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.

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.

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;)

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!

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:

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! :)

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*


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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. ;)

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

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

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.