Are you still an athlete?

[2soon2tell]

I love to quote that famous golfer and senior philosopher Chi Chi Rodriguez.

"The older I get the better I used to be"

I walk 3-4 miles 4 x a week with visits to the Y twice a week. Played football and ran track in high school. Not very good in either sport.

Age 72 and have fast walked 8 half-marathons in the last few years. Running is too painful due to 3 total right shoulder replacements.

 

[outdoorgirl02]

I was a competitive gymnast growing up and coached for a number of years. I took some adult gymnastics classes, went to open gym sessions, and loved trampoline parks. I could still do back handsprings on the trampoline at 40 but then got hit with a few autoimmune diseases. While I can’t do any gymnastics now, I still love the sport, follow the college and elite level meets, and I get to watch my daughter practice and compete. My love of the sport has never gone away.

 

[Kickernick]

I became much more sports-focused when I retired 3 years ago (@50yo). It’s been a second childhood. I play tennis at least once a week, golf now and then, walk/jog almost every day, play league softball in the summer & have a curling league in the winter. Yes, curling is a sport!

 

[denver.miller.3]

Started roller and ice skating in junior high, snow skiing in 11th grade. Still doing all three at 64. Never competitive, but enjoy every minute of it.

 

[gooddog]

Lift weights and do 'sneaker' time 6 days a week. Get in about 3.5 hours of weights a week, and 20 miles of walking/jogging. Also, as much golf as possible, and never ride a cart. Actually run the golf course when it is clear, and my 71 year old golf buddy is riding....wouldn't recommend running the course for most.

 

[gcgang]

At age 65, I play golf about once a week and have as low a handicap (4) as I've ever had. I'd like to say it's because of my great conditioning, but it probably has more to do with today's equipment.

 

[RunningBum]

Lift weights and do 'sneaker' time 6 days a week. Get in about 3.5 hours of weights a week, and 20 miles of walking/jogging. Also, as much golf as possible, and never ride a cart. Actually run the golf course when it is clear, and my 71 year old golf buddy is riding....wouldn't recommend running the course for most.

Is this you?

(this is the speedgolf world record round)

I've done it a few times, but I don't have a super light stand bag, and we'd play first thing in the morning so I'd have to set the other couple clubs down in the dew and the grips would get wet and my hands were sweaty from running. One time I lost my grip on a muffed shot and the club went further than the ball. Finally I decided I like running and I like golf, but not together. If I had someone hauling my clubs with a cart I think I'd like that.

 

[FlyFisher]

I am having a blast playing in a Senior Baseball League here in Sacramento. We had 17 teams in our 50+ division last summer and another 6 teams in a 60+ division. Still a few years until I am eligible for the 60+ but hope to still be playing then. We travel around the west playing in a few tournaments too. I still pitch but the fastball is not what it used to be. I also snow ski, flyfish, golf and run/jog a couple of days a week. I did have a couple of bouts of tendonitis in my elbow so I am working on managing the load on my arm a bit now.

 

[scrinch]

At 83, No longer an athlete, but a supporter.

Got it. That's another way of telling us that you consider yourself a jock.


I played baseball up through HS, and then slow pitch softball up until my mid-50's when I had to quit due to bad knees and constantly pulled groin and hamstring muscles. I progressed from shortstop to third base and then to second base as the legs then reflexes then arm deteriorated!

I took up running in college but had to quit that at age 30 because of the knees.

I started playing basketball in college and only quit that a couple of years ago in my late 50's when I couldn't find anyone not interested in grabbing, shoving, and hotdog-ing to play with (I was overseas at the time and they all learned to play from watching the NBA).

I started playing tennis in my late 30's and continue to play today, although I have been slowed down by replacing both knees in the past 2 years, and commonly sore shoulder and elbow.

I have backpacked since I was a kid, and have a couple of weeklong trips scheduled/permitted in the Sierras this summer.

 

[Chuckanut]

<snip>
I have been slowed down by replacing both knees in the past 2 years, and commonly sore shoulder and elbow.

I have backpacked since I was a kid, and have a couple of weeklong trips scheduled/permitted in the Sierras this summer.

Backpacking in the Sierra with two TKRs! You inspire me. I long to return to hiking if not backpacking. I am looking at having one TKR this summer. It will be nice to be able to walk more than a mile or two and not be in pain

 

[eytonxav]

I am having a blast playing in a Senior Baseball League here in Sacramento. We had 17 teams in our 50+ division last summer and another 6 teams in a 60+ division. Still a few years until I am eligible for the 60+ but hope to still be playing then. We travel around the west playing in a few tournaments too. I still pitch but the fastball is not what it used to be. I also snow ski, flyfish, golf and run/jog a couple of days a week. I did have a couple of bouts of tendonitis in my elbow so I am working on managing the load on my arm a bit now.

I used to play in DFW's NABA 48+ wood bat league and pitched. We had a few ex-pros, but most played college ball. It was very competitive. I loved it until my eyesight became a problem with all our games being played at night. Now I play in a 65+ softball league and that is fun, but I really do miss hardball and pitching and the loss of athletic ability that I had back then.

 

[scrinch]

Backpacking in the Sierra with two TKRs! You inspire me. I long to return to hiking if not backpacking. I am looking at having one TKR this summer. It will be nice to be able to walk more than a mile or two and not be in pain

Both backpacking trips came off without a hitch, knee-wise. Nearly 100 miles altogether with a 40lb pack. The mosquitoes were bad this year, though!

 

[ckelly78z]

I used to play alot of basketball (either organized, or playground pickup), but through a series of health issues, and a bad car accident (someone ran a stop sign into the side of my Porsche), I haven't done so in years.

I have been cleaning out my barn where my son, and I used to shoot hoops, so hopefully, I can get back into it a little bit.

My other sport in High school was track, where I did the 330 low hurdles, high jump, and long jump, which was helped by my 38" vertical leap ability.

 

[atmsmshr]

My high school sports were: tennis, track, cross-country, skiing, soccer, racquetball,boating, golf and weight lifting. Also started competitive drinking.

Age 58. Reduced to golf, weight lifting and boating. Now only amateur status in drinking.

 

[Montecfo]

I used to play alot of basketball (either organized, or playground pickup), but through a series of health issues, and a bad car accident (someone ran a stop sign into the side of my Porsche), I haven't done so in years.

I have been cleaning out my barn where my son, and I used to shoot hoops, so hopefully, I can get back into it a little bit.

My other sport in High school was track, where I did the 330 low hurdles, high jump, and long jump, which was helped by my 38" vertical leap ability.

I played hoops my whole life, till mid 50s. As a result of some bad sprains wearing those Chucks that were state of the art in my early playing days, I have a really bad ankle. But concussions ended my competitive ball playing days.

But I do have a really nice hoop on my driveway, a good outdoor ball, some much better shoes, and a 3 point line where I can continue to "dominate". I have played a lot of ball there with my son who at 6 ft 6 does tower over me by four inches.

Otherwise, I am hiking, walking, biking, swimming.

[emoji6]

 

[Dtail]

Was the captain of my HS basketball team. Continued playing until 40 y.o., then tore my ACL. Lost interest after that.
Luckily discovered Pickleball. The knee is not affected by playing.

 

[jollystomper]

I am retired from my childhood/teenage/young adult sports of baseball, football, basketball, volleyball, and racquetball (the latter more due to lack of courts where we currently live). Interestingly volleyball was the only sport where I sustained any injuries. I have shifted into gym strength/aerobic workouts, golf (walking the course), biking, and hiking.

 

[COcheesehead]

My wife, 58, is a cross fit fanatic. She is second in her gym only beaten out by the younger gym owner. We regularly hike 2-5 hours. Up, down, heat, cold. I ride my bike as well 2-3 hour rides at a good, 17-18 MPH pace. My resting heart rate is consistently at or below 50.

I learned from my older brother to just keep moving. He used to be a big runner. He slowed down and eventually gave it up entirely. He gained weight. He says he now wishes he never would have stopped.

 

[ckelly78z]

I learned from my older brother to just keep moving..

I rarely sit for any length of time without getting up to get more ice water, or check on something in the garage, or just to stretch my legs. Inactivity is what will eventually kill you. With a farm, and cutting/burning firewood there is ALWAYS some project that needs completing...while not athletic in nature, it still keeps me to 5'10" 180#.

 

[BoodaGazelle]

I guess the answer is “no”... but (amusingly) when I had my hip replacement at age 59, the nurses there assured me that, compared to their usual patients, I was “an athlete”.

 

[Chris7]

Sprinted in High School. Gave up running in college. Took it up again in my early 40s, long distance running. Took a couple of years off to heal a foot injury. Will be 50 in December. Trying to qualify for the 2021 Boston. Current best mileage: 10-miles at 9:45 pace. I need to do 26.2 at a 7:45 pace. Got some work to do.


cd :O)

 

[RunningBum]

Sprinted in High School. Gave up running in college. Took it up again in my early 40s, long distance running. Took a couple of years off to heal a foot injury. Will be 50 in December. Trying to qualify for the 2021 Boston. Current best mileage: 10-miles at 9:45 pace. I need to do 26.2 at a 7:45 pace. Got some work to do.


cd :O)

Good luck! I'm targeting a return to Boston in 2022. Right now I'm way off. Ran it in 2011, 2013, and 2017. Note that getting a qualifying time allows you to register, but if they are over the limit, they start cutting people closest to the qualifying times (slowest, relatively) until they are at the limit. Last year it was cut at BQ-4:52, but they toughened the standards for this year. Registrations for 2020 are all in but everyone 5 minutes or less are waiting to hear the new cutoff. My guess is that it'll be around 30 seconds, a minute at most.

 

[joeea]

Used to do a lot more.

Played a lot of basketball up until 45 or so. Played some tennis when younger, but stopped when I got married and had kids.

These days, lots of long walks, kayaking, swimming, and pickleball have to suffice, along with a bit of snowshoeing and indoor pickleball in the winter. I enjoy them. If I can find a decent place relatively close, I'll maybe add some indoor swimming this winter.

Not as much as I used to do, but not too bad. I'm not striving to be an athlete, just tying to stay active.

 

[Chris7]

Good luck! I'm targeting a return to Boston in 2022. Right now I'm way off. Ran it in 2011, 2013, and 2017. Note that getting a qualifying time allows you to register, but if they are over the limit, they start cutting people closest to the qualifying times (slowest, relatively) until they are at the limit. Last year it was cut at BQ-4:52, but they toughened the standards for this year. Registrations for 2020 are all in but everyone 5 minutes or less are waiting to hear the new cutoff. My guess is that it'll be around 30 seconds, a minute at most.

Yes, I am aware of the spread and hoping it doesn't get too much wider.


cd :O)

 

[troutnut1]

At 66 and 65 my wife and I work out two days a week lifting weights with a trainer, and water aerobics two days a week, for our physical fitness and in preparation for the downhill ski season. We ski 60-70 full days a year.