BADASS AGEING
At Badass Ageing, we want to help people live their best lives. Our online magazine is dedicated to providing you with the latest tips, expert advice, and inspiring stories to help you achieve your fitness and health goals - whatever your starting point.
HERE'S A LITTLE MORE INFO ON US AND WHY WE'RE HERE
MEET THE BADASS AGEING TEAM
SELWYN'S STORY
I was probably lucky. I grew up cycling to school and playing sports and spending the summers swimming in the sea. I must have enjoyed being fit because I’ve never been unfit and I couldn’t imagine being anything else. I suppose that’s why I’ve had a life-long interest in health and fitness.
I take no medication. I almost always sleep well. I like my food, cold beer and red wine. My resting heart rate is below 50. I’ve won national titles as a dinghy sailor, runner and triathlete. And now, well into my 80s, I’m planning to move back up to the Ironman (or at least the 70.3) and see what happens. After all these years, I still love competition and I race most weekends.
When I’m not competing, I’m a journalist, author, speaker and (mainly) classical pianist
And finally, although fitness is well worth having for itself, I see it as a kind of platform for enjoying every single day of my life.
My wife Margaret says exactly the same thing (see below).
MARG'S STORY
I’ll never forget my first run. I was 22, a mother of two, a smoker and asthmatic. The marathon craze was starting and one of my girlfriends said: “Shall we run one?”
A marathon! “I can’t do that,” I told myself. “It’s 26 miles.” But I decided to try myself out and I ran about five kilometres up the road and back. By the time I finished my lungs felt raw and red. I crashed onto the couch, gasping for air.
Shocked, I realised I had to do something about my health. A few months later I gave up smoking and started training in earnest with a group of girls. We finished the first marathon in under four hours, faster than I’d expected. I was hooked and I ran another 20-30 marathons (I lost count) including Dublin, Ostend and Berlin and I completed three Ironman events including the world championships at Kona, Hawaii. I also became a masseuse and a qualified gym instructor.
At the age of 60 I had a hip replacement and now I mainly do 5km parkruns, with the occasional longer effort (see photo). My asthma’s well under control and my hip is fine, provided I don’t try and run too much. I swim three or four times a week and I ride up to a couple of hours on my mountain bike, usually with Selwyn.