A World Championship Win

Thanks to Staying 20 Years Ahead of Disease

Last Sunday, I was privileged to win the UCI Masters Mountain Bike World Championship in the 70+ category. That's my 5th Rainbow jersey and gold medal - four in the Olympic-style cross-country and one in the marathon distance. While winning any race is a thrill, this one carries particular weight—not just for the result, but for what it represents.

https://my.raceresult.com/340598/results

Steve Moffatt of NZ, had a fantastic win in the 75+, and my longtime friend, Mike Hunn, performed creditably in the 60-64 category.

Mike Hunn (black top), on the tail of MTB legend, Tinker Juarez (Tinks - red shoes)

As the defending champion, I came in with a target on my back. The field, while small (as you’d expect in the 70+ bracket), was stacked with tough, experienced competitors who’ve spent a lifetime in the sport. These are the survivors—the toughest roosters of the flock. Guys like Roger, with a long list of age group titles and world records, and Marcello, a hardened racer from Italy. Both had come second to me two or three times each in various races, and must be getting tired of doing so. Neither were there to make up numbers. They were there to win. This race was a true test, and nothing was guaranteed until the final line was crossed.

What made the difference for me this time was structure—the Lydiard Method. This timeless approach, developed by New Zealand coaching legend Arthur Lydiard, remains my blueprint, as ever, but this time I applied its principles more disciplined than ever. It’s how my sister Lorraine trained across her 28 years of international representation as a track, cross-country, road and marathon running, including four Olympic Games, and with an Olympic bronze medal. And it’s how my friend and inspiration, Rod Dixon, won Olympic bronze and the New York Marathon. I can add the same thanks to so many greats that I brushed shoulders, and ran with, including, but not only, Allison Roe, Dick Quax, Peter Snell, Mike Ryan, John Davies, and John Walker. Lorraine, now coaching both athletes and coaches, still guides and inspires me with the same wisdom she drew on as an elite runner. Rod’s energy, positivity and fierce belief in smart training continues to keep me grounded and focused on what counts, including enjoying the journey, and the challenge. I told them both, before this race, that I was channeling their spirit, as well as my recall of the way they trained in preparation for an international competition, like the Olympics, so many years ago.

But training structure alone doesn’t win races. At my age—and in truth, at any age—the real key is staying healthy.

My personal motto is to stay 20 years ahead of disease. The reality is, we all have disease quietly percolating inside of us. For example, our bodies produce defective cells constantly—any of which could evolve into cancer if left unchecked. The immune system is our front line of defense, identifying and destroying these threats. But only if we look after it. That means respecting our Godscript—our natural genetic blueprint—by nourishing it rather than interfering with its function. No genetic tampering, no silver bullets - no mRNA drugs. Just daily discipline in food, movement, recovery, and purpose.

This philosophy of body, heal thyself, and food be thy medicine, has kept me not only racing, but thriving. Leading into this event, I hit a lifetime personal best on Wellington’s infamous Tip Track climb—the best time I’ve posted in over 40 years. That’s not just fitness. That’s decades of conscious investment in my health, after making many mistakes earlier on, but learning from them. It’s what I teach, and it’s what I live by. I was gob-smacked by that Tip Track result. I am in my 70's and still getting faster. How could that be? The stopwatch doesn't lie.

I also used local club events—cyclocross and MTB—as preparation, not just physically but tactically. It’s in these races I test Plans A, B, C, and D, because no championship race unfolds neatly. You need to be ready, flexible, and calm under pressure. The course last Sunday demanded all of that—technical descents, steep climbs, slippery roots, sudden pinch-points. It was proper Olympic-style MTB. And it was glorious.

But here’s the thing: sport is just a game. It must never become too serious. To me, these races are metaphors for life. They teach us how to fall and rise. To suffer and still smile. To think fast and act bravely. This is the Freeranger Ethos: embrace adversity, challenge comfort, take responsibility for your life, and grow stronger through it all.

And on that note, I’m proud to say that I’ll soon be launching a new website and health service grounded in the Freeranger philosophy. This is an idea that has been on and off for 20 years—but since COVID, it has come of age. The time has come. People are hungry for real health, honest conversations, resilience, and freedom. Freerangers is not just about nutrition or fitness. It’s about reclaiming sovereignty over your body and your life. It’s about building a movement—one grounded in ancestral wisdom, modern science, and hard-won experience. The Freerangers mascot is the cheeky, intelligent and resilient NZ parrot, the Kaka.

To the organizers and volunteers of this year's Masters World Championships—thank you.

You gave us a world-class event and the platform to compete at our best. To my fellow competitors—thank you for the challenge, the camaraderie, and the uncompromising fire you bring. And to everyone who’s followed my journey—thank you for your support and belief.

This win is not just about racing. It’s about proving that age is not a depressing decline—it’s just another chapter. If we train wisely, live purposefully, and stay well ahead of illness, we don’t just survive—we thrive.

Here’s to staying 20 years ahead. And to living, racing, and healing the Freeranger Way.

More Information

• The Karapoti MTB race was perfect to motivate building a huge base of stamina, as well as hardness: https://www.karapoti.co.nz/

• The official UCI Masters website: https://mtbmastersworldscairns.com.au/

• For timeless coaching wisdom: https://www.lydiardfoundation.org/

• For the safest way to race a bike regardless of age: https://www.huttcross.co.nz/basic-01

• Support your club (here's mine which I joined in 1978): https://www.pnp.org.nz/

• For the best Tyres with the best advice: https://flowtyres.co.nz/