From now on my health comes first
After years of living life at a million miles an hour, the sports presenter tells LUCY BENYON why he decided that it was time to change
FOR devoted sports fans, Saturday mornings simply wouldn’t be the same without Colin Murray’s quick-witted banter and inimitable sense of mischief. The former Match Of The Day 2 host, who now fronts Radio Five Live’s popular panel show Fighting Talk, exudes an irrepressible laddish charm.
So it is surprising to discover that away from the studio, Colin – who trained as a journalist in his native Northern Ireland before starting his broadcasting career on Radio 1 – is much calmer and more considered than his exuberant public image might suggest.
He certainly enjoys his hectic, high-octane lifestyle but having now turned 41, he has made it a firm priority to put his health above everything else.
“I am too old to keep making excuses,” says Colin, who recently stopped smoking and is trying to eat more sensibly.
“My life can be pretty crazy but that doesn’t mean I have to be out of shape or constantly stressed. I have made the choice to feel calm and really look after myself. From now on my health comes first.”
So no matter how busy his diary is, Colin now goes to the gym four times a week. “Sometimes it’s a real effort just getting myself there but it’s those times when I tend to have the best workouts,” he says.
He doesn’t just go for a quick burnout either. Instead he likes to plan his 90-minute gym sessions in advance to make sure he leaves feeling really relaxed.
“I normally finish with a quick swim, which can be pretty tortuous as I am the worst swimmer in the world, but being in the water is so soothing and it’s not something I’m going to allow myself to give up.”
If he can’t get to the gym, he goes to late-night yoga sessions and he walks whenever he can.
“So many of us put work and other people ahead of our health and wellbeing but in my opinion it’s so important to carve out time to relax and to exercise,” he says.
AT 41, Liverpool FC nut Colin says he is enjoying getting older as he now has less of the excess energy that has dogged him all his life.
“I was the kid who only slept for three hours a night and never, ever stopped,” he recalls.
As a child he spent hours in the street playing tennis and football.
“It’s a shame children these days don’t get the chance to play outside and be really active,” he says.
“It was such a central part of my childhood and I’d have gone crazy if I hadn’t been able to do that.” He admits he was unpopular with teachers and was even asked to leave one school.
“I was never naughty or spiteful – just hyperactive and disruptive,” he stresses.
“I’m pretty sure that if I was growing up now, I’d have been diagnosed with ADHD.”
Colin’s struggle to still both his overactive body and busy mind continued into adulthood. “When I was younger I was guilty of taking on too much and not being able to say no,” he explains. “I would never pause for breath or think about how racing around might affect me.”
He admits that although he thrives on pressure, as he’s got older he has realised the importance of getting more balance in his life too.
“Now if I have too much on, I won’t take an extra job,” he says. “When my diary gets too crammed, I don’t have time to exercise or to relax. “And if I’m stuck inside a studio all day I’ll end up eating chocolate and pizza.” He is lucky, he says, to have good genes and has never had any significant health problems. He also still has a full head of hair, something he is inordinately proud of. His health kick isn’t driven by a fear of getting sick or ageing – but instead by a desire to live more peacefully. In recent years, Colin has been a surprise convert to mindfulness, although he says the power of being in the moment was something he discovered many years ago. “As a young music journalist I was covering a festival and I had to race from one interview to the next. The guy I was working with was older but he was walking around at a leisurely pace and so I asked him how he could be so relaxed.
“His answer really struck me as he gave me this advice: ‘If you have too much to do, walk more slowly. Surprisingly you’ll feel calmer and more focused and get more done’.”
It was a lesson he has never forgotten and despite his fast-paced media career Colin tries hard not to get stressed.
“Mindfulness really helps as it has taught me to pause and to look at myself more objectively. It takes the heat out of things and it makes me think before starting an argument or getting annoyed by the traffic,” he explains. “It also gives me the space to focus on my priorities.
“If I have to be somewhere, I always leave in plenty of time as rushing is a great source of stress. I also schedule downtime and exercise into my day and don’t let anything get in the way of that.”
And Colin clearly believes mindfulness is a fantastic tool for a healthy life, adding: “More than anything, it’s given me perspective. My job isn’t about saving lives so if something goes wrong, is it really going to be the end of the world?”
Colin Murray has partnered with Vauxhall Motors to launch a new in-car mindfulness podcast series inspired by the Grandland X. Visit Vauxhall.co.uk/KeepsCalm