NYT article on exercise and aging

[DirtDiva]

Can we start a "geek athlete retirement home"?

See y'all in the rest home. Last one in the wheelchair race buys beer

w00t! Kerb hucks!

[KnottedYet]

"Don't Eat Crap." Words to live by! Ok, if this guy writes straightforward funny stuff like that, now I'll HAVE to read his book!

[Crankin]

Wahine, I was speaking generally, not specifically meaning right now. Although... I have been pretty much doing things at my usual level, but being very conscious of my rest days and substituting a less intense work out if needed, but not skipping it. Fatigue was not really part of my symptoms, except for the part when I wasn't sleeping! Today I decided to stop taking the anti-anxiety meds. I had weaned myself down to .5 mg, so it made sense to do it on a weekend when I knew my hubby would be around and I was going to ride outside. I felt somewhat bad when I went out to ride and now I feel fine; in fact much better. The only symptoms I am still having are the tinnitus, but much less frequently, and some pain in the cartilage in my throat. But I feel normal, unlike before.
I guess I meant that I know that intervals make you stronger, but I don't consciously go out and do them. I think most of my improvement has come because I live in a hilly area and that forces me to exert myself! But my speed plateaued probably 2 seasons ago. Without some concerted effort and interval training, it's probably not going to improve. But then, I ask myself how many other 54 year olds ride 2,500-3,000 miles a year and take vacations which involve 9,000 feet of climbing? I guess I have to accept the 15-16 mph average. My goal is to keep riding and if it starts becoming a chore, I don't think that will happen.

[Wahine]

Wahine, I was speaking generally, not specifically meaning right now.

Sorry Robyn. For some reason I had it in my head that you had a lot more chronic fatigue type symptoms. I'm so glad that you're doing better and I didn't want you to risk getting worse by doing intervals. But I was mistaken. Thanks for the clarification.

[Crankin]

Reading about everyone's mom makes me realize how unique my mom was for someone of her generation. She died 11 years ago of liver disease (AFTER a transplant), but before she got sick she was a role model. She always walked and I remember her doing calisthenics on the floor to an exercise record when I was about 11. She was into sports in high school and was an officer in the girls athletic association. She was always telling me tales of riding off somewhere on her bike! When she would visit me in AZ we would get up and walk at 5 AM, to avoid the heat.
My dad is about to turn 83 and still works part time, but he gave me some upsetting news yesterday. He was supposed to have arthroscopic knee surgery this week, but it was canceled because his EKG was not good. Now he has to go for a stress test. He already takes Lipitor, but he has a blockage in leg that they won't address until the knee is fixed, because he can't walk with the knee pain. Oye... I wanted to tell him that maybe 65 years of smoking is catching up with him, but I held my tongue. He looks much younger and all of his friends are my age. Still, he never did anything physical and it's probably good genes contributing to his longevity.

[ummbnb]

My mom didn't start exercising in earnest until her mid-60's. She's 74 now and goes to the gym or walks daily. I'm really really really proud of her!!!

[mimitabby]

my mother's sitting in a wheel chair because she didn't have the sense to NOT go for her walk when there was the possibility of ICE

It's so frustrating because at this age you lose so much more ground when you are laid up for a time. She's read that book too (Younger next year) and is a proponent of it.

[MillieNZ]

Is Use it or lose it by Peter Snell.

Peter is a New Zealander that won 3 olympic gold medals at 800 & 1500 metre in the 60's. He now is a Associate Proffessor at DEpt of internal medicine at Uni of Texas Southwestern. He is 70 this year, still working at the uni, looks 20 years younger and is still active & competitive in all sorts of sports.

Use it or Lose it explores the many mounting health problems and their causes & how you can use simple activites, exercises & plain commmon sense to take control of and enhance your life as you get older and approach 'Third Age'.

I really recommend reading it what ever your age