Mark Osborne - Founder

I studied Sports and Recreation management at the college of St Paul and St Mary (Cheltenham, now Gloucester University), my main sports were rugby in the winter, playing for the college 1st XV, and athletics in the summer, competing for the college team and completing my first marathon (and 2nd and 3rd).

  After completing the course I secured a job in Saudi Arabia, initially as a windsurfing instructor (3 years on a beach 4 times a week, how good is that!). During this time I was promoted to sports manager where I started instructing swimming, tennis, squash and circuit training, and organised nationwide squash and tennis competitions. I played rugby for Jeddah Rugby Club and completed the Jeddah Marathon. My greatest achievement there was the organisation of the first Jeddah triathlon, way back in 1986 which I also participated in, coming in 2nd.     

Returning to the UK I started work at the prestigious Hogarth Health Club employed as Senior Physiologist. Playing rugby for Twickenham RFC 1st XV, retiring in 1991. Always a serious Triathlete I competed over the Olympic distance (1500m swim, 40 km cycle and 10k run). And eventually moving up to the ironman distance (2.5 mile swim 113 mile cycle and 26.2 mile run). (Too embarrassed to say the time it took to finish.) I have completed the London marathon twice achieving a best time of 3.14.00; I was trying to finish less than 3 hours, next time! Also competed in the British indoor rowing championships, (6:42 for the 2000m).

My main activities are now taking cycling tour holidays, 2 week to travel the south west corner of Australia, and in 2006. 10 days travelling both ways across Greece and up the Albanian border camping covering 1000km.  

It was during this time, on cycling holidays to Greece that I came up with the idea of Sparta Fitness Holidays. I felt that if I was happy to exercise abroad on holiday, there must be others who would be interested. The exact venue was always hard to find and eventually during one tour I came upon Candili, - although not in Sparta, the Sparta name stuck.

  I now live in Oxford and work as a freelance personal trainer in London, mainly at Cannons gyms in Bloomsbury and Cannon Street. I will also train private clients in their houses.