my chance to be among the biggest names in the sport of triathlon.

"To experience the wind, heat and hills — the racing conditions I most despise."

Crossing the line in less than ten hours would be a huge achievement, particularly in predicted temperatures of 30C.

Triathlon, according to Hindes, "drags you in kicking and screaming" and at times the pain can far outweigh the pleasure.

In 2005, after making a strong start to the Florida Ironman, he "blew up" and failed to finish.

"It's probably the worst decision I have ever made," he said. "I handed my chip in and went off in a huff. The moment you hand that chip in you regret it. I had two years off and then I was back."

Returning in 2008, he finished the Florida race in 10-55-55, then last year, at the same venue, he set a new personal best of 9-39-27.

"Last year I finally got it 90 per cent right," said Hindes. "When I crossed the line I was fairly happy and I swore blind it was my last one."

Remember Steve Redgrave saying something similar after winning Olympic rowing gold at Atlanta in 1996?

Sport is not always easy to let go, and Hindes, like Redgrave, was soon back for more punishment.

Despite his PB, Hindes believed he had finished ninth in his age group, missing out on qualification for Hawaii by one place.

"After the race my girlfriend came up to me and said, 'You know you finished eighth?' That was when I realised there was a chance of going.

"First of all I said I wasn't going to bother. Then I got a load of abuse off everybody. You end up signing up for it and that's that."

Hindes's mates at the tri club have been the inspiration again, joining him during the long training sessions and even helping to pay for his flight.

And he is grateful for the help of sports therapist Maria Hindle.

Working up to 14-hour days as lorry driver means Hindes has become a "weekend warrior", fitting most of his training in to two days.

"Then you have to hope the other half doesn't mind when you disappear for six hours on a Saturday and four hours on a Sunday," he said.

By his own admission, Hindes is a "lazy triathlete". Not that his training regime of up to 12 hours per week would sound lazy to most people.

"Competing isn't hard, it's the training that's hard," he said. "To get yourself out for five or six hours on a bike is nuts on your own.

"I'm not your typical, A-type personality, someone you find in single sports that's really focused and dedicated.

"I'll drag myself out, huffing and puffing, rather than being champing at the bit and ready to go.

"I enjoy having a joke with people when I'm racing, rather than ripping myself to pieces and ending up on an IV drip at the end."

Do not mistake his relaxed approach for a lack of determination though.

Whatever happens in Kona, Hindes swears he will complete the race.

"There won't be any throwing the towel in like in 2005 just because I'm having a bad day," he said. "If I have to walk 26 miles, I'll walk 26 miles.

"Barring a massive bike failure, something I won't be able to do anything about, I'll be crossing that finish line."

To find out more about North Devon Tri club, visit www.northdevontri.co.uk and follow Iain's progress on his own website, www.devoniain.co.uk.