Fifty Plus (50+) - What's age got to do with it?

All,
I have saved the following article, and read it from time to time to keep focused and heading toward where this gentleman is. It was posted in the Orlando Sentinel about a year back. I thought you mind find it interesting, and trust it blesses you as well. Here is the article:

TRIATHALONS
Charlie Futrell, age 85

"I have participated in 83 maybe 84 triathlons, and I didn't do my first one until I was 72 years 0ld. Most people don't want to get involved in triathlons. It just takes too much training.

You train in different ways for different events. For the Ironman (competitors swim 2.4 miles, ride a bike for 112 miles, and run for 26.2 miles). I train four to six hours a day for xis months because it is a remendous endurance contest.

There are four different types of triathlons - sprint Olympic distance, long-distance, and full distance-and I have done all of them. I'm in the pool at 7AM four days a week, swimming about a mile. I also cycle, run and work out on fitness machines. I'm always training.

Most senior men in the country are in poor physical shape. My wife, Peggy, who turned 90 on Dec. 13 has been a big motivator for me. She taught aerobics for 20 years after starting when she was 60.

After serving in World War II, coaching high school football and teaching, I retired in 1976. I became very inactive and I got real fat, up to 226 pounds. Then in 1978, I bought a pair of $3 soccer shoes. They felt so good that I started to run around the block. I have been running ever since.

I started out running 5k road races. I have run about 400 road races since 1980. I have run pentathons to marathons. I ran 19 straight Gasparilla races in Tampa. I did the New York marathon in 1984 and 1985. I never did the Boston Marathon because I couldn't make the qualifying time. I always wanted to though.

I have competed in six Ironman events. I wond the International Triathon Union World Championships in Honolulu Oct 9. I won the world championships in Edmonton, British Columbia, in 2002. I have won three national championships. I'm 85 and my health is good. I sleep good and I enjoy life. I think running and triathlons turned my life around. I'm sticking with this as long as I can.

What's age got to do with it?"

Sounds like someone with really unusual genetics, about 5-6 standard deviations from the mean. Compare to people looking at total knee replacements in their 40's with no athletic or overuse history
except weight.

Sounds like someone with really unusual genetics, about 5-6 standard deviations from the mean. Compare to people looking at total knee replacements in their 40's with no athletic or overuse history
except weight.
True enough, but it's not just genetics, but also lifestyle, particularly diet, exercise, and attitude.

You folks who say 'genetics' seemed to have missed the key word: "training!"
I am 10 years younger (75 this year) and have covered over 1/4 million miles on bicycles in the past 32 years. Genetics (a small part), doing it (a big part!).
So get out there!

You folks who say 'genetics' seemed to have missed the key word: "training!"
I am 10 years younger (75 this year) and have covered over 1/4 million miles on bicycles in the past 32 years. Genetics (a small part), doing it (a big part!).
So get out there!

Love your words zonatandem - I love the look on folks face when I say I'm hitting the 'big' 60 this year. I statred doing tri's a year ago and am amazed at what training has done for me. I tell everyone the hardest part is Mental - Doing It!!!!!!;)

This is to me a touchy subject. I have been told that I am an odd ball on this forum because I believe in an exercise prioritised lifestyle.
A lot of people love to blame things on genetics if it justifies their lifestyle. OTOH, there is a undeniable problem of obesity in the western world. (Not only USA)
We eat processed foods loaded with salt, we eat and drink way too much, nobody walks, the parks are empty, we camp out in front of TVs, our exercise rooms are never over-crowded, our bike paths are empty if you go a few miles from towns, ditto hiking paths.
To each his own I say but I do not like hypocrisy.
The guy in the article is a role model and not a FREAK as some insinuate.

I want to express my appreciation to the PO nof this thread.

Each of us has a unique genetic clock that will wind down no matter what our "train harder" efforts. Some of our springs God pre-winds tighter and some looser. BUT...Living in the physical dimension long past the time most people our age have abandoned that aspect of their lives will undoubtedly retighten each of our springs a bit. (Getting hit on the road by a cement truck excepted.)

Despite many years of a healthy life style, I may only be on the road until 76, or 81, or 69, or 104. My strong old heart may be stopped by implacable cancer or a jealous husband. None of us knows our time for sure, but a healthy, active life style will inarguaby extend it. And for darn sure, those miles of intervals, steady state, bike walks, and trading water & Clif bars with friends will make whatever years we have that much more fulfilling.

Will, Zonatandem, OP.......my friendly intention is too beat all of you and/or die trying. A race for life we all both win and finally lose......in the end, we'll all "die trying"-- which beats dying while hiding. Better to hang out with guys like you, each of us encouragng and "leading out" one another, than with those who are more passively waiting for The End.

[This morning a long time neighbor who was totally work-oriented died after a quadruple bypass. Ironic this post should appear.]

CrossChain:
BTW both my spouse and I are cancer survivors . . . she's only got in 210,000+ miles of riding in with me on tandems and she's a 'youngster' as she'll only be 72 three months from now.
While we know we'll be kicking the bucket one of these years, we're hoping it will be from a hit by a semi at 55 mph!
Hey, we do it TWOgether!

CrossChain:
BTW both my spouse and I are cancer survivors . . . she's only got in 210,000+ miles of riding in with me on tandems and she's a 'youngster' as she'll only be 72 three months from now.
While we know we'll be kicking the bucket one of these years, we're hoping it will be from a hit by a semi at 55 mph!
Hey, we do it TWOgether!


In that case..... +2 Together! :beer:

As my 72 year old buddie who wins many races(running) and bikes sometimes. The secret to winning is to outlive your competition. Age group wins he is talking about.

Each of us has a unique genetic clock that will wind down no matter what our "train harder" efforts. Some of our springs God pre-winds tighter and some looser. BUT...Living in the physical dimension long past the time most people our age have abandoned that aspect of their lives will undoubtedly retighten each of our springs a bit. (Getting hit on the road by a cement truck excepted.)

Despite many years of a healthy life style, I may only be on the road until 76, or 81, or 69, or 104. My strong old heart may be stopped by implacable cancer or a jealous husband. None of us knows our time for sure, but a healthy, active life style will inarguaby extend it. And for darn sure, those miles of intervals, steady state, bike walks, and trading water & Clif bars with friends will make whatever years we have that much more fulfilling.

Will, Zonatandem, OP.......my friendly intention is too beat all of you and/or die trying. A race for life we all both win and finally lose......in the end, we'll all "die trying"-- which beats dying while hiding. Better to hang out with guys like you, each of us encouragng and "leading out" one another, than with those who are more passively waiting for The End.

[This morning a long time neighbor who was totally work-oriented died after a quadruple bypass. Ironic this post should appear.]

CC:
You have such a way with words. You should have been an educator. Just joking.:)
I am surrounded by perfectly healthy obese folks who in my humble opinion are disasters waiting to happen.

Will, I talk about it. You do it. 'Nuff said. Besides, I'm getting cranked up for the Cross Country ride this summer. While you're climbing up the Continental Divide, I'll be putting my feet up on the coffee table reading your daily logs-- just like last year. I might even have blueberry pie when you stick your toe in the Atlantic.

At the start of the 20th century life expectancy for those in the U.S. was about age 49. One hundred years later it was 77. Yes, we all do have a genetic makeup that is the blueprint for our time on this earth. However, so very many of us never see the blueprint executed to it's potential due to poor health habits. Correct training, moderate/healthy eating, and other health habits do not guarantee long life, but they do give your blueprint a better chance of being completed.

I see it as the enemy within us. The stress of everyday living causes feeling of not feeling well. We eat and drink and that makes us feel better at that moment. (Sugar high, alcohol downer, coffee upper, etc)
Our body gets bigger, our joints start hurting. We use pills to fight that. Side-effects from pills. Upset stomach from pills. More food to make us feel better. In activity is so easy. Sitting and watching TV is so easy. Waiting for a slow death is not pretty. I see too much of that.
An active healthy lifestyle takes discipline, time and money. The rewards are great but only a few will do it. This forum at least discusses it. Most people I know will not even go there with their thoughts.
Stress is a killer. Exercise compensates.

At the risk of bragging...
See Fat Biker's 46 mile Round Trip here
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=263502

Jeff, still fat

[QUOTE=CrossChain]

"My strong old heart may be stopped by.........a jealous husband."

Really?

[QUOTE=CrossChain]

"My strong old heart may be stopped by.........a jealous husband."

Really?

Well, I wanted something with a flourish to it. Literary license.

My strong old heart may be stopped by a jealous husband.

What a coincidence. That's how I plan to go!