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A little-known secret is that being a pro athlete is not that great. It's a pretty short lifespan. I know all these parents are out there driving their children to be professionals, but so many pros will tell you, 'No, you don't want to do this.'

The reality is, I'm not 24 or 34 anymore. Things are going to be different when I prepare for and when I compete in an athletic endeavor.

So while you're an athlete, and you have that platform, what you want to be able to do is make it work for you as much as possible, because there's going to be life after sports.

Am I athletic? In my dreams.

I wanted to be an endurance athlete from a young age. I remember being in a careers class at school and saying I wanted to be a professional athlete and the teacher replying, 'You're not going to make it; it's not possible.'

Considering the relatively brief careers of professional athletes, teenagers who are good enough to play at the highest level should be able to exploit that market.

I love athletics. As an athlete, I like to believe I can still do the things I used to do when I was once young.

I look at it this way. I'm not putting age limits on what I can do. As long as I can do the job to help the team win and feel like I'm playing at a high level, which I feel I can do for a long while, I'm going to play no matter what my age is.

Also, to be honest, my dad wanted me to be an athlete. And I think all sons want to prove something to their dad. So now, aged 35, I want to see what I can achieve physically.