With the Rio Olympic Games now in full swing, it seems like the perfect opportunity to utilise some of the inspiring stories and share some of our own.
This article is all about the concept that you’re never too old to compete or to test your limits. Kristin Armstrong has just won the women’s time trial and is an Olympic champion for the third time just before her 43rd birthday. If that’s not inspirational, then what is?
But I know that some may think that using Kristin as an example is not particularly helpful as she’s an elite athlete. So instead, I’d like to introduce you to two mums: Karen and Chris.
First up is Karen. Karen has a big birthday this year. She has ridden a bike for a long time but had never ridden competitively until she decided to have a go last year. This year, she’s been road racing, time trialling and track racing. She’s really improved as the year has progressed and she is a great example of what you can achieve if you decide to take the opportunities open to you.
Next up is Chris. Despite her husband (Ian) and eldest daughter being keen racing cyclists, Chris never really got the cycling bug when she was younger. But after retiring, she took up spinning at the gym, which coincided with Ian getting back on the bike. They then started doing a weekly ride and in February this year, Chris transferred to a road bike, eventually starting to use clipless pedals and going on the local “Legends” ride every Tuesday. Last Sunday, she decided to come along to our race training session, on the understanding that she wouldn’t do any of the mock races. Only she did.
We always use the phrase “the biggest lies are the lies you tell yourself”. If you need inspiration, watch the Olympic Games whilst they’re on the television. And if that doesn’t inspire you, let Karen and Chris be your inspiration instead. Remember, age is just a number.