Ian Thompson

Ian Thompson
Main Beach Villager

• 80 years in the rear vision mirror
• Active lifetyler
• Cyclist by morning
• Draught ASAHI man by evening
• Yoga by any other name
• Read Ian’s 50,000km milestone

by Ian Thompson
18th November 2022

Thank You, Steve, Claire, and Rita,
WOW, the October edition covered everything that a Villager and/or Visitor to Main Beach would wish to know and more.

The Newsletter allows all Villagers to have a say and keep in touch, personally I forward on to family and friends, some whom are interstate and the feedback is just so positive and makes them part of our Village even to the point I will be bold enough to say they are envious of our lifestyle.

The following is an update from an article in Villager in July 2021 where I, Ian Thompson gave an insight into my bicycle riding experience as a MAMIL (mature-aged man in Lycra) who clocked up 50,000 km just prior to my 79th birthday.
CYCOLOGY, yes bicycle cycling, and yes another year has gone by, and having reached and celebrated my 80th. I have just clocked over 63,000 km more than I have done in our car over the same time frame. This based on my average speed would be around 13,230,000 pedal rotations (Cadence).

Why? Well, I decided to do one more Brisbane-Gold Coast 100 km ride, with some 6,000 other riders, and to do this I considered one’s age and decided to increase my ride daily distance from 40 km to 50 km five days a week. The desire or motivation to do the ride once again came about from a book given to me by my son Justin, namely Ultramarathon MAN-Confessions of a runner whom is an Internationally recognised endurance athlete who for some reason had the desire to push his body and mind to inconceivable limits. Achievements too many to list but some examples, the first marathon ever run to the South Pole, upon reaching the marker pole which is painted with red and white stripes, yes just like the 💈 barbers pole, he actually undressed and ran naked around the pole just to claim he ran around the world naked, think about that, he did many other marathons and a 200-mile run across Death Valley which is normally a twelve-person relay, which he ran solo of course. The conditions and temperatures go from one extreme to another.

The intro to the book claimed it may assist one to push past their perceived limits or simply jump-start their sedentary life and inspire even the most comfortable couch potatoes, this confused me somewhat, as for the life of me I failed to understand why me for this book, so before calling my son Justin I decided to first read the book.

The book did motivate me and as I ride for hopefully improved health, fitness, and lifestyle, the read more than served its purpose as after some twenty-plus years I have dropped one waist size, I am now a 36er, and lost 6kg, diet and lifestyle has not changed other than each meal is a smaller serving, the bicycle and rider remain well lubricated and hydrated. I have tried many sports drinks over the years to avoid being dehydrated and other than water I am currently on Draught ASAHI best six to eight hours AFTER riding.

The one change I did make to my routine was to incorporate Pilates/Yoga-type maneuvers which in my language is stretching, the benefits after six months were beyond one’s imagination, flexibility improved tenfold and my riding strength benefited greatly. This came about through a visit to a Physio for a minor lower back problem, where the Physio suggested that I need to improve my core strength, which in my interpretation meant I needed to reduce my belly size and turn it into a six-pack, which I am on the way to achieving.

Thank you Justin for the book.

The bicycle ride Brisbane-Gold Coast was scheduled and cancelled on two occasions due to weather conditions, this was of little concern as my fitness level had improved, I ride for enjoyment and to improve my fitness.

The reason my son gave me the book was simply because he thought I would enjoy the reading, little do my family know that when we welcome them in the New Year that’s what they will be reading while I enjoy the Grandchildren. I am hoping that they also will enjoy the book and in turn, motivate them.

I am an early morning person and leave home around 5 am, sunrise at this time of the year cycling out to Paradise Point and back via The Spit, which at this time of the year is just paradise, a real hidden treasure, and is a must for all. After circuiting The Spit and riding out to the end of the promenade I head back home to Main Beach.

I have met so many different people over the years with good news stories as passing each other that time of day one greets by saying good morning and this leads to ongoing conversations just about everything. I have a coffee at Paradise Point and/or Labrador, the same people at the same time and coffee conversations start, I must say the am Coffee Club is somewhat like the pm beverage meeting though the am I tend to remember.

This brings me to the point of why I am discussing myself, the reason being Steve Holmes is also a keen cyclist in comparison I am a MAMIL bicycle rider the difference being Steve’s average speed is considerably more than mine. We both enjoy riding and are into CYCOLOGY and over a beverage, Steve suggested I do an article. I guess we could call ourselves CYCOLOGISTS maybe?
CYCOLOGY is actually a brand of cyclist clothing, they have a range of colourful cycling gear which is highly visible on the road, a real consideration in my opinion. I see numerous cyclists riding in black and/or dark colours in the early hours before sunrise. Why?

The facilities for activities we have as residents of Main Beach right at our door are too many to list, but here are just a few;
Yoga, Pilates, fitness centres-Gyms, swimming surf/ pools, lawn bowls, croquet, tennis, etc, all are within walking distance, only two I can suggest where you have to drive to are golf and horse riding. In many of the above, you would not only receive the benefits, but you will also be supporting our local business economy.

I guess should only one person be encouraged to participate in some form of activity/ exercise after reading the above then I have achieved something.

Good Health
Ian Thompson