Racing bike hero Martin Mollet (49), Rodgau
From a short-breathed 175-kilo mountain to a well-trained Ironman athlete - the rocky road was marked by serious injuries.
As a ten-year-old, Martin is already severely overweight and is therefore sent on a diet. A short period of dieting and a concept that was doomed to failure because his parents weren't there and he didn't understand what he could do himself. "The classic: now the diet is over, I can eat again," says Martin. In the years that followed, he put on more and more weight, reaching a peak of 175 kg. "I was already aware that I was fat, but you also develop suppression strategies: then at some point it becomes 2 XL and then it becomes 3 XL and then it becomes 4 XL and then it becomes 5 XL. I just didn't look in the mirror." You don't gain 175 kilos from one day to the next, it develops over time, emphasises Mollet, which is why you have a lot of time to develop an "avoidance and suppression strategy".
Health problems due to being overweight
Being overweight causes health problems: in 2016, the consultant is prescribed beta blockers for the first time - but still manages to maintain his high blood pressure without the medication. In 2017, the high blood pressure had risen further and Martin realised that he would now have to take the medication. From his family background, he has experienced how medication can change a person - he is very afraid of this. This fear gives him the decisive motivation to change his life: "There has to be a trigger. Something for which you are prepared to turn everything from right to left. I have to be prepared to fundamentally change my diet, permanently." He knows exactly what's wrong with him: he devours his sandwiches for lunch in the morning and eats sweets from the vending machine at lunchtime. His solution: eat raw vegetables in the morning and sandwiches at lunchtime. He is gradually becoming more aware of his diet. At 170kg, Nordic walking is his first introduction to sport - he does it every day. He loses two to three kilos a week this way. From March to December he lost 60kg. He now weighs 115 kilos and doesn't know what to do next. "The first 60 kilos are the easiest."
Having fun on the bike to become a racing bike hero
Because he needed a goal, he took the sports badge and discovered the fun of cycling. "That was the key. I could do Nordic walking, but I didn't really enjoy it." The fun he had on his bike gave him the idea of doing a triathlon. He trained regularly on his bike before the next setback: in 2017, he tore his cruciate ligament in a bike crash. After spending a lot of time in the gym, he fights his way back when he is diagnosed with cartilage damage in his other knee. After an operation, he began another rehab phase and in 2018 he took part in his first triathlon and the Cyclassics. In 2019, he rode the 300 kilometres of the Mecklenburg Lakes Tour and finally discovered the fun of road cycling. This year, he is doing several Olympic distance triathlons and his first middle distance. His next goal is obvious: a long-distance triathlon with a 3.8-kilometre swim, 180-kilometre bike ride and 42-kilometre run.
Serious setback
And yet another serious setback: Martin was knocked down by a car while cycling to work in 2019. He unfortunately hit a kerb and his neck was overextended. A broken neck was diagnosed in hospital. He had to wear a brace to immobilise his neck for six weeks. This was followed by a period of rehabilitation and then a fight back. He weighs just 86 kg in 2021 and his passion for sport is unbroken. In 2022, he rode the 24-hour Rad am Ring race as a solo starter and took part in various cycling marathons. He does between ten and twenty hours of sport a week and still wants to lose weight. "I currently weigh 96 kilos at 1.73 cm and it's still a big challenge - the journey isn't over yet." Martin has been writing about his fight against the pounds and his sporting successes on his blog at www.the-mollyman.de for almost three years: "I want to give strong people like me the courage to change their lives." The latest blog post is about his greatest sporting success to date: in 2023, he fulfilled his dream of completing the Ironman.
Moment of realisation
He doesn't have any easy tips for others on how to lose weight, but is convinced that everyone must first feel the strong pressure to change something: "I need that moment of realisation when I say I can't go on like this. In principle, it's like an alcoholic: when they accept that they are an alcoholic and have to do something about it. It's the same with losing weight." According to Martin, you can only be successful if you make long-term changes to your life. Mollet already has clear goals for the current season: several triathlons and racing bike events such as the Rhön Cycle Marathon, the Spreewald Cycle Marathon and the Eschborn-Frankfurt Everyman Race. For many, Martin is a true racing bike hero and a role model for others.
Link tip: What does the BMI and what is the ideal weight?
Kristian Bauer
Editor
