“It’s not how old you are, but how you are old,” said the French author, Jules Renard, and one Bedford rower has bucked the trend and proved that age is no barrier to success as he celebrates breaking British and World records in the leg-busting arena of indoor rowing.
65-year old, Tim Clarke has spent 2025 smashing the British and World records for the 100m one-minute time trial and the 500m, along with breaking the 100m British Ski Erg record, and it all began in an effort to get fit after a mammoth 11 knee operations.
Next on the list for Tim is a place at the British championships at the NEC Arena in Birmingham in December, along with the World Championships in February 2026 and he shows no signs of slowing down.
“In 2018, aged 57 I decided something needed to be done,” says Tim.
“After 11 knee operations and a family lifestyle, my weight increased and my fitness levels fell. I decided that I needed to get myself fit again and indoor cycling sprint racing seemed to be a good choice.
Within three years, Tim had won the inaugural World Championship in Alexandria, USA and the European Championship in Prague. He also took second place in the British Championships in the same year as his trophy cabinet began to fill up.
Not only is Tim proficient on the indoor rowing machine, he has also turned to cycling to aid his fitness, completing some whopping charity challenges along the way.
“I took a break from rowing, during which time I cycled across the USA, from Oregon to Virginia, from the Pacific to The Atlantic, with my good friend, John Pryer who also lives in Bedford.
“We completed the 4,115 miles in 63 days.
“It was an amazing experience that was a physical and mental test every day, but one I look back on with great pride and enjoyment.”
Not content with cycling the breadth of the United States, the pair then decided to cross South America from Valparaiso in Chile, over the Andes, and finishing in the Argentinian capital, Buenos Aires.
These rides raised more than £10,000 for the charity, MIND.
Tim says that breaking world records was not in his radar until shortly before his 65th birthday, but has since dedicated all of them to the memory of his late mother, who died just before Christmas in 2024.
“Shortly after my 64th birthday, I thought I might be able to train for the one-minute record when I was 65,” adds Tim.
“I hadn’t rowed for three years so it seemed a bit optimistic. I didn’t imagine breaking the 100m and 500m records, but when my Mum died shortly before Christmas I decided to really see where I could get to and dedicate any success to her.”
Four rowing and three weights sessions a week followed plus, “as many walking and light cycling session that I could manage”, as he stepped up preparations for the record breaking feat.
“I hired a world record holder as a coach in February, and we concentrated on me getting stronger and more athletic, but this included major changes in my diet and lifestyle,” said Tim.
“It all paid off in the end, and I am delighted with the result and to be able to dedicate the achievement to my mum.
“I want to also give a massive thanks to Core Performance and Towers Gym, along with my coach, James Hall and my sports therapist, Martina Sharp.
Tim is now looking to compete in the British Championships in December and World Championships in February 2026, and judging by his previous efforts, he may need to make some more space in that trophy cabinet heading into the new year.
