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Brett Aitken plans post-racing career as personal trainer

By Karen Forman In Adelaide

What do professional athletes do for jobs after they stop competing at the highest levels?

Many - and it's a common option - after years of being the stuff of which stories are made, go into the media themselves - as presenters, journalists, photographers and publicists.

(Examples: Kathy Watt as a photographer. Phil Anderson as a TV presenter and commentor.)

Brett Aitken is looking at a different option. Although he has no plans of retiring from cycling just yet, the top Australian has already started to make moves he hopes will stand him in good stead when he does.

He is going to become a personal trainer. And interestingly, he won't be limiting his training to elite athletes, as he could, because of his experience and qualifications.

Rather, Brett Aitken PT will be willing to train anyone who wants to get fit - whether it is for athletic pursuits, for weight loss or merely for fitness.

"I'm not targeting anyone in particular," he said as he prepared for the start of the fourth stage of the 2002 Jacob's Creek Tour Down Under in Adelaide this morning.

"I just want to provide a service for people who are looking for it."

Why do it now if he has no plans to retire just yet?

It's the old Boy Scout mentality: Be Prepared.

"I am making a bit of a transition into a career other than cycling, although I don't want to give up as yet," he said.

"As well as being prepared for when I do, it is a way to generate an income in Australia, which is always an important consideration for an Australian based cyclist, because there isn't a lot of money around."

Meantime, Aitken says he is keeping his options open for the Commonwealth Games and Olympics.

And then?

Well, Brett Aiken PT will take over.