I TRIED to get inspired by the Olympics – honestly!

I mean you’re never too old to take up a new sport (mind you it didn’t help that I turned 68 in the middle of the Games).

So off the back of all that elite sporting endeavour, nearly two weeks on I’ve decided to have a go at walking football. No sniggering please – it is actually a very popular sport and I’m told there are good opportunities to take part locally.

So there you go, a written commitment – if they’ll have me.

Back to the Olympics, it wasn’t without its controversy or “interesting” moments.

I’ve read an awful lot about gender science – what does and what does not make you 100 male or female. And I still don’t understand it. What I do know is that the story circulating around Olympic boxing was widely distorted by many media outlets (who, I presume hadn’t studied the science, but wanted to create a gender storm).

Several people tried to explain to me the difference between synchronised swimming and artistic swimming – and I didn’t understand that either.

Then there was the closing ceremony, which seemed to go on forever. I kept flitting between TV channels, but every time I came back to BBC 1 some strange folk in white boiler suits were still rolling around on steel circles.  There was an artistic, historical point to it apparently – it was just wasted on me.

At least Tom Cruise introduced an element of excitement to it – bungee jumping (kind of) into the Stade de France (no it wasn’t, as reported, an abseil!).

But could someone please tell me how he got away with riding his motorcycle through the streets of France, past the Eiffel Tower, without a crash helmet? The Internet tells me he is due a fine of 750 euros and three points on his licence – unless it was all fake. Who knows these days (see previous column).

But the single biggest inspiration for me was a cycling commentator who spoke about the training regime for elite cyclists – people like the great Chris Hoy.

She said that the great Olympian had a phrase he kept using, to encourage cyclists to rest their legs whenever possible “Don’t stand when you can sit and don’t sit when you can lay down.”

Yes! That’s my mantra from now on!