Creative writing submission from the Rest Less community – submit your entry here.
I suppose that those of us who find ourselves on our own in later life think back over our lives. Dating is a bit scary – who’d want me? What would I say? So, I reflect, retract, and look back.
In my career I’m lucky to have had many jobs. Most have been in building and have left a legacy and won awards. My team won local and national competitions and plaudits from fellow architects. I never realised I’d been such a success until a 30 year reunion at my old school of architecture. Here, old friends said, “you did that…” and “wow, I’d have loved to have had that brief – lucky you.”
That’s behind me now. Yes, I’ve built my own house, I bought my parents’ council house, and extended my first daughter’s house to make it her dream home. But, getting grumpier with age, I thought I needed a new ambition to stop myself from reflecting on how things were getting worse for me generally.
I was never a gym bunny and I hated all sorts of sports at school. But, in my 50s, I began to play five-a-side football for work. Then, multiple disasters occurred. A bad tackle after a misjudged work lifting act led to a core accident and an incorrect diagnosis. I had a bad knee injury (a damaged cruciate ligament) and couldn’t walk. Plus, I had multiple hernia which were possibly life threatening.
Unsafe on site now and a dangerous person on scaffolding, I had to retire at 60. I felt my life had ended. I was told I had no chance of hernia repair for many many years on the NHS as I was not of working age. I didn’t get a pension at 60.
So, I went private. This was the best £3,000 I’ve ever spent. My physio afterwards was circuit training which I loved. I was twice the age of most people there and, after my knee surgery, I had a goal to get fit.
After a year they wanted to be rid of me, but I wanted to stay. I faked that I couldn’t jump and in the end I was offered a free course to learn and teach body pump (lifting weights to music) in July 2017.
I passed in November and immediately got a job at the YMCA in Manchester City. I was a success and soon other gigs followed. I learnt yoga, body combat, Stott Pilates, and hyrox Metafit – and taught all those too.
Seven years on and I teach across three gym chains and run eight classes every week which are usually fully booked a week in advance. I just love it. It’s my life now. I’m the oldest man teaching body pump in the UK. Though, not the oldest person as there’s a 77-year-old woman teaching too.
I hope that I’m a role model. I was a MSc PGCE BA MCABE Dip Architect, but am now an advanced Les Mills instructor, boxing trainer, personal trainer, and, best of all, yoga coach. I’m 70 but I feel 30. And I feel that now I could try dating with a new confidence and lots to say.
So, there we are. Find a dream and follow it. My dream earns me more attention every day than I could imagine – I’m so self-confident now. I get told I could be in my 50s. And I earn more than my State Pension. So I’m doubling my salary and get free use of many gyms, pools, saunas, and free clothing too.
I’ll spend another five years at this, I hope, and then I plan to retire. Well, perhaps not retire from yoga…
Below, you can see me after my first single row – note the branches from bank collisions! I also won the first medal of my life in sprint rowing, aged 69, against younger competitors. Yay.
Are you feeling creative? We are proud to have a hugely talented community on Rest Less, which is why we’re so excited to open up a section of the site dedicated to showcasing the wonderful and diverse writing of our members. If you have a piece of creative writing that you’d like to share with the Rest Less community – you can do so here.