Originally Posted by
AlanK
It seems to me there are two possibilities:
1) Like someone such as Nolan Ryan, you are a genetic freak (in a good way
). There are some persons who age remarkably well and remain remarkably vital and healthy well later in life. If you are such a person, congrats.
2) You're highly delusional. No matter how well you take care of yourself, for most of us, physical ability declines steadily after our mid-30s. This isn't to say we can't remain healthy as we age, only that we can't do the same things in our 60s that we could in our 30s.
I'm 42, and now take far better care of myself than when I was 25. I eat healthy, exercise regularly, and usually get adaquate sleep. That said, physically I am
not the same person I was at age 25: I don't have the energy, stamina, motivation, or ambition I did back then.
As I said, some people age remarkably well, but for most of us, our verve gradually declines as we age.
The perspective may depend on the activity. Older folks may excel at marathons, bike touring, long distance hiking.
I'm in my late fifties and though I've changed activities, I feel as fit for my chosen activities as I was in my twenties. In some cases, decades of experience allow me to do them better (and longer). I choose not to dwell on the fact that I'm not going to be sliding into third anymore, and it's been a while since I played rugby. What was that about verve? (Nice word.)