Grey Power November 2018

22
NZ GREYPOWER MAGAZINE » NOVEMBER 2018
Speed Setter
BY LISA POTTER
Roi Speed has chosen
the later years of
life to live up to her
surname. Her retirement
sparked a fresh interest
into what she readily admits
is a most unexpected
direction – particularly for
someone who previously
showed no interest in anything
sporting.
After attending an open
day at Avantidrome (purely
out of interest in seeing
the building and not with
any intention of cycling),
Roi and husband John
(both 71) somehow found
themselves agreeing to
have a try.
“This was after we
looked at the banked corners
inside on the track
and literally said to our
guide that you would have
to have rocks in your head
to ride a bike on that,” she
laughs.
“He talked John and
I into doing a Have a Go
session, and that literally
changed all of our tomorrows.”
Roi and John now ride
on the track three or four
times a week, and are official
track coaches, helping
and encouraging others to
ride.
“As much as the riding
“I never would have dreamed of
achieving something like that, but
it does go to show that regardless
of your age you can always try
something new, set some goals and
achieve them.”
is fantastic for our health,
the social contact with
like-minded people of all
ages is equally important
for us,” says John.
That original Have a Go
day sticks in Roi’s mind
as one of the most exciting
and amazing things
they’ve ever done.
“We were immediately
hooked. It was a real
adrenaline rush.”
When they started riding
on the track, it was
purely for fun, then it became
for fun and fitness as
they started seeing pretty
rapid improvements in
their health and fitness.
“We were never sporty
types and didn’t even own
road bikes.”
The couple went on to
compete in the New Zealand
Age Group Nationals
and World Masters Games
(aged 70) and more recently
Roi set a new World
Hour Record for women
aged 70-75.
They both won national
titles in the 70-75 age
group at the Vantage Windows
& Doors Age Group
Track National Championships
and Roi took home
silver from the World Masters
Games.
“It’s definitely hard to
believe,” she says. “I never
would have dreamed of
achieving something like
that, but it does go to show
that regardless of your age
you can always try something
new, set some goals
and achieve them.”
John and Roi say they
have never been so fit,
and enjoy every moment
After setting a new World Hour Record for women
aged 70-75, Roi Speed with coach Michael van Enter
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Husband and wife team John and Roi took up cycling in their late 60s after being
convinced to attend an Avantidrome ‘Have-A-Go’ day
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