I’ve been a jack of all trades, master of none when it comes to sport throughout my entire life. Taking part in football, tennis, cricket, golf since I could walk, you name it I basically did it!
However, nowadays I’ve mainly focused on running and cycling over the last ten years. Taking on marathons, cycling sportives and shorter distance running races to maintain my fitness and keep my competitive juices flowing.
After suffering from sciatica in 2020 during lockdown (I’m 30 going on 70), I’ve tried to make an effort to improve my flexibility and mobility as that injury was a real wake up call that I can no longer just chill on the sofa after a long ride as my back and hamstring slowly seize up.
With any luck if I can improve my overall flexibility it may also help me get faster over shorter and longer distances, as well as keep away any lingering injuries.
Depending on work and weather (I’m a very fair-weather cyclist…) I’d usually train three times a week.
Living in the heart of Brighton I typically run along the seafront on Hove Promenade, up on the South Downs or cycle through the Sussex lanes. Or head to my local gym for strength and conditioning training.
Listen to your body, people are way too regimented following training plans and sticking to a schedule even though it could be breaking their body down physically or psychologically. Then everything eventually just builds up over time and you break. If you don’t make the start line you aren’t going to make the finish line.
Just give it a go, I’ve tried pretty much every sport going and have been good at some, terrible at others but usually enjoyed them all, but I wouldn’t have known unless I gave it a shot.
I think it’s the personal goal of always being able to better yourself, whether it be getting a PB for a race or a climb or just feeling fit and healthy within yourself after a Saturday morning parkrun.
Hopefully getting a PB in the Brighton Marathon in April and completing the London to Paris bike ride with the SiS team in July.
There have been a few which are all related to sport but in different areas, firstly I’ve finished every Brighton Marathon that has been run to date (11 and counting) which means a lot as it is my home city and love the feeling of marathon day.
I am also a published author of ‘The Official Tour de France Road Cycling Training Guide’, which was published in August 2020, something which was kind of a bucket list moment to write a book.
It sounds cheesy, but my mum and dad have had a major influence over my sporting life. I dare to think how many hours they have both spent helping me train, driving me to sports clubs or supporting me from the side-lines for every single sport I have taken part in during my life.
The SiS Beta Fuel sachets have been like rocket fuel when marathon training or on long bike rides in the French Alps or Pyrenees and the PhD Vanilla Crème Diet Whey is the ideal post session recovery shake.
I’ve used their products throughout my life and respected the company before I even started working for them. So now that I do work for them it is the perfect environment to be in for any sport’s mad person with like-minded colleagues.
SiS (Science in Sport®) PLC is a leading sports nutrition business that develops, manufactures and markets science-led nutrition products for professional athletes, sports and fitness enthusiasts and the active lifestyle community. SiS (Science in Sport®) PLC (company number 08535116) was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in London, EC1N. Our manufacturing facility is in Blackburn, and all our products are thoroughly tested and certified through the Informed-Sport programme
