AS TRAINING colleagues for the last 11 years, international sprinters Allyn Condon and Darren Scott have put in countless hours of preparation to achieve their sporting goals.
Now the duo are forging a new partnership to help others reach optimum health, fitness and performance.
Condon has enjoyed numerous successes in world athletics, both indoors and out, and is a reigning Commonwealth champion at 4x100m relay.
He has just joined Scott - bound for August's World Masters Championship in Spain as the UK's top 35-40 age group runner last year - in working as a personal trainer in their home town.
Both are qualified with Premier Training International and among 10 self-employed personal trainers at Fitness First in Runcorn.
Scott, 36, from Weston Point, has been working at the Trident Park gym for just short of three years.
He has built a client base of more than 100 people, from professional sportsmen to members of the public looking to get fitter and healthier.
Condon, 30, of Castlefields, reported for work at Fitness First only a fortnight ago but was already doing some work as a personal trainer.
Those on his books include professional rugby league play-ers and a champion kickboxer.
He is also sprint coach at Castleford Tigers RLFC, who are riding high in LHF Healthplan National League One and hunting a return to Super League after relegation in 2004.
Working with elite athletes is only a part of the business, however.
A training programme can be put together to suit more modest needs, ability and ambition.
There will, for instance, be people who don't have a competitive bone in their bodies but simply want to get fit or fitter.
The pair stress there is much more to personal training than gym work and can touch issues such as nutrition, flexibility, mobility and rehabilitation.
A spot of psychology will often come into play, too, in terms of problem solving while Scott always looks to introduce new ideas to prevent training from becoming boring.
Although they will be working independently, the understanding and trust the two athletes have built up over their years of training together means they will always look to each other for ideas and solutions.
Condon said: 'Darren is such a bubbly character and the kind of person who can improve people's self-esteem, even if they are not getting fitter.'
And Scott added: 'Allyn is going to have some knowledge that I don't and vice-versa.'
