John McAvoy has spent 10 years of his life behind bars, at one time deemed one of Britain's most notorious criminals.
John McAvoy has spent 10 years of his life behind bars, at one time deemed one of Britain's most notorious criminals.
Jojo Harper
McAvoy's prison time stretched over two periods for separate armed robbery offenses.
McAvoy's prison time stretched over two periods for separate armed robbery offenses.
Mario Tama/Getty Images South America/Getty Images
For the second, he found himself in a high security unit with the radical Islamic preacher Abu Hamza among others.
For the second, he found himself in a high security unit with the radical Islamic preacher Abu Hamza among others.
ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
But the death of a friend in a getaway car in a robbery made him transform his life through sport.
But the death of a friend in a getaway car in a robbery made him transform his life through sport.
Jojo Harper
It began with punishing sessions on the indoor rowing machine at his prison aided by one of his prison officers.
It began with punishing sessions on the indoor rowing machine at his prison aided by one of his prison officers.
Jojo Harper
He realized he had both an aptitude for suffering and also a lung capacity that helped him set record after record on the rowing machine.
He realized he had both an aptitude for suffering and also a lung capacity that helped him set record after record on the rowing machine.
Jojo Harper
It was then he decided instead to turn his attention away from crime and into training for the ardors of an Ironman.
It was then he decided instead to turn his attention away from crime and into training for the ardors of an Ironman.
Jojo Harper
As an amateur, he found himself surprisingly adept at the punishing discipline and is now taking on the world's best with a sponsor on board.
As an amateur, he found himself surprisingly adept at the punishing discipline and is now taking on the world's best with a sponsor on board.
Jojo Harper
It is a discipline not without its pain but, having spent 10 years behind bars, McAvoy insists such suffering is easier to bear.
It is a discipline not without its pain but, having spent 10 years behind bars, McAvoy insists such suffering is easier to bear.
Jojo Harper
The 33-year-old is of the opinion he would now be dead had he not performed a dramatic U-turn.
The 33-year-old is of the opinion he would now be dead had he not performed a dramatic U-turn.
Jojo Harper
His sights are set on beating the best in Europe next May but his criminal past precludes him from traveling to Hawaii for the World Championships.
His sights are set on beating the best in Europe next May but his criminal past precludes him from traveling to Hawaii for the World Championships.
Jojo Harper
It is both a life and sporting U-turn. Before he started training for Ironman, he could not swim and had not ridden a bike since he was 12.
It is both a life and sporting U-turn. Before he started training for Ironman, he could not swim and had not ridden a bike since he was 12.
Jojo Harper