Sherriff's passion for running, or "addiction" as he would put it, has caused many injuries for the 37-year-old - in this case it's opened his eyes to other strengths.

"I was doing long distance running, training up for an ultra- marathon last summer - I was also chosen to do the Three Peaks Race on Advantage," Sherriff said.

"But right before that my hips started playing up and the doctor told me that I had to pull up.

"I would have made it if I didn't keep going, silly me, but I kept running and my shins started playing up."

As it happens, Sherriff, who is also the Tamar Times' fishing columnist, had managed to gain three stress fractures in his shins from eager training and was no longer allowed to run.

"Because I wasn't allowed to run anymore the doctor told me to swim and ride, so I jumped on the bike every day - I knew a duathlon was coming up, so I thought `I may as well ride and stop trashing my legs'," he said.

The event was a round in the Australian duathlon championships - the Tasmanian championships.

"It's in three parts - running, cycling, then running," Sherriff said.

"By the end of my first leg I was coming 11th, after that I got on the bike and got up to third place overall."

The competition was in two categories, 14 to 19 year olds and 20 to 39 year olds.

"I had the third fastest bike leg for the day, and I was leading my age group," Sherriff said.

"I had 250 metres to go, but I had had such a long rest without running, two people passed me and I came third overall - the second to pass me was in my age group."

He achieved second place in the Tasmanian championships and realised his strength as a cyclist.

"I really have to do an iron man if I don't get injured - I seem to get injured a lot more than anyone else does, maybe it's my age," Sherriff said.

"I'm in trouble with my family, they don't want me to do it any more - but it's addictive, it's a disease, you always want to go further and faster."