How Surfing Saved My Life

At 30, I was a smoker, heavy drinker, and hadn't trained since rugby ended at 17. Then I paddled out into the ocean and everything changed. This is the real story of how one sport pulled me out of 13 years of physical neglect - and why I'm surfing better at 48 than I ever did at 35.

Episode Overview: Rob shares the deeply personal story of how surfing became the catalyst for his complete life transformation - from a sedentary, drinking, smoking 30-year-old who hadn't trained in 13 years, to approaching 50 in the best shape of his life.

Key Moments:

• The movie that planted the seed (Big Wednesday, early 90s)
• First surf lesson at 12 in Rossnowlagh - thumbs so numb he couldn't unzip the wetsuit
• Rugby career ending at 17 with shoulder dislocations and surgery complications
• The 13-year gap: drinking, drugs, no training, lost identity
• Mate's 30th birthday in Cork - the spark that reignited everything
• The "physical poverty" moment at 35 - couldn't catch a wave, back spasming, defeated in a car park
• The decision that changed everything: "F**k this. This is never happening again."
• How surfing led to quitting alcohol, changing careers, and building systems that last

Lessons from the Ocean:

• The ocean doesn't care about your excuses
• You can be prepared or unprepared - it won't let you on if you're not ready
• Age is irrelevant: 69-year-old surfer in triple-overhead barrels at Margaret River

Where to Find Rob: Instagram: @rob_telos Email: [e-mail]