Name: David Trahair.
Suburb: Manly West.
What’s your business? I’m the manager of Pace at Sleeman, the fitness centre located at Sleeman Sports Complex in Chandler. Our motto is ‘Fitness at Your Pace’. We strive to assist our members in their pursuit of optimal health and wellbeing. We guarantee that no matter who you are, and no matter what your health and fitness needs are, we can help you get on pace!
Do you have any fun/interesting stories about your job? Working in such a dynamic multi-purpose facility keeps my job interesting. I get the opportunity to influence and/or directly assist all members of the community to achieve incredible health, fitness and athletic outcomes, and thus help them stand atop of their own personal dais.
What’s your favourite local dine-in and take-away? I am always on the hunt for a quality caffeine hit. There are numerous cafés to choose from in the area. Taste My Bean (Chandler), Le Bistro (Manly), along with Frankie’s and Pelican’s Nest at Wynnum are my regular providers of choice. I also enjoy Thai food. My favourite Thai restaurant in the area is Ocean Thai at Manly West.
Best local activity: I have been running and doing triathlon for 25 years. My best local activity is Parkrun on Saturday mornings. It’s a free 5km run held at hundreds of locations throughout Australia and around the world. It’s a great organisation with fantastic volunteers and enthusiastic participants. Wynnum, Minnippi and Capalaba are my most frequent Parkrun locations visited.
What was the last book you read? Sucking the Marrow Out of Life – The John McLean Story. John became a paraplegic in a cycling accident at age 22. He emerged from the trauma determined to regain all he had lost – and more. Among other achievements, John became the first wheelchair athlete to complete the Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon.
What was the last TV show or movie you watched? Boy Swallows Universe. It was quite a confronting series, and it was great to see some Australian content filmed right here in Brisbane – they even did some filming for the show at Sleeman Sports Complex. It definitely brought back memories of the 1980s.
Is there anything you’d like to see happen in the local area? It would be great to see the waterfront pathways, parks and facilities get a refurb, including the wading pool area. Anything that encourages people to be more active is worth the investment.
Is there a local business/community group/club you’d like to give a shout-out to? The Blood, Sweat & Beers running/tri group. Al and Verne and the crew help locals improve their running and assist in their preparation for running events. They are super encouraging! Also, the organising committee for the Manly Anzac Day March and Service. Lest We Forget.
