2009 News WSJ Older, Wiser, Slower After 50

I didn't call anyone a ninny Don't fret, I call myself a ninny. Some other sage here just beat me to it. I just said we probably need to push our kids a bit harder You say push, I say guide. Semantics I guess. To keep to topic, maybe we should hand out a ribbon to every 50-year-old who doesn't want a burst aorta. I'll bet the majority of ribbions would be picked up at that meet.

June Krauser gave me good advice years ago: "Don't look back. Establish PRs for each group and be happy with that." I've always liked this kind of advice. Every 5 years you get to start fresh; it takes the sting out of a birthday, especially a "big" one like 40 or 50 or 60 (as they say, it sure beats the alternative). Every year, my general goals for a particular event in order of increasing difficulty are: -- improve my time on an age-adjusted scale like this one. -- beat last year's time. -- set a new PR for my current age group (though that is easier than the previous goal if you just aged up...:))

Swimming technique, mental preparedness, goggles, better designed workouts, these have been the difference for me in my times from college days (1970) to now. I don't plan to slow down. I expect that my best times are still ahead of me!!!:banana: LCM 50 free 20 - 26.74 55 - 28.82 60 - 28.32 200 free 20 - 2:15.75 55 - 2:21.23 60 - 2:22.10 400 free 20 - 5:04.20 55 - 5:02.97 60 - 5:01.81 800 free 20 - 10:47.96 55 - 10:50.90 60 - 10:34.50

But does sprinting require any training at all? Is it even real racing? I don't think there is enough time in a 50 free for my HR to get above 100... :) basically what it comes down to is you are not strong enough physically to get your heart rate up without extended excercise. That is cool, I wouldn't be bragging about it, though.

Here's around 20 good reason reasons why that article is all hogwash. 50 Freestyle SCY Men 50-54 (2009) # Name Age Club LMSC Time 1 Ambrose Gaines 50 BLU Florida 21.38 2 Jack R Groselle 54 O*H* Lake Erie 21.97 3 Richard F Kammerer 51 RICE Gulf 22.26 4 Jerry Spencer 50 ARKM Arkansas 22.39 5 John L Oberto 50 CVAS Pacific 22.45 6 Barry Roth 54 ARIZ Arizona 22.50 7 Mike L Schmitz 50 MICH Michigan 22.58 8 Fritz W Homans 51 MESC New England 22.68 9 Maxwell B Stinchcombe 52 TXLA South Texas 22.77 10 Joe Wotton 50 GOLD Florida Gold Coast 22.78 100 Freestyle SCY Men 50-54 (2009) # Name Age Club LMSC Time 1 Ambrose Gaines 50 BLU Florida 46.59 2 Jack R Groselle 54 O*H* Lake Erie 47.92 3 Bob Bugg 51 GAJA Georgia 48.77 4 Rick Abbott 53 AKMS Alaska 49.35 5 Rick Kammerer 51 RICE Gulf 49.47 6 Mike L Schmitz 50 MICH Michigan 49.48 7 Fritz W Homans 51 MESC New England 49.66 8 Maxwell B Stinchcombe 52 TXLA South Texas 49.67 9 Michael J Blatt 53 VCM Southern Pacific 49.71 10 Michael T Mann 54 CMS Colorado 49.89 RIGHT ON!

Here's around 20 good reason reasons why that article is all hogwash. But does sprinting require any training at all? Is it even real racing? I don't think there is enough time in a 50 free for my HR to get above 100... :)

But does sprinting require any training at all? Ironically, Fort and Jazzbone left the secret sprinter handbook out on deck the other day and I stumbled upon it. It was actually one page long and printed on a post it note. Here is what it says for a typical workout: Drive to pool, rest 30 minutes Walk inside, chat 30 minutes Change in locker room, rest 10 minutes Main set - 6 X 12.5 @ 8:00 minutes Cool down in shower, dress, return to car Claim a 2 hour workout on the forum

Here's around 20 good reason reasons why that article is all hogwash. 50 Freestyle SCY Men 50-54 (2009) # Name Age Club LMSC Time 1 Ambrose Gaines 50 BLU Florida 21.38 2 Jack R Groselle 54 O*H* Lake Erie 21.97 3 Richard F Kammerer 51 RICE Gulf 22.26 4 Jerry Spencer 50 ARKM Arkansas 22.39 5 John L Oberto 50 CVAS Pacific 22.45 6 Barry Roth 54 ARIZ Arizona 22.50 7 Mike L Schmitz 50 MICH Michigan 22.58 8 Fritz W Homans 51 MESC New England 22.68 9 Maxwell B Stinchcombe 52 TXLA South Texas 22.77 10 Joe Wotton 50 GOLD Florida Gold Coast 22.78 100 Freestyle SCY Men 50-54 (2009) # Name Age Club LMSC Time 1 Ambrose Gaines 50 BLU Florida 46.59 2 Jack R Groselle 54 O*H* Lake Erie 47.92 3 Bob Bugg 51 GAJA Georgia 48.77 4 Rick Abbott 53 AKMS Alaska 49.35 5 Rick Kammerer 51 RICE Gulf 49.47 6 Mike L Schmitz 50 MICH Michigan 49.48 7 Fritz W Homans 51 MESC New England 49.66 8 Maxwell B Stinchcombe 52 TXLA South Texas 49.67 9 Michael J Blatt 53 VCM Southern Pacific 49.71 10 Michael T Mann 54 CMS Colorado 49.89

Ironically, Fort and Jazzbone left the secret sprinter handbook out on deck the other day and I stumbled upon it. It was actually one page long and printed on a post it note. Here is what it says for a typical workout: Drive to pool, rest 30 minutes Walk inside, chat 30 minutes Change in locker room, rest 10 minutes Main set - 6 X 12.5 @ 8:00 minutes Cool down in shower, dress, return to car Claim a 2 hour workout on the forum You forgot: Go to gym and do 4-5 exercises Sit in whirlpool Eat after Rag on people who need DVDs to work out

I read the article to mean that you can't keep doing the same times as you age. I think the article is wrong that 50 is the point of decline. I have never reached times that I did as a kid, but my best Masters times were at 50. My experience is that after 60, you can't hold on to your best times. June Krauser gave me good advice years ago: "Don't look back. Establish PRs for each group and be happy with that. If you keep swimming new events, you can get a PR." Health issues are always a concern. Many of us have various ills that cause problems at times. When I discuss my swimming and health with others in my age group (65-69), the best I can say is "I am swimming well. There is nothing wrong at the moment."