I'm Not Ready to be Old! —Chasing Health & Speed After 60
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Time to read 5 min
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Time to read 5 min
Please Note...
This blog and all associated posts will only ever feature products and services that I am using or plan out use throughout this journey. Product/service images with 'BUY NOW' buttons are affiliate links and should you click the link and then make a purchase I will gratefully receive a small commission. These are exclusively payed by the product brand/retailer and NEVER YOURSELF! This blog and it's associated store are my full time-time gig so all commissions will be helping me to pay my way in the world as well as funding this journey, blog and store...
After years of abject denial, turning 60 has somewhat rudely awoken me to the inevitable side effects of growing old. It sucks!! It’s also resurfaced self directed bitterness regarding wasted time and missed/lost opportunities.
The broken (both mental health and physical damage?) is a little more complicated and although I’ll get into both in more detail in future posts, a key contributor to the afore-mentioned ‘bitterness’ is a constant battle with performance anxiety and impostor syndrome, both of which I rarely, if ever, win.
The path obviously has a destination or goal and I have two— the first to complete a full, smooth run down Fort William’s downhill track, the second to be capable of riding the epic Keiran's Line at Glenlivet and the third to race (for the first time) in the 2026 Scottish Downhill Series and not embarrass myself, hence the ‘ Fit and Fast ’.
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It’s not going to be a makeover of an existing program, not one I’ve ever seen anyway. It also won’t be laying claim to any previous training experience(s) and/or expertise, nor make any promises or predictions regarding future outcomes.
I’m simply going to document both my journey and ongoing progress, the good, the bad and the ugly (yes, I am that old!)
Should you keep reading please feel free to -
For obvious reasons this is going to have to be as fun and/or engaging as possible off bike, focused (on the ‘fit and fast’) and effective. It also needs to support a happy, healthy and injury free(ish?) old age without the need for a gym membership or a spare room…
I am going to need help with my riding. It’s been a while and tracks have changed dramatically — in quite a scary way, for someone who doesn’t bounce any where near as well as he used to!
Googling ‘home workout plan’ returned over 420 million results, ‘mountain bike fitness plan’ 29 million so how do you choose one?
Welcome to the stage, mental health! Whilst it‘s been debilitating it’s also responsible for at least one positive trait — an aptitude for, and a love of research and ‘connecting dots’, the more disparate the better. As such I’m searching for a range of existing, complimentary physical activities that I trust will work for me both short, medium and long term. If they appeal to and work for anyone else then that will be a bonus…
I’m currently in the process of collecting dots and things have started to fall in to place. So far a couple are conventional (though are likely to be replaced), the others less so and likely to be as fun as they are performance enhancing, whatever your age. One may even make for an interesting party game with a trip to A&E as the booby-prize !?
All, bar stretching, require a piece of equipment. They’ll take up minimal space and collectively should cost less than 6 months decent gym membership.
The non-conventional exercises are based on 3D movement (or range-of-motion) building stability, balance and strength, both core and global. They will also improve coordination, agility and reflexes so should prove beneficial to both this journey and healthy living thereafter.
Warm-up’s and cool-downs are focused on breathing, flexibility and body control — for starters…
Here’s a wee teaser of what the dots are looking like at the moment -
Vinyasa Yoga - Bending the Unbendable...
Story: The pose emulates the grace and stillness of trees. Trees, vital for life, symbolize growth, stability, and grounding.
Role & Benefits: The Tree Pose is a balance challenge.
Suspension Training
Story: The pose emulates the grace and stillness of trees. Trees, vital for life, symbolize growth, stability, and grounding.
Role & Benefits: The Tree Pose is a balance challenge.
CoolBoard
Story: The pose emulates the grace and stillness of trees. Trees, vital for life, symbolize growth, stability, and grounding.
Role & Benefits: The Tree Pose is a balance challenge.
PRAEP ProPilot
Story: The pose emulates the grace and stillness of trees. Trees, vital for life, symbolize growth, stability, and grounding.
Role & Benefits: The Tree Pose is a balance challenge.
Indian Clubs
Story: The pose emulates the grace and stillness of trees. Trees, vital for life, symbolize growth, stability, and grounding.
Role & Benefits: The Tree Pose is a balance challenge.
Foam Rolling
Story: The pose emulates the grace and stillness of trees. Trees, vital for life, symbolize growth, stability, and grounding.
Role & Benefits: The Tree Pose is a balance challenge.
CoolBoard
Some copy about working your way up to the red ball ? if not already covered alongside the product pic above ...
INDIAN CLUBS
Some copy about clubs and maces ? ancd some promo stuff about Coach Vaughn's videos and E-books
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