Paul McGuire

After leading a fairly sedentary life in my 20s, I first got into cycling when I was living in Brisbane in the mid-1990s. I started cycling to work (a habit I maintained for more than 25 years) and joined the Brisbane Bicycle Touring Association (BBTA). I have fond memories of a couple of unsupported tours with BBTA in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including a beautiful ride from Nerang to Coffs Harbour.

While living in the Cook Islands in 2005-2006 I took up triathlons and on my return to Brisbane started doing the Mooloolaba and Noosa triathlons. I am by no means a talented athlete, but I have now plodded my way through nearly 40 Olympic distance triathlons and two half ironman triathlons.

I also regularly rode in the annual Cycle Queensland weeklong tours before they unfortunately become unviable. I did eight tours, always with one or other of my daughters on a tag-along or tandem. They were great weeks for father-daughter bonding and seeing different parts of Queensland, and I would always wait eagerly for entries to open each year.

Cycle Queensland ride with my daughter (2011)

When my wife and I semi-retired and moved up to the Sunshine Coast in 2022, one of the first things I did was join this Club. I try to do the Thursday Maroochydore – Peregian ride whenever I am home and particularly enjoy the Sunday rides in the hinterland cycling in some of the amazing countryside we have on the Sunshine Coast. I have also established a cycling group within the Coolum Run Club. We do a regular Tuesday ride up to Noosaville, and members of SCBC are very welcome to come along.

I have also managed to do a few longer tours since moving to the Sunshine Coast, including the Victorian alps, Provence in France, Central Otago rail trail and Cairns to Karumba and. Earlier this year I did a beautiful tour in northern Spain, which certainly tested my limits with 640km and 10,700m of elevation over six days.

I have made some great friends through cycling, and it has had big benefits for both my physical and mental health. I hope I can keep on going for many years to come!