Former Australian Ironman champion Guy Leech has revealed the simple philosophy behind his incredible health and appearance at 62, insisting there are no shortcuts when it comes to ageing well.
From Ironman Champion to Longevity Advocate
Leech, who became a household name after winning the inaugural Coolangatta Gold in 1984, says his approach today is far different from the mindset he had during his peak years as one of the country's toughest endurance athletes. The surf lifesaving icon said turning 60 forced him to think seriously about the future and what kind of life he wanted to be living a decade later.
'When I hit 60, I wanted to hit a goal of what I could do when I was 70,' he said on the Today show on Monday.
Rejecting Quick Fixes
Rather than chasing miracle supplements or expensive wellness trends, Leech said he went searching for the fundamentals that actually make a difference. 'I looked out into the space of longevity and it's become such a big thing. There is so much noise out there,' he said. 'If you go down the rabbit hole on it, you can spend so much money and not really know what you are doing.'
The former Ironman great believes many Australians have become distracted by quick fixes and internet trends while ignoring the basics that helped shape his own health over decades.
'I think there's your basic pillars that work and they're boring, right?' he said. 'There's movement and exercise, there's food and nutrition, there's sleep and recovery, preventative health, so going to the doctor and getting checked up early so you don't have something bad happen, curiosity, an education into your mental state, and also just social interaction, being happy.'
Quality of Life Over Longevity
Leech said one of the biggest lessons he learned was that longevity is not about trying to live forever, but staying healthy and active for as long as possible. 'You want to live longer, we all want to hang around,' he said. 'But we don't want to hang around in a bad state. It's quality of life which is the most important thing.'
The father-of-two still trains regularly and remains in remarkable condition more than four decades after dominating Australia's brutal surf Ironman scene.
Early Achievements and Changing Priorities
Leech first rose to national fame at just 19 years old when he won the inaugural Coolangatta Gold, the gruelling 46-kilometre endurance race combining ocean swimming, surf ski paddling, board paddling and running. He backed it up by defending the title the following year before winning the inaugural Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman event in 1986. In 1991, he added another major endurance title by winning the Molokai to Oahu World Championship of Ocean Paddling in Hawaii.
Despite the achievements, Leech says ageing has changed his priorities. 'So the game is really how healthy you can be for as long as you can on the earth,' he said. 'That's why I set the goals when I was 60, I looked 10 years ahead and said 'what am I going to be doing when I am 70' and 'what do I need to do every day to achieve that'.'
Caution Against Social Media Health Advice
Leech also warned Australians to be cautious about blindly following social media health advice. 'There's fitness influencers out there telling them to do this, and to do that, and people are trying to make money out of this product,' he said.
He said modern longevity trends often create confusion because even experts are still learning what works best. 'We still don't know [what the best method is],' he said. 'There's been a big thing on saunas, and the ice baths, and earthing, and intermittent fasting. But when I say to you guys 'which is the most important', you're not going to know. It's early days, but what I can say is there are certain things that you need to do, that are just the pillars of longevity.'
Benefits of Starting Late
Leech said many people only begin focusing on their health later in life, but believes meaningful change can still happen quickly. 'If you start late you get a benefit pretty much straight away,' he said. 'But they don't know what to do.'
