I wondered if any of you can help me with some perspective on this. I was a respectable age-group swimmer (age 8-18 - peaked around 16). Swimming was my life. I went on to do triathlons in college and casual running and swimming after that. Now in my late 30's. Have always swum to keep in shape, but getting slower every year.
How do those of you in the 30's, 40's etc. who had a previous swimming career deal with the disappointment of getting slower, and slower? It is so frustrating. I get particularly frustrated with myself when people in practice who I should be much faster than (ie they didn't swim competitively and have ummmm...less than ideal strokes), are beating me. I still have that competitive mindset.
Since I don't think I would swim respectable 30-something times in a meet (and I have little kids right now that are keeping me pretty busy) I am waiting until 40's to compete. My butterfly is still OK so thinking if I can do a respectable 200 butterfly in my 40's that would be an accomplishment.
Anyway I just wondered how others put this into perspective. Thanks!
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Former Member
Originally posted by cinc310
Sorry,Ion, yes, Jim and Laurie Val are young compared to those in that are 65 and over.
...
What I mean is that last year's 49 years old Jim Thornton who went a lifetime best, is in my opinion younger than a 25 years old person who lives mediocre:
.) Jim defeated life by training for and performing a lifetime best;
so Jim is in his prime;
.) the mediocre is defeated by life, so the mediocre acts older.
I have seen staggering such examples, in a field requiring the sharpest mental skills, the field of mathematics:
.) someone is and trains to be in the prime of life, mentally;
.) slobs are mentally defeated by life, and they act older.
By my definition of young and old:
.) one is young, when one defeats life mentally and physically with a lifetime best or a near best;
.) one is old, when one is defeated by life.
Originally posted by cinc310
Sorry,Ion, yes, Jim and Laurie Val are young compared to those in that are 65 and over.
...
What I mean is that last year's 49 years old Jim Thornton who went a lifetime best, is in my opinion younger than a 25 years old person who lives mediocre:
.) Jim defeated life by training for and performing a lifetime best;
so Jim is in his prime;
.) the mediocre is defeated by life, so the mediocre acts older.
I have seen staggering such examples, in a field requiring the sharpest mental skills, the field of mathematics:
.) someone is and trains to be in the prime of life, mentally;
.) slobs are mentally defeated by life, and they act older.
By my definition of young and old:
.) one is young, when one defeats life mentally and physically with a lifetime best or a near best;
.) one is old, when one is defeated by life.
