Fifty Plus (50+) - Getting older and pushing it?

I work in a warehouse where I am one of the older ones. It involves heavy (up to 70lb) lifting and operation of heavy equipment. I'm used to doing physical things like this.....

BUT!

There is an office gal younger than I who was telling me that she was looking for a lunch time walking partner. She didn't like to go out alone and informally asked if I wanted to do a little power jaunt. She is a very hyper lady and warned me that she has to walk with a very fast pace short of jogging- nobody liked to go with her because of this. And she doesn't like to slow down because it robs her of her exercise for the day.

Taking this on as a challenge, I agreed to go. I don't know the exact distance but she said this would normally take her about 35 mins to do the loop. She tied on her jogging shoes (oh no, she's serious here!) and all I had were my steel toe boots. We stepped outside into the 93 degree heat and it was on.

I found myself keeping up with her, sometimes even a step or two ahead of her. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't exactly easy but it wasn't hard either. There were times that I felt myself pushing harder (of course I didn't want to ask her to slow down) but she was impressed that I was hanging on with even with my lack of proper footwear. Granted, there were times I was hating myself for agreeing to go in this heat but I knew I'd make it. I know that if I was not in my work attire it would be easier for me but somehow I felt that I could have done better.

We ended up doing the walk in 20 mins, 15 mins shorter than her usual. I immediately splashed myself with cool water, while thinking how disappointed in myself that it was a bit difficult for me. I'm usually pretty much "the attacker" when it comes to things like this but this is one of the times that I feel I need to face the fact that I just can't do things like this too much. I didn't say anything to her about this but I think she saw it in my eyes. She tried to make me feel better by saying my cycling helped me keep up with her but that only made me feel worse.

I can't keep up at a comfortable level with these hyper young ones anymore.

Facing things like this is really hard for me.

Facing things like this is really hard for me.

Fear not, Grasshopper. Your steel toes may be heavy. But you possess a light and youthful heart. And you always will.

Let me get this straight....you sped up a Hyper Walker in jogging shoes by
well over 40% while wearing steel toed boots and you feel inadequate?

I say job well done, bask in the glory. Her comment about your being fit due
to cycling should be taken as a compliment, in my opinion. :thumb:

I guess I felt inadequate because of the way I felt after. It should not have been something that I had to push for at times.

But thanks for the positive outlook!

it will happen more, but, there will also be a contentment that you are in better shape than most your age, and better than many younger than you.

I guess I felt inadequate because of the way I felt after. It should not have been something that I had to push for at times.

But thanks for the positive outlook!

Cycling keeps us in great shape but trying another form of exercise is always a little tough until we've done it a few times. Get back out there with her and I'm sure you'll see improvement....wear proper shoes this time;)

I guess I felt inadequate because of the way I felt after. It should not have been something that I had to push for at times.

But thanks for the positive outlook!

not sure how old you are, but, not too long after I turned 50 I began to notice my recovery time took longer than before.

I think you are in great condition, which is great!. Aging will cause you to lose some ability and performace, but, cycling will definitely help you enjoy yourself more. I love it when people younger than me ( will be 56 this month) stare when I tell them our club rides 50+ miles every Saturday.

and then I hit the gym in the afternoon for some weights...

I could come along and trail far behind, to give you moral support.

It sounds like your in pretty good shape to me..........remember, your coworkers couldn't even keep up with her.

Having said that: Growing older gracefully requires that you recognize that there are somethings that you cannot do as well as when you were younger. It is unlikely that at the age of 62 my heart would withstand another trip down the quarter mile in one of my old race cars. (7.82 seconds, 194mph personal bests) If you want to race it on bicycles though.........I'm up for it.

Now go and get your running shoes and kick her butt.

Get her on a bike and do YOUR normal ride. See who recovers faster. - TF

You shouldn’t feel bad at all. That’s her routine and she was in her comfort zone. The fact that you were able cut her normal time by 15 minutes says a lot, in steel toe boots no less. She’s the one should feel bad.

Cheer up kiddo. :):thumb: *hugs*.

Hey, wanna go ride Mt. Tam with me? :D

So, you admit that you're a wimp and want forgiveness? I think you performed much better than necessary. The only issue is your positioning. The proper orientation to a young fit power walking female is slightly to the right and a couple steps back.

She was testing you and you passed with flying colors. After cutting twenty minutes off of her normal time she was probably gassed too. Bring some shoes the next time and keep her normal pace and it'll be a liesurely stroll for you.

She is exhausted, and afraid to admit it.

You wore her out.

Wait until you are 68 and decide to start a whole new aerobic activity (such as I am doing with swimming). Then you will REALLY feel it!

So, you admit that you're a wimp and want forgiveness? I think you performed much better than necessary. The only issue is your positioning. The proper orientation to a young fit power walking female is slightly to the right and a couple steps back.

Why would that positioning be beneficial??

Quite a few of you had made some very valid points that I didn't think of or even consider, such as the time difference, her comfort zone and the fact that I was in heavy boots. I appreciate the booster talk, it made me realize that I didn't do so bad after all. :)

I think I'm going to bring a pair of sneakers with me to work tomorrow. Juuuuuuuuuuust in case. ;)

Thanks everyone. I don't feel so bad about getting older and pushing my limits so much. You guys are great. :)

So Denver, how's it going with the swimming? I understand it's supposed to be really good for helping keep the joints oiled and the muscles strong without the hard impact of other aerobic type exercises.

Steelblue, thank you but PULEEZE no Mt. Tam. I'll leave that to Pete and Ramon. :thumb:

Why would that positioning be beneficial??

Quite a few of you had made some very valid points that I didn't think of or even consider, such as the time difference, her comfort zone and the fact that I was in heavy boots. I appreciate the booster talk, it made me realize that I didn't do so bad after all. :)

I think I'm going to bring a pair of sneakers with me to work tomorrow. Juuuuuuuuuuust in case. ;)

Thanks everyone. I don't feel so bad about getting older and pushing my limits so much. You guys are great. :)

So Denver, how's it going with the swimming? I understand it's supposed to be really good for helping keep the joints oiled and the muscles strong without the hard impact of other aerobic type exercises.

Should we assume you are joining the ranks of us over 50?

If so, embrace it! Most of my club chapter are 40+ in age, and we have a great time.

Surprised no one mentioned it..... walking uses different muscles. I'm a cyclist and a walker, but I ride more than I walk. Every time I take an energetic fitness walk, my legs/hips/thighs feel different the next day than they do after a good ride on the bike.

A bike does some of the work for you; if you stop moving your legs, the bike keeps moving. While walking, if you stop moving your legs, you stop moving altogether to keep the momentum.

Also running shoes (aka supportive athletic shoes) are best for serious walking. "Sneaker" or boots or anything else would be inadequate for the job.

All things considered (and even not), you did GREAT! :)

Surprised no one mentioned it..... walking uses different muscles. I'm a cyclist and a walker, but I ride more than I walk. Every time I take an energetic fitness walk, my legs/hips/thighs feel different the next day than they do after a good ride on the bike.

A bike does some of the work for you; if you stop moving your legs, the bike keeps moving. While walking, if you stop moving your legs, you stop moving altogether to keep the momentum.

Also running shoes (aka supportive athletic shoes) are best for serious walking. "Sneaker" or boots or anything else would be inadequate for the job.

All things considered (and even not), you did GREAT! :)

Good point, Yen. I run and cycle. Most years I exclusively cycle in the summer, so I would really feel it when I would run in the fall. This summer I am running and swimming one day a week.

OK, I don't do this often, but will risk it here. In part because I see Siu Blue Wind as having a sense of humor, and being reasonable. I apologize if this grates others in the wrong way and encourage you to stop reading now if you have ANY reservations about continuing.

But... how does this belong in a 50+ cycling forum? I mean there is no 50+ in the title and very, very minor mention of cycling at all. Although if I were a moderator, I'm not sure where I would move it. Well, OK, I guess I'd leave it here.

OK, now that that is out of my system. I agree with others who stated you have NOTHING to feel bad about. You took the challenge and did admirable in my estimation. And, yes, you should see how she'd do on one of your typical rides. I'm always amazed at how competitive the human creature can be. I'd guess that she pushed herself somewhat harder just because you were with her. And, that truth be told, she knows you were doing a darn good job.

Whatchootalkin'bout? This has to do with getting older and realizing I ain't a youngin' anymore? Whassa mattah you? Can't read the title? *hands you your glasses*

*goes off to put Lemony Pledge on the bike*


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I offered to take her on a ride. She said she doesn't have a bike but see.......I bought a couple of bikes for my friends to use...an mtb or a hybrid. She has her choice. ;)

Whatchootalkin'bout? This has to do with getting older and realizing I ain't a youngin' anymore? Whassa mattah you? Can't read the title? *hands you your glasses*

*goes off to put Lemony Pledge on the bike*

If you were walking as fast as you changed the thread title, you'd smoke me!

Changed title? Huh? It's been like that all along.....:innocent:


Seriously though. For some reason this came to light because of this. What was it that prompted you all to realize that things were starting to get a little more challenging than they had previously been? I guess you can say that I'm going through the change.

NOT THAT CHANGE, just the change in seeing that I'm no spring chicken any more.

The wise moderator knows many ways to put you in your place Grasshopper..........;)


I like the new avitar Siu

Changed title? Huh? It's been like that all along.....:innocent:


Seriously though. For some reason this came to light because of this. What was it that prompted you all to realize that things were starting to get a little more challenging than they had previously been? I guess you can say that I'm going through the change.

NOT THAT CHANGE, just the change in seeing that I'm no spring chicken any more.


In my case, while playing handball my opponents started throwing in comments like "you used to dive to get that ball", "you wouldn't have missed that five (ten) years ago", "it sure takes you a long time to loosen up". I didn't have to realize it, it was pointed out to me. :o

Changed title? Huh? It's been like that all along.....:innocent:


Seriously though. For some reason this came to light because of this. What was it that prompted you all to realize that things were starting to get a little more challenging than they had previously been? I guess you can say that I'm going through the change.

NOT THAT CHANGE, just the change in seeing that I'm no spring chicken any more.

Well, here's the reality that our larger culture (at least here in the US) doesn't want to confront with any real honesty. We all start to age from the day we are born. To not age is to die. People speak often of loss with age. And while loss does occur with age, we experience loss from our first day on. As an infant, many had the comfort of having all of one's needs met. Yet, as we aged, we lost the warmth of nursing from our mother's breast. We "lost" our innocence sometime in our early years too. I think from the moment we lose our innocence life becomes more and more, as you say, "challenging". Yet, if I think solely in terms of physical challenges, I negate a very large part of who I've come to be.

The unheralded paradox of age is that with it comes continued growth. I'm capable of things now that I was not capable of even a few short years ago. I can understand concepts and ideas that were completely out of reach in my younger years. I can more easily discern what it important and what is not (although I don't always want to do this). My understanding of the larger world is now in a context that is more than just my own egocentric view. I am a better partner and lover because I am able to focus on the other person in ways that youth hid from me. I am a better father, because I come to know my children as adults. And on it goes. Change is a constant. I think It's actually pretty dysfunctional to think of ourselves in terms of "spring chicken" vs. "old bird". We are neither.

You don't normally walk and she does- She had the right clothing and shoe wear and you didn't. You helped her do a faster time than she had done before. She is younger than you.

Next problem??


Take a spare bike into work one day and invite her for a gentle 20 miler.

Shoot, I didn't know that Siu Blue Wind had crossed the magical 50-year barrier!
The writing style seems very youthful and everything. Good on ya'! :)

Pal, I hate to say this but its only going to get worse. The key is to maintain yourself and just do the best you can.
Toto - this isn't your 30s anymore.
Your doing fine but be smart as well as strong.:cry:

You don't normally walk and she does- She had the right clothing and shoe wear and you didn't. You helped her do a faster time than she had done before. She is younger than you.

Next problem??


Take a spare bike into work one day and invite her for a gentle 20 miler.
+1 Watch her come up with multiple reasons why she can't ride.

Get her on a bike and do YOUR normal ride. See who recovers faster. - TF

+1

I have to wear steel toes boots from time to time - if I power walked in them I'd have major blisters.
The fact that your lugging freight around all day has probably kept you in good shape all your life. Many of us here are recovering from being couch potatoes at one point, some have been yoyos (like me). I would be immensely flattered if a Women 20 years younger said boo to me let alone asked me to walk with her. And yes - I'd be back a few steps just to soak in the view.

Well done - do it again!

Let me get this straight....you sped up a Hyper Walker in jogging shoes by
well over 40% while wearing steel toed boots and you feel inadequate?

I say job well done, bask in the glory. Her comment about your being fit due
to cycling should be taken as a compliment, in my opinion. :thumb:

+1

I was wondering what you were upset about, reading through that topic post!

There IS a difference which comes with aging, though, for most of us at least. We more and more come to understand that our performance in comparison to others is a minor consideration, and our performance in relation to ourselves is the thing we are best being concerned about.

There's an aspect of "she was rude and inconsiderate" about the description of that young lady. SHE wanted to go walking, and needed a companion to go walking with. SHE was the one not prepared to walk at a pace which suited her walking companion. I'm glad you left her gob-smacked! The next outing should be at YOUR preferred pace!

Shoot, I didn't know that Siu Blue Wind had crossed the magical 50-year barrier!
The writing style seems very youthful and everything. Good on ya'! :)

Feathers, I'm not there yet - but pretty darn close!

Ohh let me make it clear that the office gal isn't THAT much younger than me...I'd say a little less than 10 years. I'll most likely see her tomorrow and I've got some good shoes and shorts that I can change into should we decide to go again.

Where I work, I have to keep up with the performance of the guys - I have to be able to do the same things they do regarding lifting and such. I do believe that it keeps me in shape with the upper body strength but lately I've noticed that it's getting more tiring and I go home walking like I got a hitch in my git-along. Well.....it doesn't help that I have a bulging disc in my lower back...but I've been doing this job for quite a while and sometimes I think maybe I should just cool it.

There IS a difference which comes with aging, though, for most of us at least. We more and more come to understand that our performance in comparison to others is a minor consideration, and our performance in relation to ourselves is the thing we are best being concerned about.



Catweazle, I never looked at it this way. Thanks.

Thanks to ALL of you for being so supportive. I'm really feeling better, seeing things in ways I never looked at or thought about before. You guys are awesome! :love:

Why would that positioning be beneficial??

Quite a few of you had made some very valid points that I didn't think of or even consider, such as the time difference, her comfort zone and the fact that I was in heavy boots. I appreciate the booster talk, it made me realize that I didn't do so bad after all. :)

I think I'm going to bring a pair of sneakers with me to work tomorrow. Juuuuuuuuuuust in case. ;)

Thanks everyone. I don't feel so bad about getting older and pushing my limits so much. You guys are great. :)

So Denver, how's it going with the swimming? I understand it's supposed to be really good for helping keep the joints oiled and the muscles strong without the hard impact of other aerobic type exercises.

Steelblue, thank you but PULEEZE no Mt. Tam. I'll leave that to Pete and Ramon. :thumb:

Another factor in percieved fatigue is body cooling, i.e. ventilation. If you were wearing heavy cotton work clothes to do this walk, you might not have been well-cooled. Probably you'd have felt better on a cooler day or with walking togs (you already know about biking togs!).

Road Fan

Feathers, I'm not there yet - but pretty darn close!

Ohh let me make it clear that the office gal isn't THAT much younger than me...I'd say a little less than 10 years. I'll most likely see her tomorrow and I've got some good shoes and shorts that I can change into should we decide to go again.

Where I work, I have to keep up with the performance of the guys - I have to be able to do the same things they do regarding lifting and such. I do believe that it keeps me in shape with the upper body strength but lately I've noticed that it's getting more tiring and I go home walking like I got a hitch in my git-along. Well.....it doesn't help that I have a bulging disc in my lower back...but I've been doing this job for quite a while and sometimes I think maybe I should just cool it.

You're right the bulging disc doesn't help, and it should receive attention. Mrs. Road Fan ignored one for quite a while. Then she started limping, and finally went to the doctor, after having severe muscle pain in nervy spasms. She was immediately sent to the hospital for emergency back surgery.

Many people live with this and manage it, and now she does, too, but please don't let it get much worse, or ignore it. I know how badly it can hurt!

Road Fan

Getting used to a training partner takes time and lots of listening. Hard to break oneself and the other in! Certainly getting an easy rapport established seems crucial. Paying attention so that the pace is appropriate.

And equipment, of course, but that's a fairly trivial thing.

I tried walking with the ladies once. It didn't work. They were power exercise walkers trying to use energy. I have probably thousands of loaded fast high-efficiency back country miles while doing geology and the like. I simply couldn't use up energy quick enough to really exercise at their speed! Long efficient strides designed to eat up miles contrast with high lift, arm swinging exercise walking.

That's where the rapport comes in. We just laughed about it after a couple of attempts and I went back to cycling at lunch. But if another long-distance backwoods tough guy had been around we'd have been out humping 40 lb packs at lunch.

Catweazle, I never looked at it this way. Thanks.

Thanks to ALL of you for being so supportive. I'm really feeling better, seeing things in ways I never looked at or thought about before. You guys are awesome! :love:
Siu, you are ageless; very similar to my sisters, who look 10-20 years younger than their age. Some folks are driven to do things no matter what they're age and that's cool, but they should also be reasonable.

I remember our marketing manager came out on a mountain bike ride that was one of the activities for a dealer meeting we held. I forewarned her to try to be reasonable and not make it into a competition, but she cranked away and the group tried to keep up. One of the dealers got dehydrated fast and got mild heat stroke (this was Arizona), so I hung back and followed him back; he really appreciated it.

After that I learned that some people just won't be sensitive to your needs, even if they don't get a "good" workout. There's always another day to workout, and besides it's better sometimes to just keep your own pace, whatever that may be...

I've been dealing with declining physical capabilities for a while. It can be difficult to come to grips with if you've been athletic most of your life and especially if you are competetive by nature. I've more or less come to grips with being the last guy in on mtb rides and frequently the last guy over the top on road rides. Getting a cheapo cycling computer helped because it lets me compete with myself to the extent that I have a very good idea what my avg mph is on many of the routes around here. So even if i get smoked by the 40 year old CAT3 coming out of Nederland up to the Col du Magnolia I can relish boosting my MPH average from low 15''s up to 16.1 - or some such.
The thing is - you're going to get older. You're not going to be able to do all of the things you used to do as quickly and easily as you used to do them. Accepting it is part of accepting and loving yourself. It sounds to me as if you have a lot to feel good about. Quite a lot actually.
Cole Porter said it - "you've got to accentuate the positive."
Things I can no longer do - dunk a basketball, or even touch the damn rim!
Sprint for 200 meters.
Sprint!
Bench press my body weight.
And on and on and on.
I do still play handball, but am on a several month hiatus because it gave me such bad tendinitis in my right elbow that I couldn't shake hands with a floor mop without grimacing in pain.
However, 10 years ago I couldn't make it up to the top of Lump Gulch withouth having to dab a foot. Two years ago I couldn't climb mountain base road in my middle ring. My heart rate has gone down into the low 50's and my blood pressure is centerfold qualit

I guess that's basically it in a nutshell. I've always been active - mountain climbing, martial arts, cycling, auto crossing..things that kept my in shape and my mind sharp. Even with my back the way it is and my asthma, I often felt that I wasn't going to let the guys who always degraded the women get the best of me. But now I guess it's time to slow down. Or at least admit that it's time...

I guess that's basically it in a nutshell. I've always been active - mountain climbing, martial arts, cycling, auto crossing..things that kept my in shape and my mind sharp. Even with my back the way it is and my asthma, I often felt that I wasn't going to let the guys who always degraded the women get the best of me. But now I guess it's time to slow down. Or at least admit that it's time...

You dont have to slow down.... just realize you are getting slower, and dont push yourself to injury to chase performance you had when you were younger.

Go on another power walk. This time bring the shoes and draft behind her. At least the view will keep things interesting.

But now I guess it's time to slow down. Or at least admit that it's time...
You will slow down. you HAVE slowed down. Unless of course you have some super powers which you have yet to reveal to the rest of us. :)
Just do what you do. And keep doing it until you can no longer.
Then do something else.

I guess that's basically it in a nutshell. I've always been active - mountain climbing, martial arts, cycling, auto crossing..things that kept my in shape and my mind sharp. Even with my back the way it is and my asthma, I often felt that I wasn't going to let the guys who always degraded the women get the best of me. But now I guess it's time to slow down. Or at least admit that it's time...

No!, Fight until you can't fight anymore. My father is in his mid 80s and still pushing it. This despite having two knee replacements, surgery on his spine to relieve spinal stenosis, and currently dealing with prostrate cancer. On my last visit he was on a ladder checking the cap on the house's chimney. My mother said that earlier in the day we was moving soil in the wheelbarrow from one part of his massive garden to another. He rises each day and fills it with activity. Hell, he's more active than most 60 year olds I know, including my older brother, his oldest son. Is he as strong as he was? No. Is he as flexible as he was? No. Is he as fast as he was? No. Does he have the endurance that he once did? No. But despite all of this, he's still pushing it. I believe that as soon as you "admit" that it's time to slow down, you've started on a downward spiral that accelerates. To use an automobile as a metaphor... his engine isn't what it used to be, but everytime he starts it up, he's pedal to the metal.

Look. You're supposed to feel crappy about aging, it's what makes you fight back and the struggle IS the victory.

Power walking or speed walking is a specialized sport/exercise. Basically, it involves walking at a speed such that jogging would be either equally efficient or more efficient. Learning to walk efficiently requires learning and practice, just like learning to cycle or run efficiently. You don't expect to do it well on your first try, espcially if you are wearing steel-toed workboots and have been lifting heavy things all day.

Since you have never power walked (an unnatural act, in my opinion) before, there can't be any past performance at a younger age to compare yourself against, either.

So be proud that you did a difficult thing well!

Paul

I would guess that you are now getting pretty good flavor of the 50+ forum, and perhaps you and the other mods can understand why we sometimes don't seek the input and ideas of the young turks in some of the other forums, and don't necessarily desire our threads moved away, even though they may "seem" like a general interest thread.

No, don't give up, don't give in, don't think of oneself as old - just think that we are challenged in unique and interesting ways.

A perhaps interesting aside here. Do women reach their 'prime' at a different age to men?

We reach our 'peak' for things like sheer speed, agility etc when we're fairly young. But for men, so long as we remain active, we reach our 'prime' for that peculiar combination of strength, stamina, endurance etc which sees us getting more done at about 40 years of age or thereabouts. I've been seeing it all my life. Pit a fit, 40 year old bloke up against a fit, 25 year old bloke and set them a task which requires both strength and endurance, and the older fella will get more achieved. Happens all the time. If there's such a thing as 'alpha male in the human pack' he isn't a particularly young bloke. He's probably going to somewheres around his very late-30s to mid-40s.

Do women attain this 'prime' at the same stage of life, or a different one? I've never taken the time or effort to notice.



...why we sometimes don't seek the input and ideas of the young turks in some of the other forums, and don't necessarily desire our threads moved away, even though they may "seem" like a general interest thread.

Amen. This section is more than just 'old people talking about bikes'.

No!, Fight until you can't fight anymore. My father is in his mid 80s and still pushing it. This despite having two knee replacements, surgery on his spine to relieve spinal stenosis, and currently dealing with prostrate cancer. On my last visit he was on a ladder checking the cap on the house's chimney. My mother said that earlier in the day we was moving soil in the wheelbarrow from one part of his massive garden to another. He rises each day and fills it with activity. Hell, he's more active than most 60 year olds I know, including my older brother, his oldest son. Is he as strong as he was? No. Is he as flexible as he was? No. Is he as fast as he was? No. Does he have the endurance that he once did? No. But despite all of this, he's still pushing it. I believe that as soon as you "admit" that it's time to slow down, you've started on a downward spiral that accelerates. To use an automobile as a metaphor... his engine isn't what it used to be, but everytime he starts it up, he's pedal to the metal.

You just described my dad, who lived that way until he died a few months ago at 88 years young (I can't believe I just said it -- "died" -- I think that's the first time.:(). Unfortunately, it was a fall down the stairs in the dark that took his life -- something that could happen to anyone at any age. Even at 88, he saw himself as the youngest person in a room full of grey-haired folks when in fact he may have been the oldest. He got up every morning and set out to live life to the fullest.

We need to focus on what we can still do, and do that to our fullest capacity.

You just described my dad, who lived that way until he died a few months ago at 88 years young (I can't believe I just said it -- "died" -- I think that's the first time.:(). Unfortunately, it was a fall down the stairs in the dark that took his life -- something that could happen to anyone at any age. Even at 88, he saw himself as the youngest person in a room full of grey-haired folks when in fact he may have been the oldest. He got up every morning and set out to live life to the fullest.

We need to focus on what we can still do, and do that to our fullest capacity.

Yen, I remember your posting about the loss of your father. I'm sorry it's still so painful for you. As you already know, men such as these are role models of the highest kind... even for those of us over 50. I hope the pain in your heart is less with each passing month and that your fond remembrance of him grows stronger.