If you are struggling to find some motivation for your training then our new occasional series of interviews and retrospectives may well provide some inspiration. We start with Mike Trees's interview of that 1980's extrovert, Tracy Harris.

Back in the 1980s when triathlon was just starting out, the roster of fame included such names as Glen Cook, Richard Hobson, Robin Brew and Bernie Shrosbree, Rick Kiddle and Tracy Harris. At that time Tracy was a regular winner of BTA National Series triathlons, a member the British elite triathlon team, and also famous for being on ITV's Gladiators. It wasn’t just his performances that gained him the attention; he was equally famous for his long blonde hair and pink tri kit.

I had been wondering for some time what had happened to Tracy Harris, and by chance I bumped into him a few weeks ago. His story is both interesting and motivational. Tracy has just turned 45, and looks just as fit today as he did 20 years ago, however his long blond trade mark hair has gone for good... but it seems his outrageously loud race wear is here to stay!

MT Tracy when did you start triathlon?

TH My first race was the Fosters Quadrathon in 1984. It boasted to be ‘the World's toughest race’ (a two-mile swim / 50km speed walk / 100-mile cycle / 26.2 mile run). The race started in Brighton at 5pm and finished in Gravesend the next day. Being a strong swimmer I came out of the water second, and promptly overtook a very stocky channel swimmer chap who couldn’t speed walk very fast and, to my surprise, I lead the race for six hours. It then went horribly wrong and I bonked at the end of the bike. I staggered in seventh overall in 18 hours. Out of 115 starters, less than 40 finished.

I did a few triathlons in 1985 but was rubbish at them. I felt like the world and his dog were overtaking me on the bike and run. So I gave up for a few years.

MT What made you take up the sport again?

TH Well, as I said, I did a few tris but wasn’t even good enough to be a mid packer. It wasn’t until my father died of lung cancer in 1986 that I decided to get back to them. I remember when I crossed the finish line in the quadrathon, he was so proud. Tears were in his eyes. He gave me the biggest hug ever. He had to stop the organisers pulling me out of the race with a few miles to go as I was in such a bad way. He believed in me.

I wanted to see just how fast I could go in triathlon... for my dad. I trained and trained so hard at cycling and running. It took me two years to get to a decent standard and at the end of 1988 I was invited onto the National Squad. This was a surprise as all I was going to do was to try and accomplish a solo London – Paris triathlon crossing. My focus changed and I concentrated on what was then called short course (standard distance)

MT You had an image for being flamboyant back then, pinks and yellows. What sort of colours did you race in?

I had a friend who used to make really bright coloured gear out of lycra for hang glider pilots. Everyone in the late 80s seemed to wear black and grey, so I though it would be original to wear 'dayglo' colours. Yeah, my favourite was a tight little pink two-piece! Being called Tracy and with long blond hair down to my shoulders, it was no surprise to turn up for one of my first triathlons to find myself in the women’s race. Although they sussed it and moved me to the men’s, I protested, as I thought may have a chance of winning against the ladies ... then again Springers (Sarah Springman) would probably have shown me up!

MT Will you be just as loud this time round or have the colours been toned down?

TH Hey, having been out of the tri scene for 15 years or so, I didn’t expect to come back to see that the kit has virtually reverted back to the old, somewhat reserved (I really mean boring) colours. Well, OK, no dayglo!! Not only that, what is it with running shorts? I remember being able to buy shorts that were only slightly bigger than Speedos. Now you can’t buy a pair without looking like a surfer dude or something out of 'It ain't half hot, mum'. Not tried a pair on. Quite frankly, I am bit scared of getting knee rash! So, yeah. I most definitely will race in well cut and very bright gear.

MT Tracy, fashion has moved on and most triathletes like to cover up, so it will be great to see you back on the scene with some vibrant colours it will turn a few heads. [Ed: we're sure that Mike's 2XU operation will oblige with some truly shocking kit...]

MT Just for the record, I need to convince those readers that you were not all show, what were some of your better performances?

TH I once ate 20 custard-filled American donuts in 15 minutes in an eating competition.

MT Did you actually do anything in triathlon?

TH Oh, you meant triathlon performances. Well, in 1989, I got into the elite GB team for the European Championships but promptly crashed whilst descending a mountain.

MT Now, that’s funny as I went to the Europeans on the Elite team that year and also crashed on the same steep downhill.

TH I was as pretty high up in the field until the crash, which spoilt it a bit but I did get a really fast ride in the ambulance.

MT So what went well?

TH I finished third overall in the 1989 BTA series and won three of the series races. I was pretty pleased to run a 2:30 marathon weighing in at a rather sturdy 13st 5lbs. Also, I ran the London to Brighton in 6 hrs 30 mins. (54 miles) and at the age of 38 I ran a PB of 31:25 in the Brighton 10k.

MT Good running times, for a swimmer. You worked hard at the triathlon but most people remember you for getting triathlon famous was when you went on the Gladiators. What was that like?

TH My girlfriend at the time had secretly filled out an application form and sent it in. Surprisingly I got a try out. That day I had to drive to Gloucester, do the National Duathlon Championships, then drive to London and do the fitness test and show interview. Before the British TV version came out, we used to come home late on a Saturday night after a few beers, get a take-away and watch the American Gladiators. Being rather drunk I think I remember making comments about how rubbish it looked and, of course, how I could do so much better. You know how it is, man + beer + testosterone = leery statements! I guess I didn’t learn from the quadrathon episode!

MT It seems that beer is at the root of your sport.

TH Yeah, I do like a few jars. I must say though, it was good fun. Another thing that amazed me is that it is crazy how people recognise you from just a one hour TV show. After the series had been screened I remember walking through London and some builder on a scaffold tower shouted "Gladiators". I looked up at him and he had his thumb up and continued to shout, "Never mind Trace, you nearly had him". (Yeah, I lost by the way!) Four years later as I was dozing on a beach lounger in Antigua, three kids came up to ask for my autograph. They even remembered my name ... and I was going bald by then!!

MT You added such colour to the sport, but why did you stop triathlon?

TH In 1993 I made a schoolboy error. My running club, Brighton and Hove AC, had entered a team into the Poole marathon. We had a good chance of winning. There were only three of us with three to count. The day before the race I got a real bad sore throat, but I didn’t want to let my buddies down so I decided to run. At mile eight my throat closed up and I nearly passed out. A blood test a week later revealed Glandular Fever. I was forced to stop training for two years. Game over at the top end of the sport. However during this time, I fell in love with an incredible girl called Viv and just wanted to settle down, buy a house and get a dog or two, you know!

MT What did you do until now? I have heard that you have been through a very tough and emotional time and this was your motivation for staring up again

TH Well, Viv and I bought a little cottage in Rottingdean, overlooking the sea. It needed lots of work. Viv had fallen in love with it and I was very keen on the DIY front. We also got a little puppy, a Clumber Spaniel called Dudley, then an Italian Spinone called Dave, and then a Pyrenean Mountain dog called Dillan. They were our kids, as Viv suffered from Cystic Fibrosis childbirth would have been very dangerous. Every time she got broody, we got another dog. Viv was 26 and had kept herself very fit and religiously performed her gruelling physiotherapy routine everyday. This involved hitting her chest so that she was able to cough up the fluids that would not drain naturally from her lungs. This would take a couple of hours everyday. (CF is terrible illness that gradually stops the lungs from working as each infection renders that part of the lung dysfunctional). Between helping Viv with her physio, walking the dogs, re-building the house and working, it didn’t leave much time for any thing else.

When Viv turned 32 her lungs were very bad. The physio routine was taking up to six hours a day as her lungs were so damaged. A lung transplant was our only hope. After waiting for two years Viv received her crucial transplant. Tragically, she died a week later in intensive care. We had been engaged for just over eight years.

MT I am sorry, I can only imagine how painful that must be, but that wasn’t all was it?

TH I spent the following four years just trying to get by. A year before losing Viv, whilst cycling to work, a car rammed into me. I was told that the injuries were so severe, I’d never train again. We had also lost both Dillan and Dudley (two of our dogs) but Dave was still going strong and helped me pull through this very dark time.

MT Can you let us know why you have started up again and what you want to achieve this time round?

TH I was determined to try to get back to some kind of training and spent years concentrating on inner core strength and stability. Eventually it paid off and I was able to cycle a bit. Then jog, then swim. I completed a couple of races in 2006 but still suffered some pain. I took another year out and focussed again on re-hab. Sadly, Dave the dog had to be put down in November 07. This again has left a huge void. I found that hard exercise was a way to release the feelings that I felt due to the loss. In doing so, I realised that I could once again train flat out without pain, which has resulted in me becoming fairly fit. I looked at my times and compared them to the age group world champs for both triathlon and duathlon. They are pretty close so I thought it would be good to have a go at both.

MT As well as your personal goals you are also doing this for others, aren’t you?

TH I also have set a goal to obtain as much awareness as I can for organ transplant. If you read this, and want to register online to be a donor so that you do not have to carry a card, log onto www.uktransplant.org.uk or telephone the Organ Donor Line on 0845 60 60 400). I also intend to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis and Cancer Research.

I am not sure how I am going to approach all of this yet. I am currently speaking to a TV production company who are interested in making a documentary about my life with Viv, the accident, how I recovered against the odds, coping with the bereavement, and the goal to become a World age group champion and how I am going about it. This would certainly be a great vehicle for awareness. It would definitely gain maximum impact if I could win a world title. This is my motivation, the thought that gets me out of bed at 5am every day to do the hurt thing.

MT Are you getting any help now?

TH Being out of triathlon and generally all sports for so long and having my main focus on looking after Viv, it has left me without many sporting friends. Most of my old training partners have retired. I met a great chap called Tony who was managing the Esporta Health and Racquets Club in Brighton. Tony wanted to start an Esporta triathlon club so I gave him a hand. We have only just registered and have around 40 members so far. 2XU are supplying our kit and I am pleased to see that there is a nice little pink and white two piece. (Yeah OK, it's womens, but hey ho, if it fits why not, eh?)

It has been great to meet motivated people who are as excited about triathlon as I was when I got hooked all those years ago. I get a real sense of satisfaction in trying to help them develop their skills. I have also got myself back onto the track with Brighton & Hove AC and am trying really hard to mix it with the fast boys. It's all coming together and I ran a PB for a half marathon last week (only 72 mins but it is pre-season and not bad at 45!).

My buddy Martin, who has The Bike Store in Worthing has sorted me out with a fantastic new carbon time trial machine. So vastly different to the dayglo low profile that I rode in 89. Yeah, the most enjoyable thing of all is to meet new people who are so keen. It really motivates me. A very good mate and generally fantastic bloke once told me, “You can’t have too many friends”.

MT I will second that, it is all my friends in the sport that keep me going. Thank you for your time.

TH Thank you for helping me publicise my charities. If you read this and want to say hello at the races, please do, it’s good to talk!

If you would like to donate to Tracy's cause please visit www.justgiving.com/traceharris (Tracy said that the more money raised, the brighter the pink kit will become ... and possibly smaller!)