slowing times for old farts

Eric, Just keep moving. The wiggling will keep you going. I did my
first tri at 50, two weeks after I swam my first mile . I ran my first 10 K
during that triathlon. I did my first IM at 57 with a time of 11:39 so
well under the limit. My times did not faulter much until I reached 67 but
then I had a lot of time off and far less training to add to the slower
time. I also did that IM with a pretty bad case of the flu finishing at
about 13 hours flat. I think a sub 12 was still possible had I not been
competing with a temp that was over 100 degrees. One never know about the
"Could have dones".

Be as consistent with your training as possible and you will continue
wiggling at about the same pace with only minimal slowing. It does happen
and we have little control except to continue to do our best efforts. It's
all relative to the others in your age group.

Ken

"Eric" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

You youngsters... move along, nothing to see here, nothing to see...
I didn't start training and tri's until my 40s. I was never fast but at 53
I find my times dropping annually. Any suggestions on fighting the age
fade or just go along with it and whine in my Geritol?
I have degenerative disc problems that slow me even more; I'm hoping I can
slow the slowing enough so I can make my first IM before I blow the time
limit.
Thanks, Eric

thank you, I can wiggle with the best of them
eric

IMKen said:

Eric, Just keep moving. The wiggling will keep you going. I did my
first tri at 50, two weeks after I swam my first mile . I ran my first 10 K
during that triathlon. I did my first IM at 57 with a time of 11:39 so
well under the limit. My times did not faulter much until I reached 67 but
then I had a lot of time off and far less training to add to the slower
time. I also did that IM with a pretty bad case of the flu finishing at
about 13 hours flat. I think a sub 12 was still possible had I not been
competing with a temp that was over 100 degrees. One never know about the
"Could have dones".

Be as consistent with your training as possible and you will continue
wiggling at about the same pace with only minimal slowing. It does happen
and we have little control except to continue to do our best efforts. It's
all relative to the others in your age group.

Ken

"Eric" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

You youngsters... move along, nothing to see here, nothing to see...
I didn't start training and tri's until my 40s. I was never fast but at 53
I find my times dropping annually. Any suggestions on fighting the age
fade or just go along with it and whine in my Geritol?
I have degenerative disc problems that slow me even more; I'm hoping I can
slow the slowing enough so I can make my first IM before I blow the time
limit.
Thanks, Eric

"Eric" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
<snip>

Quoted message said:

I didn't start training and tri's until my 40s. I was never fast but at
53 I find my times dropping annually. Any suggestions on fighting the
age fade or just go along with it and whine in my Geritol?

<snip>

"times dropping annually"? I thought that was a good thing?
SO, either
1) Double your dose of Geritol (it seems to be working...)
2) Find something better/stronger since senility is knocking on the door.
(i.e. you don't recognize that time dropping is GOOD...)

Piedmont Donald

Piedmont Donald said:

"Eric" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
<snip>

Quoted message said:

I didn't start training and tri's until my 40s. I was never fast but at
53 I find my times dropping annually. Any suggestions on fighting the
age fade or just go along with it and whine in my Geritol?

<snip>

"times dropping annually"? I thought that was a good thing?
SO, either
1) Double your dose of Geritol (it seems to be working...)
2) Find something better/stronger since senility is knocking on the door.
(i.e. you don't recognize that time dropping is GOOD...)

Piedmont Donald

53? Sheesh, that's really ancient, isn't it IMKen? Why bother? Ask
your family for a nice rocking chair for your next birthday and do your
laps, intervals, repeats, on that. See if you can keep rocking for 20
minutes non-stop. But don't overdo. Of course, ask your doctor before
you begin such a regime.

Take it easy, old fellow. Just try to enjoy one day at a time.

ruth kazez

rtk <[email hidden]> wrote in news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

53? Sheesh, that's really ancient, isn't it IMKen? Why bother? Ask
your family for a nice rocking chair for your next birthday and do your
laps, intervals, repeats, on that. See if you can keep rocking for 20
minutes non-stop. But don't overdo. Of course, ask your doctor before
you begin such a regime.

Take it easy, old fellow. Just try to enjoy one day at a time.

ruth kazez

:-)

by dropping I meant getting slower, performance is declining.

to make things more depressing, I have a plethora of bad discs in y neck
and lower back and the spine is fusing on it's own, making for decreased
mobility. After long periods of sitting or lying in place I'm pretty
stiff and wobbly. So when I first get off the bike after a long ride I
sometimes use a cane until I limber up... but now my elbow is really
sore so I can't use a cane... golden years my ass 🙂
(most of all this came from 20 years of motorcycle roadracing at a
younger age when I didn't care if I broke anything)

Piedmont Donald said:

"Eric" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
<snip>

Quoted message said:

I didn't start training and tri's until my 40s. I was never fast but at
53 I find my times dropping annually. Any suggestions on fighting the
age fade or just go along with it and whine in my Geritol?

<snip>

"times dropping annually"? I thought that was a good thing?
SO, either
1) Double your dose of Geritol (it seems to be working...)
2) Find something better/stronger since senility is knocking on the door.
(i.e. you don't recognize that time dropping is GOOD...)

Piedmont Donald

53, yeah Ruth, he's done. At that age it is surprising he can punch the
key board to make this post.

ken

"rtk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Piedmont Donald said:

"Eric" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
<snip>

Quoted message said:

I didn't start training and tri's until my 40s. I was never fast but at
53 I find my times dropping annually. Any suggestions on fighting the
age fade or just go along with it and whine in my Geritol?

<snip>

"times dropping annually"? I thought that was a good thing?
SO, either
1) Double your dose of Geritol (it seems to be working...)
2) Find something better/stronger since senility is knocking on the door.
(i.e. you don't recognize that time dropping is GOOD...)

Piedmont Donald

53? Sheesh, that's really ancient, isn't it IMKen? Why bother? Ask your
family for a nice rocking chair for your next birthday and do your laps,
intervals, repeats, on that. See if you can keep rocking for 20 minutes
non-stop. But don't overdo. Of course, ask your doctor before you begin
such a regime.

Take it easy, old fellow. Just try to enjoy one day at a time.

ruth kazez

I guess the sarcasm comes much later, huh?

IMKen said:

53, yeah Ruth, he's done. At that age it is surprising he can punch the
key board to make this post.

ken

"rtk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Piedmont Donald said:

"Eric" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
<snip>

>I didn't start training and tri's until my 40s. I was never fast but at
>53 I find my times dropping annually. Any suggestions on fighting the
>age fade or just go along with it and whine in my Geritol?

<snip>

"times dropping annually"? I thought that was a good thing?
SO, either
1) Double your dose of Geritol (it seems to be working...)
2) Find something better/stronger since senility is knocking on the door.
(i.e. you don't recognize that time dropping is GOOD...)

Piedmont Donald

53? Sheesh, that's really ancient, isn't it IMKen? Why bother? Ask your
family for a nice rocking chair for your next birthday and do your laps,
intervals, repeats, on that. See if you can keep rocking for 20 minutes
non-stop. But don't overdo. Of course, ask your doctor before you begin
such a regime.

Take it easy, old fellow. Just try to enjoy one day at a time.

ruth kazez

Just keep wiggling Eric. :-)

Ken
"Eric" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I guess the sarcasm comes much later, huh?

IMKen said:

53, yeah Ruth, he's done. At that age it is surprising he can punch the
key board to make this post.

ken

"rtk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Piedmont Donald wrote:

>"Eric" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
>news:[email hidden]...
><snip>
>
>>I didn't start training and tri's until my 40s. I was never fast but at
>>53 I find my times dropping annually. Any suggestions on fighting the
>>age fade or just go along with it and whine in my Geritol?
>
><snip>
>
>"times dropping annually"? I thought that was a good thing?
>SO, either
>1) Double your dose of Geritol (it seems to be working...)
>2) Find something better/stronger since senility is knocking on the
>door.
>(i.e. you don't recognize that time dropping is GOOD...)
>
>Piedmont Donald
>
>

53? Sheesh, that's really ancient, isn't it IMKen? Why bother? Ask
your family for a nice rocking chair for your next birthday and do your
laps, intervals, repeats, on that. See if you can keep rocking for 20
minutes non-stop. But don't overdo. Of course, ask your doctor before
you begin such a regime.

Take it easy, old fellow. Just try to enjoy one day at a time.

ruth kazez

Eric said:

I guess the sarcasm comes much later, huh?

IMKen said:

53, yeah Ruth, he's done. At that age it is surprising he can punch
the key board to make this post.

ken

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

ruth kazez

The combined ages of the two being sarcastic is about 145 years. Neither
of us, however, view ourselves as over the hill even now, so it strikes
us as rather funny to think that way at 53. There are a few posts on
this blog which is mostly about ageing.
http://totallyofftopic.blogspot.com/

ruth kazez

Eric said:

I guess the sarcasm comes much later, huh?

Relax, Eric. Ruth skewered me early on for a similar gaff. <g>

(Hi Ruth)

In case you're wondering, check out:

http://www.slowtwitch.com/agegroup/profiles/kazez.html

1ST AG '97 NATIONALS
1ST AG '99 WORLDS
2ND IM HAWAII IN '88,'92.'97,'99

Add 15 to your present age to get hers at that last Hawaii and
World's.

She's an inspiration to a lot of youngsters like me. <g>

Mike Tennent
"IronPenguin"

Interesting discussion. My wife and I were in our mid fifties when we did
our first Tri - more than ten years ago. Sad to admit, but we now limit
ourselves to sprint distance and shorter and our times are slower, but hey !
we're still doin' it.

KF

"rtk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Eric said:

I guess the sarcasm comes much later, huh?

IMKen said:

53, yeah Ruth, he's done. At that age it is surprising he can punch
the key board to make this post.

ken

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> ruth kazez

The combined ages of the two being sarcastic is about 145 years. Neither
of us, however, view ourselves as over the hill even now, so it strikes us
as rather funny to think that way at 53. There are a few posts on this
blog which is mostly about ageing.
http://totallyofftopic.blogspot.com/

ruth kazez

my times got worse for the first time this year, i came in last place
for the first time in my life in the 50-55 division of my last olympic
tri. i also broke into the top ten of a sprint tri with about 80 people
in my division for the first time - but my time was the same as last
year's when i came in 14 th!
i know what i did wrong - i mostly trained for running and suffered in
the swim. also i gained 10 pounds. working over 60 hours a week is the
real problem. you retired folk have it easy IMHO. train all day if you
want to. i get about an hour most days to train.

Quoted message said:

my times got worse for the first time this year, i came in last place
for the first time in my life in the 50-55 division of my last olympic
tri. i also broke into the top ten of a sprint tri with about 80 people
in my division for the first time - but my time was the same as last
year's when i came in 14 th!
i know what i did wrong - i mostly trained for running and suffered in
the swim. also i gained 10 pounds. working over 60 hours a week is the
real problem. you retired folk have it easy IMHO. train all day if you
want to. i get about an hour most days to train.

Is it possible for you to bicycle-commute to work? Normally, doing so
doesn't add too much time to your commute, so you end up
"manufacturing time" (i.e. eliminate a 45 minute round trip drive with
a 70 minute bicycle ride, so you get 70 minutes of riding for the cost
of 25 minutes).

It also has the side benefits of reducing wear and tear on your car,
saves gas, and delivers you to work (and home) feeling a LOT better
than if you'd sat on your rump while dealing with other drivers.

Not everyone CAN bike commute, but most COULD if they made the
decision to. It's mainly a question of momentum - once you start
doing it and make it a habit for a couple months, you start making
excuses why you CAN ride your bike to work, instead of why you HAVE to
drive today. Then you've arrived!

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

I've been able to work it out to bike/commute someday and it's nice... I
arrive home relaxed from a good workout instead of mad at the traffic.
But I just hate it when some idiot heckler gives me a hard time... ruins
the good feeling that accompanies a good ride... but that's a topic for
another thread.
I kept a couple changes of clothing at work and made a few other
adjustments and it works pretty nice. It's a ten mile ride to work and
it takes about the same time as driving, parking, and walking.
Eric

Mark Hickey said:

Quoted message said:

my times got worse for the first time this year, i came in last place
for the first time in my life in the 50-55 division of my last olympic
tri. i also broke into the top ten of a sprint tri with about 80 people
in my division for the first time - but my time was the same as last
year's when i came in 14 th!
i know what i did wrong - i mostly trained for running and suffered in
the swim. also i gained 10 pounds. working over 60 hours a week is the
real problem. you retired folk have it easy IMHO. train all day if you
want to. i get about an hour most days to train.

Is it possible for you to bicycle-commute to work? Normally, doing so
doesn't add too much time to your commute, so you end up
"manufacturing time" (i.e. eliminate a 45 minute round trip drive with
a 70 minute bicycle ride, so you get 70 minutes of riding for the cost
of 25 minutes).

It also has the side benefits of reducing wear and tear on your car,
saves gas, and delivers you to work (and home) feeling a LOT better
than if you'd sat on your rump while dealing with other drivers.

Not everyone CAN bike commute, but most COULD if they made the
decision to. It's mainly a question of momentum - once you start
doing it and make it a habit for a couple months, you start making
excuses why you CAN ride your bike to work, instead of why you HAVE to
drive today. Then you've arrived!

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

Eric said:

I've been able to work it out to bike/commute someday and it's nice... I
arrive home relaxed from a good workout instead of mad at the traffic.
But I just hate it when some idiot heckler gives me a hard time... ruins
the good feeling that accompanies a good ride... but that's a topic for
another thread.
I kept a couple changes of clothing at work and made a few other
adjustments and it works pretty nice. It's a ten mile ride to work and
it takes about the same time as driving, parking, and walking.
Eric

Well there ya' go then - getting in 20 miles a day, if done "right" is
a GREAT start on staying in shape. And like you said, it really
doesn't take any (or much...) longer. Forget about the nitwits who
give you a hard time - you're really the one getting in the last laugh
when you think about it... you're not stuck in traffic, not burning $3
gas, and you're actually enjoying your commute (unlike the miserable
SOBs that are giving you a hard time).

Often with a little effort you can find routes that will avoid most of
the interaction with automotive traffic.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

Quoted message said:

Mark Hickey said:

Quoted message said:

my times got worse for the first time this year, i came in last place
for the first time in my life in the 50-55 division of my last olympic
tri. i also broke into the top ten of a sprint tri with about 80 people
in my division for the first time - but my time was the same as last
year's when i came in 14 th!
i know what i did wrong - i mostly trained for running and suffered in
the swim. also i gained 10 pounds. working over 60 hours a week is the
real problem. you retired folk have it easy IMHO. train all day if you
want to. i get about an hour most days to train.

Is it possible for you to bicycle-commute to work? Normally, doing so
doesn't add too much time to your commute, so you end up
"manufacturing time" (i.e. eliminate a 45 minute round trip drive with
a 70 minute bicycle ride, so you get 70 minutes of riding for the cost
of 25 minutes).

It also has the side benefits of reducing wear and tear on your car,
saves gas, and delivers you to work (and home) feeling a LOT better
than if you'd sat on your rump while dealing with other drivers.

Not everyone CAN bike commute, but most COULD if they made the
decision to. It's mainly a question of momentum - once you start
doing it and make it a habit for a couple months, you start making
excuses why you CAN ride your bike to work, instead of why you HAVE to
drive today. Then you've arrived!

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame