Back to the future

Question: What do I share with David Schwimmer (‘Friends’ actor), Nelly (American rap artist - aside) and Danny Cipriani (English international rugby player)? No, I didn’t go to acting school to learn offensive rap songs and play the odd game of rugby at lunchtimes. What we all share is our birthday this week on 2nd November.

Yes, on this day 41 years ago I popped into the world. 41 years! That’s a long, long time - a time even before Bill Gates took over the world. I certainly don’t feel 41, although what I’m meant to feel like at that age heaven knows. You’re as old as you feel, as the saying goes, and I don’t feel at all bad really.

What are 40-somethings meant to do with their spare time? I suppose many seek the comfort of their living room, a TV and a 4-pack of beers each evening, but I, thankfully, am not from that school of thought. This year I took up a few new interests which I suppose should be the reserve of the much younger 20-something oiks. There’s skiing. Then there’s mountain biking. And of course I have continued my love of and participation in triathlon.

Supposedly the chosen sport for the young and uber-fit, triathlon isn’t necessarily a sport just for kids. I heard recently that a person reaches his highest aerobic fitness levels in his 30’s and 40’s (not too sure about the aforementioned couch-potatoes of course), although whether or not this statement is true, I don’t know.

Also, grumpy old men of my age do tend to be more financially stable than those younger whipper-snappers and what better stuff to spend all that disposable income on than the go-faster stripes and carbon kit which gives one a few seconds head-start on a triathlon race track, and this is what I did last year with the purchase of a completely new tri-specific wardrobe. But of course that’s the same for many of my counterparts and this does mean, therefore, that my age group is a very tough one. Take a walk around a transition area for the 40-45 age group and you will see some spectacular bling on display. Cervellos abound, you just take a gulp and hope that they puncture or something. But it does make you push yourself to your limits week after week after week. No time to sit on your laurels. This makes the whole thing all very exciting.

This week I did another mountain bike session, this time with Alex around Brickhill Woods, and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. I did a swim too, but again very little else. That’s all about to change now that I am at the end of my post-season recovery month and am busy writing my training plan for next season. No more swiping the snooze button and rolling over for an extra few minutes sleep.



Stay with me for the next few months and see how I get on. If you see me slacking, please PLEASE give me a kick up my 41 year old backside and a ‘rap’ around the knuckles – Nelly-stylie!!