For cyclists the most dangerous shark in the world isn’t the Great White but a lesser-known, entirely metaphorical species, one that quietly circles us in middle age: the risk of heart problems. Only about 40 people suffered unprovoked shark-attacks in 2024, whereas thousands of riders were “bitten” by this figurative predator. The word unprovoked matters: just as surfers can be taken by surprise, many cyclists feel perfectly fit and calm before a heart incident suddenly strikes.
Like an overconfident surfer riding a tube, I was blissfully unaware of the danger encircling me. I had assumed I was better apprised of the risks, as the author of a book, The Midlife Cyclist, all about how to survive and thrive as an older rider. I have cycled for as long as I can remember, and competed for decades in road racing, time trialling, and off road. I knew my body well – or so I thought until, at the end of 2024, I began to feel far more fatigued than normal. At 62 years old, I had been working long hours, and my commute to the railway station, usually half an hour, was now taking nearly 40 minutes. Cycling had become a joyless slog.
