Dr Gemma Parry-Williams

Dr Gemma Parry-Williams is seismically totemic for the Midlife Cyclist Talk Series 2023, for many reasons.

Co-founders of Cyclefit, Phil Cavell and Julian Wall, host the fifth talk of the Midlife Cyclist series with Dr Gemma Parry-Williams. Buy tickets here

As a research cardiologist, most recently under Professor Sanja Sharma (Cardiology Clinical and Academic Group, St. George’s), Gemma had a pivotal and unique role in running one of the largest research studies into the effects of intense exercise on masters athletes. Gemma also co-published, with Sanjay Sharma, the hugely influential paper - The effects of endurance exercise on the heart: panacea or poison?

As a consequence, Gemma has an almost unique knowledge and perspective related to sports cardiology, including the effects of chronic endurance exercise on the heart and the veteran athlete.

I contacted Gemma whilst I was writing The Midlife Cyclist and conducted a few fascinating interviews with her. She tirelessly coached me through cardiology 101 and helped me delineate between, proven science, popular mythology and easy assumption, around midlife cyclist heart issues.

But my interviews with Gemma also inspired another train of thought. Could midlife cyclists help themselves to, better health and less risk, associated with intense repeated exercise dosing?

Moreover, could the advice be different for men and women athletes?

This proposition inspired Chapter Eight – The Mindful Cyclist.

I have looked forward to interviewing Gemma as part of this series from the very moment The Midlife Cyclist was first published.

This will be a unique evening that women and men midlife athletes should not miss. Dr Gemma Parry-Williams is a quite unique speaker, and I think it is an understatement to say, does not make a habit of such appearances.

Gemma Parry Williams cropped

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