It's nearly four months since I started what I steadfastly refuse to refer to as my "fitness journey". I'm happy to report that the issues that sent me kicking and screaming into the gym – horrendous lower back pain and occasionally debilitating sciatica – have all but vanished thanks to the tutelage of my trainer at Iconic Fitness in Dubai, Hannes Loubser.
When I first sat down with the guys at Iconic, I was asked what I wanted to achieve (apart from the obvious) with my sessions, and I told them that I’d like to be able to change my attitude, to get over my lifelong aversion to physical exercise.
And while I’m still nowhere near my goal weight or shape, I reckon that my outlook is now entirely different. It’s constantly on my mind to be more active and to look after myself more in my middle age, and I’m feeling better about myself than I have in a very long time.
Apart from the absence of pain in my back, I’m sleeping better and have improved my dietary habits. Since the beginning of the year, I haven’t eaten any meat and have almost entirely cut out dairy products and, apart from the occasional pining for a slab of Stilton and a box of salty crackers, I have to say I haven’t missed it.
I’m more mindful of what I put into my body and, as a result, I am mentally and emotionally sharper than ever. It’s been quite a ride.
And ride, as you'll have noticed over the past three weeks, is what I should never have stopped doing. For nearly three years, my bike has languished, unloved and unmoved, tucked away in a corner on my balcony where it was out of sight and out of mind. I'd forgotten about the many benefits brought about by doing a thrice-weekly circuit of Dubai Marina, and now that they've been rediscovered, I don't want to stop and return to my old ways.
I still don’t find any appeal in going to the gym, and for the life of me I cannot get my head around anyone spending their time and energy on an exercise bike or spin class. For me there’s no substitute for the real thing. And I will, over the next few weeks, engage in another low-impact activity that should do my core some good while avoiding the demolition of my knees and other joints: swimming. The sea should be getting warmer now, so on the mornings I’m not cycling, I reckon a visit to the pool or a short stroll to beach and some time in the water will bring about further improvements to my general health.
Key to my enjoyment of either activity, though, is being up and out early enough to beat the crowds and the soon-to-be raging summer temperatures.
Anyone who knows me would agree that, over the years, I have often been a complete stresshead. I'm easily enraged, and even my colleagues have at times felt the need to caution me that I may be heading for a heart attack, so quick was I to react badly to the slightest annoyance. I've definitely mellowed, and I've stopped shouting at other motorists and customer-service staff – I've chilled out and calmed down. Exercise, I have come to realise, plays a very important part in that, and my stress levels are greatly reduced by being active. After a bike ride, I'm physically exhausted, but am in a much better place mentally, ready to face the day and whatever it might throw at me.
Being middle aged is a mixed bag. I’ve become more at ease with myself, more accepting of my flaws and foibles. I’m happy in my work and enjoy a stable, fulfilling marriage. I became a father again a couple of years ago, and am able to recall and avoid many of the mistakes
I made the first time around. Also, I’m wiser and less prone to making rash decisions, flying by the seat of my pants. That said, I’m more aware than ever of my mortality and my ageing, the decreasing hair count, the transformation from a dark brown thatch to pure silver, and the ever-increasing collection of wrinkles.
If I let myself, I could become morbid about the fact that I'm heading far too quickly into my twilight years, but it's had the opposite effect. Dr Muir Gray said in his book, Midlife: Look Younger, Live Longer, Feel Better, that while none of us can yet reverse the ageing process, we can feel younger and more energetic if we develop the right attitude. "Remember," he says, "midlife is not the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning." And while my hopes of achieving a washboard stomach are unlikely to ever come to fruition, I do believe that I finally have attained what has eluded me for 46 years: the right attitude.
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Read more about Kevin's experiences:
Get on your bike
I might even invest in some more lycra
Some things are worth getting out of bed for
Cutting out animal products is one thing, eating healthily is another
Find the right coach to reach your goals
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Match info
Costa Rica 0
Serbia 1
Kolarov (56')
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Tim Paine (captain), Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
THE 12 BREAKAWAY CLUBS
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
India squads
Test squad against Afghanistan: Rahane (c), Dhawan, Vijay, Rahul, Pujara, Karun, Saha, Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep, Umesh, Shami, Pandya, Ishant, Thakur.
T20 squad against Ireland and England: Kohli (c), Dhawan, Rohit, Rahul, Raina, Pandey, Dhoni, Karthik, Chahal, Kuldeep, Sundar, Bhuvneshwar, Bumrah, Pandya, Kaul, Umesh.
ODI squad against England: Kohli (c), Dhawan, Rohit, Rahul, Shreyas, Rayudu, Dhoni, Karthik, Chahal, Kuldeep, Sundar, Bhuvneshwar, Bumrah, Pandya, Kaul, Umesh
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Name: Gul Raziq
From: Charsadda, Pakistan
Family: Wife and six children
Favourite holes at Al Ghazal: 15 and 8
Golf Handicap: 6
Childhood sport: cricket
THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
Results
2pm Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,800m
Winner AF Al Baher, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,400m
Winner Alla Mahlak, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
3pm Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner Davy Lamp, Adrie de Vries, Rashed Bouresly.
3.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 1,400m
Winner Ode To Autumn, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
4pm Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 1,950m
Winner Arch Gold, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
4.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,800m
Winner Meqdam, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
5pm Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner Native Appeal, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
5.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh75,000 1,400m
Winner Amani Pico, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
UAE Tour 2020
Stage 1: The Pointe Palm Jumeirah - Dubai Silicon Oasis, 148km
Stage 2: Hatta - Hatta Dam, 168km
Stage 3: Al Qudra Cycle Track - Jebel Hafeet, 184km
Stage 4: Zabeel Park - Dubai City Walk, 173km
Stage 5: Al Ain - Jebel Hafeet, 162km
Stage 6: Al Ruwais - Al Mirfa, 158km
Stage 7: Al Maryah Island - Abu Dhabi Breakwater, 127km
Kalra's feat
- Becomes fifth batsman to score century in U19 final
- Becomes second Indian to score century in U19 final after Unmukt Chand in 2012
- Scored 122 in youth Test on tour of England
- Bought by Delhi Daredevils for base price of two million Indian rupees (Dh115,000) in 2018 IPL auction
The bio:
Favourite film:
Declan: It was The Commitments but now it’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
Heidi: The Long Kiss Goodnight.
Favourite holiday destination:
Declan: Las Vegas but I also love getting home to Ireland and seeing everyone back home.
Heidi: Australia but my dream destination would be to go to Cuba.
Favourite pastime:
Declan: I love brunching and socializing. Just basically having the craic.
Heidi: Paddleboarding and swimming.
Personal motto:
Declan: Take chances.
Heidi: Live, love, laugh and have no regrets.
Roger Federer's 2018 record
Australian Open Champion
Rotterdam Champion
Indian Wells Runner-up
Miami Second round
Stuttgart Champion
Halle Runner-up
Wimbledon Quarter-finals
Cincinnati Runner-up
US Open Fourth round
Shanghai Semi-finals
Basel Champion
Paris Masters Semi-finals
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Wimbledon order of play on Tuesday, July 11
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Centre Court
Adrian Mannarino v Novak Djokovic (2)
Venus Williams (10) v Jelena Ostapenko (13)
Johanna Konta (6) v Simona Halep (2)
Court 1
Garbine Muguruza (14) v
Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Magdalena Rybarikova v Coco Vandeweghe (24)
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
Results:
Women:
1. Rhiannan Iffland (AUS) 322.95 points
2. Lysanne Richard (CAN) 285.75
3. Ellie Smart (USA) 277.70
Men:
1. Gary Hunt (GBR) 431.55
2. Constantin Popovici (ROU) 424.65
3. Oleksiy Prygorov (UKR) 392.30
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Manchester City, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match is on BeIN Sports
