What's possible?

This Blog isn't my usual self indulgent rubbish about me. This is all about a mukka of mine who I've mentioned in passing before as we coach together now.

My old mate Ski, or to use his given name Tony Skehan. He's having a bit of a hard time at the moment for reasons I won't go into, usually I won't mention personal stuff on my Blog but seeing this photograph below I thought I'd big him up a bit as it is cycling related.

Ski is the cyclist looking a bit red in the face 2nd from the right with the yellow lensed sun glasses.

Just a bit of "how I know Ski" info, we joined the Royal Signals on the same day too many years ago and just kind of identified a kindred spirit thing going on. We both like the same things, we both played rugby to county level, Ski for North Midlands me for Warwickshire, we both played in the front row of the scrum at Hooker and we both love doing all things active and outdoors. We both are now Rugby Coaches, Ski was best man at my wedding and I've been best man at all of his.

We do have some differences though, Ski was always a very good runner, I was crap, I could just get by without making a complete fool of myself during Squadron runs, he would fly pretty much up the front, I'm not a bad a swimmer, Ski could barely float, something about negative bouyancy, and most relevant to this Blog, Ski and me loved cycling, although he would have you believe he's not too great at it. Ok he does crash off road a fair bit as I recall, but that just means he's going for it!

This is just how crap he is. The photo above is the end of the London Paris Cycle ride pedalled in aid of the BHF every August, Ski pedalled it with his works team. The idea is to do it in relays each rider doing a stint or a distance. Ski did the lot from start to finish on his 20 year old GT MTB with my old slick tyres fitted. His prep consisted of bringing his bike round to mine for a service, me getting him some spares from my LBS and him doing a 30 miler to Warwick and back where he was on the clock and didn't make it due a puncture. That was it, after probably 10 to 15 years off the bike!

So next time we think something is not possible, try remembering a fat knackered late forties has been who jumped on his bike with no prep and cycled to Paris from London on an old MTB with second hand slicks.

Oh and apologies if you're my Facebook friend and you're getting bizarre photos with various thong and Mankini wearing rugby players in the photos...Say no more...