Actually I was partial to Clement red glue. Haven't seen a good replacement. Gutta percha is not commercial any longer sadly.

70s bike shop chatter included chattering with Jimmy Walthour, Torchy Peden, Charlie Yaccino, Othon Ochsner, Sr., John vandeVelde, Jim Rossi, Jim Ochowicz, Pino Morroni, Andy Hampsten, Wayne Stetina, others. You could do worse for chatter. And chattered with most of above while riding as well as at the bike shop.

Masters are going faster because there are more of them. In case you haven't notice 50+ is often the biggest field. Whereas in 70s over 50 was considered ancient. Field size was tiny. If anyone that age showed up at all. Is this difficult to understand?

There's a lot to be said for racing as a job. That's what professional means.