How did you find out about the TWE Group sports programme?

Sometimes in life people realise that they must look after their health. I developed this idea around my fortieth birthday. That is when I started to run and shortly afterwards TWE opened up the opportunity to start power training with a coach from the fitness school. It was an opportunity which I gladly took up and would not want to miss out on today, as the programme has steadily expanded. Now anyone can indulge in their sporting interest depending on their inclination, mood and opportunity. 

Which sport do you do with TWE?

In the "weights room", on the mountain bike or racing bike, in or on the water, or simply running. My sporting prowess is not particularly impressive, but nonetheless broad and I find a nice opportunity to combine a large amount of it in triathlon. I also like to check out other sports now and then. This is how I have started to enjoy archery lately. Unfortunately I often lack the time to follow all the interests with the intensity I would like to give them. Maybe I should have a chat with my line manager about this sometime. 

Is there a reason why you started doing sport?

Like many of us, I did sport when I was young. I played football and went swimming now and then. When I started my career and then in later working life, sport was pushed to the background more and more. Over time I noticed that the condition of my body became worse. My desk bound job did the rest and back pain became a daily occurrence. When I stopped smoking in 2009, I needed a valve to cope with the withdrawal effects and thus ended up running. Almost at the same time, TWE developed its cooperation with the fitness school and, spurred on by the first success when running, I immediately registered for fitness training. Here, I realised that doing sport in a group is much more fun and best of all was that I could manage my back problems so much better thanks to targeted training.

How has the in-house sport programme helped you to integrate sport into your life?

I think it is difficult for anyone to integrate sport programmes consistently into their everyday life. The good intentions at new year, or the desire to have a bikini figure quickly go over board during the general business of work. Without realising and suddenly, the year is over or you find yourself looking like a white whale in a bikini on the beach and you ask yourself what went wrong.  There just isn't an institution to tell you repeatedly which resolutions were made and what goal one actually had in mind. This is when a sports group or fitness school comes into play. There is always a colleague or coach who asks why you haven't attended the last training session or you are kindly reminded - if necessary also sometimes more directly -  when the next event is taking place. This is possible because of the current broad programme range of in-house sporting options at TWE. 

What success could you record so far?

I don't do sport to win medals or trophies. I am just not talented enough for that. My success, if you can call it that, is that my mind and body feels good. I am happy to get there and to have the feeling of having finished a training schedule.   

Have you got a special target?

I still want to be active in sport even when I am very old, so I'm training for that today. Moreover I hope, that - provided I hold out long enough - I manage to stand on the podium for my age group one day, even if it is only in the AG 80 or 90.  

Is there any sport, which you would like to do as part of the TWE sport programme, that has not been offered so far? 

Our programme at the Emsdetten site is already very broad and is further enriched with more types of sport by annual events. In my point of view, there is nothing lacking. I would, however, be in favour of existing ambitions growing further at other sites of the group, so that similarly good sporting opportunities are offered to those we find at Emsdetten.