daredevil

Children born into the digital age, aka digital natives, are pathetically out of shape and I think there's a definite connection. Probably not earth shaking news to many of you.

I recently went on a two day ride on a 15 mile rail/trail with a different set of about 30 teenagers each day. Not a single one of them could even come remotely close to riding with me. Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't out asking to race them, I could just tell. When some actually had to turn around and go up a light, light grade, forget it. A couple of kids did challenge me and it was sad. Like playing with a 2 year old.

I don't know whether to feel good about myself or sorry for them. When I was in high school I don't think there's any way some 50+ guy could have beaten me or many of my friends.

BTW, many of us could be called DSL or digital second language while some are DD's or digital dinosaurs. That would be my wife.

crtreedude 

Well - I got beat by two kids today riding together - and it wasn't a tandem. Man we were flying - what made it worse, I was completely geared up and they were about as basic as you can get. Even though I am not fat, I probably weighed more than both of them put together.

I was holding back though - running full tilt toward a fence on a slightly nuts horse has always unnerved me - but what I couldn't believe is they beat me bare back - two of them on the horse.

crtreedude 

Oh - we were talking bikes?

BluesDawg

I agree with your basic point, but my 12 y/o could hang with you on a rail/trail, leave you behind in the hills and absolutely pulverize you on Madden 2007.

DnvrFox

On the Ride the Rockies, it is embarrassing when a 13 year old pounds you into the ground. And, they do! Like all aspects of life, some are fit and some are not.

The Weak Link

My son kicks my fanny regularly when we are biking. And he does love his Facebook.

daredevil

I don't doubt there's plenty out there that could kick our butt. I bet not as many as there used to be though.

Pamestique 

I'm a hiking/biking docent for The Nature Conservancy/Irvine Ranch Conservancy. We regularly take out school age children on hikes and bike rides. I'm sorry it's really sad. The most developed body part of most of these kids are their thumbs from working their GameBoys. Plus they have little interest in what nature has to offer. We saw a mountain lion on a hike and the kids were totally unimpressed. I guess if it were a giant yellow Transformer with an Ax and Sword it would be different.

Sortof glad I grew up in the 50's when we actually had to use our imaginations to play. Kids no longer get to fantasized - the computer provides everything.

soma5

Both my son and my daughter can grind me into dust whenever they want. The cool thing is that they don't!

-soma5

Kurt Erlenbach

My 15-year old son calls me Steroid Man when we get on bikes, but he smokes me in the swmming pool. When I was younger, I remember getting whipped by a 12-year old in the backstroke, and me throwing up afterward. Maybe biking is more of a skill for older folks. Teenagers can make it in the NBA, but bike pros come of age in their 30s.

europa

My lad's a fit as a mallee bull. He plays club soccer plus school soccer plus anything else he can get into. He wants to do track cycling over summer to keep himself fit for next soccer season. Mind you, his soccer coach also reckons he's far and away the fittest player in the team. But most of his school friends aren't intersted in playing sport at all and even in PE, he's always complaining that only two or three of his class are actually trying to play whatever game it is they're playing. Part of their PE is a run around the school, against the clock. He does it in 4 minutes and reckons that only a handful do it under 5 minutes and there are still some who can't run the full distance despite having all been doing the run since Feb.

Richard

daredevil

So is there a connection between the digital age and physical fitness? I think there is. Doesn't the younger generation have a big problem with obesity too? Oh well, as long as they hang around long enough to pay into our social security I don't care I guess.

BluesDawg

I'm sure the electronic factor is part of the complex set of issues contributing to the health issues of the children of today - and their parents. Cars, air conditioning, cheap, plentiful food, full of unhealthy sweeteners and chemicals, schools that don't require physical education. There are many contributors.
Fortunately there are exceptions. Not all the kids are fat and lazy. But too many are. I'm afraid that much of their money that should pay for our retirements will have to pay for their health care.

stapfam

Our road is full of kids aged from 7 to 13. Last year I made the mistake of taking a 12 year old lad on a 6 mile ride to a cafe and Back. Big Mistake- I did not allow for the speed he could make to the cafe up a gentle slope, nor for the speed he could make with the slope to his advantage. Let me just say that I had to work to kep him alongside me. The biggest mistake though was how much he ate at the cafe- Nearly emptied my wallet and this is a skinny lad that plays Soccer at every oportunity. His elder brother bought a cheap bike to Commute to work and he does ride every day- whatever the weather and it is only about 5 miles each way. He passed me one morning on his way to work and I am glad he is not one of my riding partners the speed he was going- Now their dad is a different matter. He tires after about 25 miles.

The rest of the road- Forget about and that includes the adults.

Camilo

I didn't do much of anything physical when I was a teenager. Neither did my sibs or friends.

If my kids and their friends are any indication, kids these days are harder working and more fit than me or anyone I hung out with in HS or college.

I always roll my eyes at these "kids nowadays" stories. stereotypes all.