“All the gear and no idea” is that derogatory phrase all too oft quoted to reference the middle-aged athlete launching headlong into a sport with all the expensive equipment and no clue about the fundamentals. Working with MAMIL cyclists as I often do, I’ve met quite a few of these types. On the one hand, I embrace the enthusiasm of a new and exciting fitness project, but on the other I’ve sometimes had to persuade a few prospects to downsize their ambitions in the short term, so that they don’t do themselves an injury in the long run. For example - the aspiring triathlete who approached me in the autumn to race an ironman the following year with next to no experience, let alone any endurance base.