AN intrepid trio of fitness fanatics from York are taking on an alpine ski marathon.

Holgate-based fitness instructor Steve Priestley and two of his clients, Anna Fairley, of Poppleton Road, and Siobhan Farnsworth, of Monkgate, are taking on the 26-mile Engadin Skimarathon race in the Swiss Alps on March 10.

Former radio presenter Steve, of Holgate Road, left radio to start his own fitness business Cool Run Mums which aims to get women running and walking while their children are at school.

Mr Priestley, 42, said: “I have done the race six times before so I know what to expect.

“It is gruelling as it is essentially doing a marathon on cross-country skis, but there are compensations – the scenery all around you is absolutely spectacular.

“Both of the women are pretty much novices.

“I think Siobhan has done a bit of downhill skiing before, but this is very different.

“There are about 11,000 people doing the race and I know for a fact we are the only people doing it from York.

“Although everyone taking part already has a good base level of fitness, we are all notching up the training to be in the best possible shape when the gun goes off at 9.30am on Sunday, March 10.”

He said the group has been doing lots of running and hill walking to build up their leg muscles as well as improving their upper body strength, but the real training will kick in once they fly out to Switzerland.

Mr Priestley said: “We are going out before the event to acclimatise and do as much training on skis as we can before the event.”

He said he would like to make the trip an annual event and will be charting his progress on his Facebook page, facebook.com/coolrunmums