PauI ‘Goldie’ Goldsack has recently joined Viceroys, ‘as the realisation has set in that I really do need to get fitter if I want to be more able to enjoy not just watching my children grow up, but also be able to run around with them too. I also had a moment of madness last year and applied for a place in the Ride London 100 cycle race… and guess who got in? I have a mountain bike which I love riding, but I haven’t been out on a road bike for over 25 years (so who knows what I was thinking applying for Ride London!).

Unlike most of you guys and girls I wasn’t all that sporty while at school (think the kid picked last for the football team, and struggling home half way through the next lesson from a cross country run) but watching sport has always been my first love. Football, cricket, cycling, athletics, ice hockey…. the list goes on.

I have done a few 5 and 10K runs in the past, and even finished the Royal Parks Half Marathon a year or two back. I also used to plod round the Bedfont Lakes Parkrun on Saturdays up until my son started football training at the same time.

With the thought in mind of getting out on a road bike I contacted a few local road clubs asking if they had a beginners section,, only for them to be, at best, dismissive. A guy I work with then mentioned that the Viceroys were based in my home town and although a triathlon club, were a friendly bunch and had development road rides…. so here I am.

All I need to do now is attempt to find some pink lycra that I don’t look like a badly stuffed sofa wearing… and actually get out and ride (and maybe run) with you guys.

I can’t swim (more than a length of a pool on holiday) so no fear of seeing me in the water.’

Welcome to the club Paul, there are definitely plenty of us who are social triathletes too – good luck with the ride London 100 training!