Meet Teesside's oldest Ironman...

BBC Tees follows Arthur on his journey to the Ultra Triathlon in Mexico

He trains for five hours a day, he's 71 years old, and he's taking part in one of the worlds toughest sporting events.

Arthur Puckrin, from Middlesbrough, is competing in a Quadruple Ironman challenge in the World championships in Mexico.

He's doing four "Ironmans" in eight days. A single Ironman is 26 miles running, 112 miles cycling, and 2.4 miles swimming.

Arthur is the oldest known person to complete an Ultra Triathlon.

Read the latest on Arthur's challenge in Mexico

So far he's competed in five Deca Ironmans (ten Ironmans in ten days) and six Triple Ironman challenges (six Ironmans).

He didn't, however, just wake up one day and complete a triathlon he says he started a long time ago with short distances.

He didn't do a triathlon until he was 50 years old:

"I started off small, swimming two lengths in the baths, running around the block for about 400 yards, and cycling two or three miles.

"You just build it up, there's nothing to it... If I can do it anyone can do it."

Arthur's Ironman training regime

Arthur's sporting background extends from competing in the World Bridge Championships through to the World Coal Carrying Championships (running for a mile with a sack of coal on your back).

He even took part in the Wolsingham Horse Trials where he requested to go head-to-head with 50 horses, beating all of them over 44 miles.

"I thought, 'well I could do that' so I contacted the organiser and asked to race the horses, he said yes, but I think he ended up regretting it as I beat them all... I was never asked back anyway!"

Arthur's wife is going with him to Monterrey in Mexico to support him as he attempts the Quadruple Ironman challenge. He says she keeps him going and doesn't seem to mind the hours he spends in the gym, or out on his bike:

"She's glad to get me out of the house and of course she gets these trips all over the world. She feeds me and keeps me going.

"She's the worlds best support group."

Arthur's bizarre Ironman anecdotes

Arthur already holds around 15 world records, his latest is for swimming the longest distance in the 12 hour International Swimming Championships in Zurich in January 2009. He says this Quadruple definitely won't be his last Ultra Triathlon and he will most likely try another Deca Ironman next year.