When did you slow down?

[DrRoy]

Not yet, I’m only 61. So couldn’t answer the poll. I’m hoping to get to 80 before seriously slowing. That seems to match many that I know.

+1

 

[jfn111]

I'm 64 and try to maintain 10000 steps per day. The real estate business makes me get off my butt and engage society. If the gyms ever reopen this might be the year I finally join one.

 

[sdtech]

Right now I am 82.
After 45 years of flying, I hung up my wings last year

I'm just 63, but I told my spouse I'd stop flying when I couldn't pull the plane with a tow bar.... might have to get a lighter plane someday! Glad you have the memories of 45 flying years. I'm up to 31.

 

[Nemo2]

I know I've said this before, but...if you're late 50s to mid 60s, you may as well (in most cases), say you're 17.

 

[RE2Boys]

This has been a very gradual process over the last 20 years. At 50, when I retired, I began to ease up on workouts, primarily cutting back on the miles I run per week and began avoiding running on pavement, stuck to trails and grass. Less miles also meant not entering road races. Never stopped running regularly though. In early-60s had a very bad case of tendonitis which stopped the running and back packing for two years so did even more on the bicycle. About 65 eye sight problems forced me to stop driving at night. Mid 60s back to running and back packing. Late 60s knee and hip problems forced me to cut back frequency and distance. This past summer I would go run forest trails at least once a week for 2-4 miles, mow the lawn with a push mower, and go for 2-3 12+ mile bike rides per week, and a couple of walks/hikes per week of 2-4 miles. Yesterday and today the temps are near 60 so will go for a 12+ bike ride this afternoon, potentially the last of the season as my task for tomorrow is to rearrange the garage and check out out the snow blower. Had heart by-pass surgery about a year ago. When I asked the doc if I should avoid any activities due to heart issues, he said I have no limitations, I could start marathon training if I desired. Of course, the joints would not allow that to happen. At the time of the heart attack, I recognized what was happening (was an EMT/ paramedic 40 years ago) and received immediate medical attention such that there was virtually no heart damage, not detectable on EKG or echocardiogram. Not yet at the go-slow stage, just going slower stage.

 

[H2ODude]

We're turning 70 shortly. While still go go (other than no travel) I'm slowing down a bit. Mtn biking speeds off a bit, more because I'm afraid of accumulating more injuries than inability to put out the effort. DW won't go a day without "closing the red circle" on her A watch at 400 active calories. While I can forgo closing mine now and then, feel better, a lot better, if I get the exercise. While maintaining physical health is a goal for both of us, the price to me for backing off is I just slide back into mental malaise. I know one of these days I'm going to be unable to maintain that endorphin boost and I truly fear what it will be like.

 

[Focus]

Not yet, I’m only 61. So couldn’t answer the poll. I’m hoping to get to 80 before seriously slowing. That seems to match many that I know.

I'm with you, but it might be too optimistic. Based on the poll results so far, about 90% slowed down by 70-74.

 

[Rambler]

I retired at 51 and actually sped up for a few years. I wasn’t tied to a desk or inside a cylindrical tube at 35,000 feet hurtling to my next destination. I had time to be more physical, focus on healthy activity and meals, etc. I ran a lot more and lost weight. But in my 56th year I got clobbered by the big C for a bit and was forced to slow down for a while. Once rectified, I got back at it. That said, my flat feet and collapsing arches make it more difficult to be as “go-go” as I was. I don’t think I’m in the slow-go stage yet, but I can’t deny that my “go” is a tad slower than it was. I can still get done the things I want to get done, but I can’t run as far (I skipped the half marathon in February this year) and my 5k times are only “half-fast” (read that really quickly....and you’ll get my drift). What is most startling to me is how stiff I get if I sit (as in driving) for long periods.

 

[audreyh1]

I'm with you, but it might be too optimistic. Based on the poll results so far, about 90% slowed down by 70-74.

Maybe, but my Dad didn’t really slow much until just after he turned 80. He was still super active in his early 70s, and so are many of our neighbors.

 

[Music Lover]

I guess it depends on the definition of "slowing down". People who can sprint without risking injury after age 50 are extremely rare and I'm not one of them. But at age 58 this past summer among other things I easily walked 36 holes of golf several times, spent 10 hours shingling roofs on 3 separate occasions, and shoveled gravel for 6 hours one day with no soreness after.

 

[Dtail]

Play a vigorous game of Pickleball 5 to 6x weekly for 3 hours daily at age 60.
However, I am definitely more sore than I was even 2 years ago.

 

[Ebendana]

61

I have been retired a year, and although I still have high energy, my DH is suffering long term side effects from some spinal cord bruising due to cervical compression...so that limits some of our activities. I find that if I try to do 2-3 20 minute increments of physical activity per day it is easier to stick to...I do a 15-20 morning swim 5-6 days per week, and 2 or 3 short bicycle rides (after lunch and after dinner)...this gives me some structure to my day. I had hoped to work part time for a few years but until there is vaccine for COVID I am very way of interacting with people more than I need to. I have taken up some creative outlets, like mosaic tiles on our steps, which is giving me a sense of accomplishment.

 

[Joe1954]

Not yet !!

Still going strong at 66. I try not to use the “I can’t do that anymore” excuse. I have had 3 knuckles in my fingers fused due to osteoarthritis, but they work well and NO PAIN !! (Just have to get thicker grips on my golf clubs). I know slowing down is inevitable, but I hope to push it back as long as possible. I am anxious to put Covid behind us so that we can get back to traveling

 

[Navigator]

My wife and I are in our mid to late sixties and are more active than ever, just doing different activities. We used to play a lot of tennis, but that was hard on the body. Now we walk, swim and cycle. We are planning to travel quite a bit once it’s safe to do so. I’m hoping to keep this up until our early eighties, but who knows?

 

[Rustic23]

I put 75-79, because we have not reached 80. However, we still have not slowed down precipitatously.

 

[nafddur1]

Just turned 70 and am still racing these. Does that count as not slowing down yet?https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=36822&stc=1&d=1606265227

 

[bookman51]

Seventy-three here. I can still do the same number of pull ups as I did as a first-year college student (11). However, I suspect if brought a stop watch, I am not as fast in running. I do not notice the slow down but it probably is there. Still, I go as fast as I want to go. I exercise daily and work outside quite a bit in the warmer weather. So far so good.

 

[becca]

I'm 68. Average about 15k steps a day. Have two friends in their early 70s I walk with every morning. This camaraderie gets us out there every day. I guess I can say I have slow downed a bit in that DH and I recently replaced our bikes with e-bikes. We ride the e-bikes every day the weather is good...about 10 miles. Keeping the e-bikes on the lowest assist level still gets us exercise but helps us manage the hills better. Pre-Covid I did a yoga class 2 or 3 times a week. I I have been doing Zoom yoga but not a big fan and have been slacking off. I need to be more disciplined about that.

DH is 74. He complains about aches and pains all the time but still plays golf 4x a week and rides the ebikes with me.

I guess we are both doing okay. Will continue to try to stay active as long as we can.

 

[Bamaman]

We're 70 & 72, and raising a 9 year old granddaughter. Although we've been retired 12 years, we really don't have time to "slow down".

I'm Type II diabetic but doing well and rather young for my age.

My wife looks great, but she has severe arthritis. She's had 7 surgeries in the last 2 years--including a knee replacement. A mid foot fusion to minimize pain is scheduled 12/31/2020, and she will be away from home almost a month in rehab. It's a long recovery too. Then she's got to have the other foot done.

We don't know what this surgery is going to do to her mobility, however we'll find a way to deal with it. She's got the will to continue living normally, and we're not through traveling the world. But we could be in a slow down mode in the near future.

 

[tb001]

My mother and her DH are 80 and 92. Both have been very fit and active their whole life. He started slowing down 2-3 yrs ago and the decline has been fairly quick, though he’s still nothing like the average 90 something. My mom hasn’t slowed down yet at all. It’s great inspiration to stay active!

 

[ls99]

RIght after I got out of the Army 1970, stopped running. Otherwise all is normal, at least in my mind, at times the body creaks a bit.

 

[Focus]

Interesting that the poll results aren't aligning with the much more positive comments, which are mainly from people eager to say they're not slowing down.

 

[Musica40]

Not Sure

I have been working since I was eight years old. I am now 61 looking at retiring at 62. What scares me most is filling in the hours. Wife and I love traveling. COVID has dampened our travel this year, although we managed to sneak in one vacation this year to Toronto and another partial vacation to Colorado Springs in August. We will stay active as long as God will allow. There are so many things remaining on our bucket list and now we will have time to do these things. Scary but looking forward to retirement.

 

[Music Lover]

Interesting that the poll results aren't aligning with the much more positive comments, which are mainly from people eager to say they're not slowing down.

IMO, if you haven't slowed down by 70 or later like some are claiming, then you weren't really going that fast in the first place.

I've been physically active my entire life and at 58 I'm in better shape than most people are at 38. But I know that I've slowed down because I can no longer do a lot of things that I used to be able to do.

 

[mountainsoft]

I just turned 57 and can already see signs of slowing down. I still do all the same things I did when I was in my 30's and 40's, but it seems to take a lot more effort than it used to. My knees, in particular, don't take kindly to kneeling which makes many tasks more difficult. Then again, I'm carrying around 30-40 pounds more than I did in my younger days.

Beyond the physical limitations, I've noticed my mental views have changed. While I could probably still do a lot of car repairs and whatnot, I don't enjoy it anymore. I've even considered switching to an automatic transmission for my next vehicle, something I never thought I would even think of.

On the upside, I'm no longer in a rush like I was in my younger years. I have a lot more patience now, even though I've always had a relaxed personality.