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| Run Mile 17 at Ironman Florida 2014 |
Things change as we age. Not saying its good or bad, just reporting the reality. When I shifted my focus from the weight room to running I was in my mid-20s and giving the body a beat down was just par for the course. I didn't really know what I was doing, but I read a lot, talked to everyone I could, and learned a thing or two along the way. After selling Body Dynamics in 2001 I started cross training which led to the logical transition (in my mind at least) to triathlon. That happened 12 years ago. In my early-30s at the time I had new ways to train hard. Again, didn't have much knowledge at the time but learned a thing or two along the way.
Eventually things start to change. Somewhere around my mid- to late-30s there were little changes. By the time I hit 40 things were different. Again, not bad, just different. Some of it is physical and some is mental. From at training perspective, in my younger days I could basically follow a training program from a book or magazine without issue. Any modifications were because of schedule. Those plans, after all, are written for the masses ... more likely the younger masses.
After 40 things are different. Every year now is a new challenge of not only trying to get better, but attempting to feel good doing it. Here's a look at some of the things us "old guys" talk about when you aren't there:
You Can Still Train Hard, Just Not as Frequent as Before
If you plan on keeping fitness, maybe even improving fitness, during your "older" years, it is necessary to continue to keep some hard training in your weekly plan. What you cannot do, however, is train like you are 18 years old.What the old guys who are still around know and understand is that with age comes restraint. When I go into an interval session I have a general idea of the number of reps I want to do, but it is always a range. Feel good do more. Don't come back for more until the bod can handle the additional load.
Do too much and the body revolts. This could mean being dead on your feet for days on end or injury. Either way, not worth it.
The Mid-Afternoon Nap
When I started training for the Ironman distance a typical Saturday would include my long run in the morning and a 2-3 hour "casual" bike ride in the afternoon. In between I would grab breakfast with my running crew, do a little food shopping and maybe clean my car. After the ride I would mow the lawn ... sometimes ... OK, only if I absolutely had to my the lawn. I am really not a fan of grass.These days I will still run in the morning, ride in the afternoon, eat and shop in between. What is different is the 20-30 minute pre-ride nap. That downtime is more refreshing than you could imagine. If things are tight and it doesn't happen, I suffer.
Different Perspective on Racing
I aged up to the 40-44 age group in 2009. In June of 2010 I raced the Olympic distance at the Black Bear Triathlon, taking third in my division. The guy who won blew by me early in the run and I was out sprinted in the final quarter mile. After crossing the line a funny thing happened. The winner stuck around to shake hands and the three of us talked for a few minutes. There was no animosity. Heck, I don't even think we talked about the race. What I do remember is that we were all just happy to be out there, racing hard, and happy for the other guy for doing the same.Outracing the Young is Awesome
OK, so I lied about not talking about the race in the last section. The three of us were not just happy about our performances, but we all noted what fun it was to out race just about every young guy out on the course. we were 7th, 16th and 17th overall on the day out of 347 athletes who finished. Placing above the young is still just as awesome today as it was back then.Pain is a Part of Life
When you are young you always feel good. Sometimes you overdo it and are run down for a few days, for sure. But there comes a time where you always seem to have a bit of something happening somewhere just about all the time. At first it can freak you out, but eventually you get used to it. Eventually you just understand that having some pain is better than stopping.Nutrition is More Important Than Ever
When you are young you can get away with a lot. Some time in your 30s you start to realize that you feel like crap when you eat crap. Sometime after you clean up your diet you notice the energy you lost is back, which is great. The other side of that is you can't get away with what you once did. Yes, you can chow down on Pop Tarts while out on your long ride (never giving that up). No, you can't go home and have Pop Tarts for breakfast.If you are above a certain age you are probably shaking your head in agreement and have a few other things you would like to add to my list. If you are in your 20s you are surely in denial about any of this, mainly because you can't imagine being 40-something, let alone in your 50s. If you are in your 30s you might be in some denial right now about what I wrote. Don't be. It's all true.
What I will tell you is that no matter where you are with this athletic pursuit thing we are all going through enjoy the ride. If you are "older" you should embrace the journey and embrace ever finish line you cross. As Lo-Jack has been saying for years, when you feel good and are healthy, race. You never know what might be out on the horizon.
If you aren't quite there yet you are fortunate. Take advantage of your fresh legs and recovery abilities. Learn everything you can and have patience with your progress. Try and do too much, or work through injury and you'll be out of the game quickly. I've been racing for 20+ years now and can't could the number of good, fast people I have seen come and go.
Train hard. Stay focused.
Jon
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