Southampton legend Francis Benali plans to complete seven Ironman-distance triathlons in just seven days for charity
SEVEN Ironman-distance triathlons in seven days.
That’s the incredible challenge Francis Benali, now 50, has set himself as he continues to raise money for Cancer Research UK.
The former Southampton defender clocked up almost 400 appearances for his hometown club in a career that spanned three decades.
But ever since he hung up his boots in 2008, the fitness-fanatic has pushed his body to the limit.
Benali’s journey so far
In 2014, Benali ran to every single Premier League stadium, a 1,000 mile trek, fittingly finishing at St Mary’s.
Then, two years later he ran and cycled to every top-flight AND Championship ground.
However, next month the ex pro is planning to endure 2.4 miles in water, cycle 112 miles and run a marathon in different cities across England starting April 29.
Benali told SunSport: “Since retiring from playing football, I started to become intrigued in ultra-endurance events.
“I like the idea of testing myself in that scenario, and I wanted to make money for a good cause.
“Like most, we’ve been touched by cancer as a family. And even to this day, my family and I have got close friends who have been diagnosed and are doing their upmost to fight it.”
“Since retiring from playing football, I started to become intrigued in ultra-endurance events. I like the idea of testing myself in that scenario, and I wanted to make money for a good cause.
Francis Benali
Since starting his challenges, Benali has raised a remarkable £667,006 in five years. His aim is to reach £1 million.
It’s meant prolonged training sessions in the pool, on the street and on his bike.
“I’m training daily. I’m listening to my body a little bit, I’m not following a strict training plane.
“I’m comfortable running, and with cycling I know I can train for it and get accustomed to the longer mileage than I’ve done before.
“But adding a swim to the task, that brings a whole new realm to proceedings.
“That’s taken me completely out of my comfort zone. I underestimated that, because I thought as long as you put the hours in, the improvement would naturally come.
“To be an efficient swimmer, the technique side of things has to be learned.
“There’s also a lot of hard work that’s going to be done that I have to be prepared mentally for.
“There are going to be long hours, 18-hour days possibly, so it brings a a whole element of how you refuel and rest to prepare to go again the following morning.”
‘It’s quite scary’
Benali confessed that the task is intimidating, but should he complete it he will treat himself to a lie in.
“It’s quite scary,” he admitted.
“If there’s anything I’ve learned from doing the other challenges beforehand, I’ve got to do my best and not look at it as a seven-day challenge.
“If you think about the numbers, 2.4 miles in the water, 112 miles on the bike, and then a marathon, it is extremely daunting.
“I’ve got mental targets to hit, and will just generally chip away at it before hopefully on day seven I will be able to finish and can look forward to a little lay in!”
During his playing days, Benali made sure he treated his body like a temple.
He worked hard in training, always giving his all to make sure he was as fit as he could be.
“The fitness element of my playing career was something I always took very seriously,” he said.
“I trained hard, I’ve never drunk, never smoked or did anything that I thought would be a negative thing that could impact my physical capability.
“I guess looking after myself, fitness and well-being has always been a big part of my life.”
So, is he in better shape today than he was when he was playing?
“If I was go to out and have a kickabout or play in a charity game now, I think that explosive speed and power in my legs has gone,” he laughed.
If you think about the numbers, 2.4 miles in the water, 112 miles on the bike, and then a marathon, it is extremely daunting.”
“But stamina-wise I reckon I’m on another level to what I was during my playing career.
“Physically, I’m a little bit leaner and trimmer than I was in my playing days, that’s for sure.”
Benali insisted the challenge was about pacing himself and wasn’t setting himself a finishing time.
“It’s not about burning all your matches on day one, doing a good bike ride, or crushing the swim. This is a seven day challenge.
“That said, I don’t want to go too long, because that’s cutting down on my recovery time.
“There’s going to be a lot of sleep deprivation, not just for me but for the team with me.
“It’s just about completing the challenge, even if it means having four hours sleep one night, then going into the next day.”
Positivity at St Mary’s
Recognised as a cult hero among Saints fans, Benali is confident Southampton have enough in the tank to avoid relegation.
He revealed: “I’m very positive about Southampton, even though we’re in a relegation fight.
“But I see a lot of good signs under Ralph Hasenhüttl and in the squad and how things are going.
“I think there’s been a bit of a disconnection with the supporters and the team in the past at St Mary’s.
“But at the Tottenham game you could feel that passion was there, and you can see the team has a desire to improve and get better.
“I’ve got every confidence that we will be fine this season, and I think exciting times lie ahead.”
And does Francis have a favourite memory playing for his boyhood club?
“To play for my hometown team for nearly 400 games was just a privilege,” he said.
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“It would’ve been nice to score a few more goals, and have a few less red cards over the years, but I don’t regret anything.
“It’s just a shame that your football career goes by so quick. It seems to be such a small part of your life when you get a bit older, but it’s something I’ll always be grateful for.”
To donate to Benali’s cause, visit his website here.
