You've spent a lifetime in the sports world, what are some of your personal favourite memories or achievements?
Where do I start? I had a pretty decent playing career in football with Whanganui Athletic from the age of 19 and ended up with 200-plus first team appearances.
My second stint as a coach with Athletic was probably more memorable as it culminated in winning the Bluebird Central League Premier Division in 1996. It's probably the best side I ever coached.
A terrific group of players built up over three years alongside co-coach Shane Wye.
Coaching the Whanganui High School Football First XI to a tournament final in 2002 was another particular highlight.
I've had a lot of enjoyment coaching at High School over the years and continue to enjoy creating pathways for these young players into senior football.
You were quite the ultra-athlete back in the day, what events have you taken part in and where has that taken you in the world?
Triathlons started just as an interest in my conditioning as I became an ageing footballer. I started looking at endurance as a way of extending my athletic career.
Triathlons were just taking off and it was a great scene to latch onto and captured my imagination.
Ron Cheatley, my employer at the time, was coaching me in cycling. Stuart Hylton and I were training partners and we were doing the summer triathlon circuit, which encompassed all the major events in the North Island.
With my sights on Ironman I started with a half Ironman which I followed six weeks later with a full.
This full Ironman was the first New Zealand qualifying event for the World Champs in Kona, Hawaii. I finished 36th out of about 400 qualifying me for the renowned 'Hawaii Ironman' in 1988.
I finished 247 out of the 1300 athletes, being the 12th placed Kiwi – pretty stoked with that!
What are some of your favourite places you have travelled to and why?
My wife and I have been really fortunate.
We lived in the UK for almost three years in the early 2000s and saw most of Western Europe.
In the last 10 years we've done a Danube River cruise and a big trip, two years ago, to the Baltic states and Scandinavia.
We have seen about 30 countries in Europe together which is pretty special and also been through South East Asia.
If I had to single out a favourite place it would be Moscow, Russia. The history, the Kremlin, Red Square - it just takes your breath away.
Another special trip I had away was to South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. That was a "bucket list" trip that I shared with some special friends.
You've coached across from adults to teenagers to kids, what is it about coaching that has always drawn you in?
I started at the wrong end really. I started as player/coach at Athletic Football Club because no one wanted the job but more recently I have enjoyed working with young players.
What keeps me going is seeing kids developing as people. Sport underpins a lot of other learnings and is character building. I firmly believe it can support a lot of personal development. That makes it all worthwhile.
What do you love about Whanganui?
Whanganui has been a great place to raise a family. I just think it provides a lot of opportunities for young people to develop without the pressure to constantly be at the top.
In big cities, if you aren't at the top, you don't get a lot of development opportunities. It's relatively easy to have a close circle of friends and stay connected.
Don't underestimate what we are going through right now. All of my family, beside my children and my sister, are on Merseyside in the UK and Covid-19 is hitting them hard.
We are so lucky.
What advice would you give to your 20-year old-self?
Here's a real tacky cliche; "The only person I need to better than, is the person who I was yesterday."
It took me a hell of a long time, but learning the power of self-reflection instead of comparing yourself to everyone else, is really so important in life.
If you have improved from what were you were yesterday, on something, it was a successful day.
Who is your favourite athlete and why?
I have some candidates. For a long time, Lance Armstrong was right up there for me. I read teammate Tyler Hamilton's book, and that was killed - the guy is a fake.
I consider Sophie Pascoe, Paralympian Olympic swimmer, a real hero to have overcome the such adversity in her athletic career.
However, I default back to football with player, coach, manager and administrator for Liverpool Football Club Sir Kenny Dalglish - a magician and such a team man. I have named my dog after him.
If you could go out for dinner with any three people in history, who would you choose?
I would be really interested to sit down with Bill Shankly, who was the first successful manager of Liverpool.
Kenny Dalglish, and the current Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp would make up the three. What a fascinating dinner conversation that would – like dining with royalty for me.
Who are some of your favourite musicians?
Who do I listen to at the gym? Gaga. I love Lady Gaga. I love Pink, would love to see her live. They are my modern day faves. From my younger days there is Genesis, Dire Straits and Queen. But if you push me, if I had to choose one artist, it's David Bowie. Saw him in 1984 and he was just class, amazing.
