I think I am someone who has always tried to enjoy life and
the people around me, and had a thirst for adventure. There
is also in me a bit of a drive to continually learn and try to
improve myself. I was blessed with good genes and received
affirmation related to fitness and athleticism at a young age.
I was a competitive gymnast and had supportive parents and
a great coach, which early on gave me a foundation of basic
strength, kinesthetic awareness and confidence to attempt
a lot of different activities. Over the years I have dabbled in
baseball, wrestling, volleyball, mountain biking, canoeing /
kayaking, triathlon and crossfit. I have always chosen active
careers, including various construction jobs, youth work,
personal training and now firefighting. I have always been
fascinated with how the body works and tend to use myself
as a guinea pig trying out workouts and nutrition concepts.
I enjoy helping people and I value the depth of rela-
tionships that come out of doing active things with
others. I recently heard that the biggest issue facing
men over fifty is loneliness. Thankfully, that is not a
concern for me at all because of the amazing fami-
ly and friends around me and the activities that we
do together.
Firefighting is very physical and I see it as imperative that I
stay fit in order to do my work well. There is a tough physical
test as one of the main components to even get on the job.
I got hired when I was fourty-eight, but to get there I had to
outperform a thousand or more other applicants, many of
whom were half my age, so right off the top I had to train
hard just to advance in the recruitment process. The job it-
self can be quite demanding, and there are times when a lot
is at stake so we have to be up for it. We are always carrying
something (or someone), lifting or moving things - our gear
alone adds another fifty pounds to our frame. In the down
times, there is an expectation that we are working out to
maintain and improve our fitness because it is such a key
part of our job. I also have a role within the department as
one of their Peer Fitness Trainers, so that helps keep me on
my toes as well.
Currently my main activity is in the weight room. This sum-
mer, however, I will be joining a group of experienced cy-
clists for a mountain bike trip riding the Canadian portion
of the Great Divide, so I am now putting in a lot more time
on the bike. Having some kind of a goal like that is usually
what helps me keep fit. A decade or so ago I would sign
up for triathlons and compete against my previous times to
keep me motivated to train. Trying to get on with the fire
department was a huge goal that kept me highly focused,
and now the desire to be an exceptional firefighter keeps
me going to the gym. My family plays a big role too - they
are very supportive and active as well. My kids and I had a
great time attending The Great Canadian Fitfest together
recently. They are all great athletes and continually inspire
me. My wife was into quality foods and alternative health
long before it was cool and I believe her influence on what
we eat and how we take care of our bodies plays a huge role
in all of us staying fit.When I was twenty-five I could just jump into anything and
do okay.... not so much any more. The body hurts more, my
knees make funny noises and conditioning feels a lot more
specific. Last weekend I did a 160 km training ride with the
guys I am going biking with this summer and basically got
my butt handed to me. I tend to forget that I am not twen-
ty-five until I do something like that. So at fifty-three I have
to work harder at conditioning for the things I want to do,
I need to warm up properly and spend more time in gener-
al on mobility and fitness. It is true more now than ever at
this stage that if you stop moving, you stop moving. Maybe I
should take up yoga...