James Cracknell on his political ambitions and his agenda to improve the lot of dads
Whether it s rowing to victory in both the Sydney and Athens Olympics or racing to the South Pole with Ben Fogle, James Cracknell has form as a strongman. Now the Olympic oarsman is limbering up for his most gruelling challenge yet, as the Conservative Party s latest weapon. Cracknell was raised as a potential Tory candidate in the Rochester and Strood by election next month. The Conservatives are taking on Mark Reckless, who defected from the Blues to Ukip. A senior Tory source has said: James would be a real asset for the party.
Over a pot of tea at his local Chiswick health club, the 42 year old says the party of his potential rival doesn t have a lot of policies . People vote for Ukip because it has a simple agenda and the majority of people aren t engaged with politics. It s the most frustating tpatagonia inflatable vest for salehing but people are not at fault, it s the parties failing to engage.
Cracknell first came out as a political patagonia better sweater hoody - men'sanimal in May when he rpatagonia better sweater icelandic hoodyan as MEP for the South West, following in the lead of other sports people turpatagonia better sweater pink opalned politicians including Sebastian Coe, Imran Khan and former sprinter Menzies Campbell. When he lost, his biggest critic was his own son, Croyde, 11. He shows me a picture of Croyde making the universal sign for loser, an L shape with his hand, as a reaction to the count the toad . Ever sporting, Cracknell senior put his name forward again, this time as candidate for Uxbridge against one Boris Johnson.
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But it takes more than losing out to a blond Old Etonian to put Cracknell off. I knew Boris was going for it, he has more of a personal link to the seat. I d patagonia inflatable vest for sale3be lying if I said I had much connection to Uxbridge and people want you to represent them. It shouldn t have been about me versus Boris, it s about the constituents. Boris will do a fantastic job and be able to combine it with being Mayor. Although if he wants to give me the Mayor job, that would be brilliant.
As to whether Boris stands a chance of becoming Prime Minister, Cracknell shows a politiciapatagonia inflatable vest for sale2n s trademark evasiveness: It depends on the general election. Boris is ambitious and a fiercely intelligent guy.
Still swiping through pictures of his children he comes to one of the evolution of man from an ape, ending with him hunched over a computer. That s my motivation to get into politics, he says. We don t move enough.
He fires off figures: Lifestyle diseases cost us 9billion a year. These are preventable. We need policies at work. If there should be a legacy from the Olympic Games it should be not to find the next Mo Farah, because only so many people can be that, but about people making the most of their lives.
He has form as a practical man, hence the direct engagement. If something matters, you act. Whether it s parenthood, politics or anything else. I am working with Policy Exchange as its lead researcher on obesity and physical activity but I d like to have democractic accountability too.
Why the Conservative Party? With an earnest look in his eye he tells me it comes from personal experience: I believe that people do more when the state does less. It has to be there to pick people up but I hate limits being set on me.
Cracknell has now retired from rowing and was beginning to adapt to his post competition life when in 2010 he had a life changipatagonia super guide jacket promotionng accident. While attempatagonia specter trail runner us 10 5 med new in box retpting to cycle, row, run and swim from Los Angeles to New York in 18 days he was hit by a petrol tanker while cycling in Arizona. He attributes his survival to the helmet he was wearing.
He has written movingly about how it has changed family life. He now suffers from epilepsy and memory loss due to frontal lobe damage. But it s an advantage for changing nappies because I ve lost my sense of smell.
Cracknell is speaking to me as part of official dad duty. He is involved in a project to promote a healthier work life balance for fathers. He recently spoke on a panel about Dadpreneurs debating what he calls challenging questions usually considered the preserve of women, such as how to combine a career and family life.
Cracknell has an idyllic set up, living in Chiswick with his wife Beverley Turner, 40, a journalist, and their three photogenic children Croyde and two smiley daughters, Kiki and Trixie, aged five and three. There is certainly juggling. We have a nanny during the day but it is chaotic.
He s from the Miriam Clegg school of chores having to be shared between husband and wife but he won t define himself as a feminist. Erm. I don t know if Bev is either. She has an incredibly strong sense of justice, as do I.
I could be better at doing chores. Although I do breakfast for the children. Always porridge. Thipatagonia inflatable vest for sale1s engaged his son in politics momentarily. Croyde suddenly started asking what will happen if Scotland left the Union. I thought it was gpatagonia inflatable vest for sale0reat he was interested and then he said it would be horrible because where would he get his porridge from?
Cracknell is enjoying the flexibility of being at home more. Although in a way it s easier being away for long periods of time. You ve let the kids down on the day you leave but then that s it it s better than when you are an hour late and miss bedtime, letting them down on a daily basis.
The birth of Croyde coincided with his most intense training period, for the 2004 Athens Olympics. I was away for the first half year of his life. It was tough for Bev. Later on I missed things such as plays, exams, birthdays. I was at the Olympics when Croyde crawled and was sent a video rather than being there.
The Olympic rowing team was family friendly, up to a point. You aren t seen as soft for talking about your kids. Though when we were training for the Sydney Olympics I had a call from Steve Redgrave saying his wife had given birth. He said he d be half an hour late. It s worse for my mates in the City. They work so late that they don t see their children. The perception still is that you patagonia guide jacket 3tcan t leave early and if you have a child you aren t so focused on work. Roles have changed for fathers we are more engaged. But we work more, especially in London, where you have to work longer hours because we all pay stupid amounts for our houses.
When he does see his children it is important to be fully present. I try to put my phone away when I m with them five hours with a phone is like one without. I always wanted kids and have never thought about why that is. It s a chance to share a part of you with someone else. Selfishly, kids are fun. Hard work but fun.patagonia houdini jacket auction
With that, he has work to do, but first he has to try to remember if he packed his children s swimming kit this morning. He tells me he definitely wants to stand as a candidate again, so watch out Westminster, it patagonia map driving directionss time to shape up.
