Racer in the high ranges

At an age when most people ease into retirement, John Jack Funk, 60, breaks into his trademark beaming smile at the very thought of a sedentary lifestyle. It explains why he still picks mountain biking over golf.

“My 90-year-old father thinks I’m still not old enough for golf,” he says, smiling.

“I can’t imagine playing golf for enjoyment — there’s a reason they pay them so much. Because of the boredom factor,” he adds.

It’s the same attitude that saw him finish on top in the Open Grandmasters Solo category at the 12th edition of MTB Himalaya — his third win in as many appearances at the race.

One of the most gruelling mountain biking races in the world, the MTB Himalaya runs from Shimla to Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh — that’s 650 km of sapping terrain over eight days that tests the best riders in the world. Funk previously participated in 2012 and 2014, and triumphed in the Masters Solo category on both occasions. Battered at the end of each of those races, he swore he wouldn’t come back again, only to make it three-in-three this year.

“I’ve been in India every year for the last 30 years — it’s my second home. Then there’s Kingfisher beer, which I love so much, so that’s an easy excuse. This is one of the toughest races that I’ve done in the world, there’s a surprise at every turn. The challenges bring me back each time,” he says.

Funk is no stranger to challenges. Born in Saskatchewan in rural Canada, cycling was more a mode of transport than sport during his growing years. The family wasn’t wealthy, but backed Funk wherever he showed interest. “We would pack the old car and see where we would land up. These were extended adventure holidays in a tent. We were poor but I was so lucky!” Funk says.

It’s what gave Funk his first taste of adventure, and despite studying sports psychology at two universities, he quit with just a year left for graduation — a decision he terms ‘one of the best moves of my life’.

Sports were a constant during these growing years, whether it was ice hockey during his youth, or skiing on the international circuit for eight years. Cycling, though, never went the competitive way for him, and simply happened by chance at 40. “I started racing bikes at a friend’s request because his cyclist couldn’t attend a team triathlon. I had two weeks to prepare and was lucky to finish in the top-20 of some 120 riders. There was no looking back from thereon,” he says.

From road races to cyclocross events, Funk has raced them all. Mountain biking, though, had its own appeal. “From the greatest racers in the world to first-timers in the sport — everyone has a laidback attitude that is so welcoming,” he explains.

These days, cycling has evolved from his passion to a basic need, given that his arthritic ankles lock up if he doesn’t get on the bike. “My decision is easy — cycle or stop moving!” he smiles.

Competitive cycling has taken him around his own country, while also giving him a chance to explore Costa Rica, East Timor and Mongolia, in addition to India. Along the way, he’s managed as many as six major podium finishes since 2011.

“The MTB Himalaya has got to be the toughest race I’ve taken on. The adventure factor is the best. It’s getting faster each year and I need to keep up with it,” Funk says.

A fitness routine is hardly a streamlined process, given an import business at hand. But running his own set-up helps him balance time and with a supportive partner in his wife, Vera, Funk manages to go riding when he wants. Sport is then a way of life in Funk’s world, and he tends to bank on the habit and his residual fitness to help him pull through the big rides.

“The only person who can fire me is me, so staying fit is easy — I’m a restless soul! So even in winter, if there’s some sun, I take off. There’s got to be some bonus to doing these crazy things for far too long!” he quips.

At his age, Funk is getting slower, yet more experienced, as was the case during the race where he managed a podium finish despite suffering from fever and a stomach bug.

“I’m from a bloodline that doesn’t think old. People can’t figure why I do these things, but basically it revolves around the ability to suffer with a smile,” Funk says.

Shail Desaiis a Mumbai-based writer