Comments on Cranky Fitness: Old People Are Kicking My Ass

oh your hilarious story reminded me of a time I wa...

2008-03-19T14:36:00.000-04:00

oh your hilarious story reminded me of a time I was power walking going pretty fast I felt. Then right out from the right side of me these two women who looked like my grandma's age come whizzing by me as they said excuse us. zOMG, the old ladies were kicking my ass, and at first I felt a bit defeated, but then I watched them some more and thought, wow! I wanna kick ass like those ladies when I'm their age. Go you golden girls!

It's pretty funny how you felt like you had to com...

2008-03-18T21:11:00.000-04:00

It's pretty funny how you felt like you had to compete with all the old folks. :)

Good luck with the move!

When I read this post, I wanted to laugh out loud....

2008-03-18T00:33:00.000-04:00

When I read this post, I wanted to laugh out loud. It was past 10 o'clock at night and I was ready to go to bed, but I couldn't because my aged mother, in her mid-80's, was bopping around the place in a fit of organizing-and-cleaning.
I felt completely inadequate that she was kicking my ass, energy-wise, until I sat down and did the math. Not only did she sleep in for another 4 hours after I went to work, she had a 2 hour nap in the afternoon before I came home. No wonder she was full of energy when I was ready to droop!

And Crabby... you're older than I am? No way! Maybe chronologically (barely), but not biologically. Trust me,Jim, I know whereof I speak. I've met her :)

Damn, Jim, you run too fast to catch up to and bop...

2008-03-17T10:52:00.000-04:00

Damn, Jim, you run too fast to catch up to and bop over the head with my cane!

And thanks, Bob--I suspect you're going to be one of those incredibly fit seniors putting the youngsters to shame. Maybe you can go chase Jim for me.

Love the comments on this -- they are particularly...

2008-03-16T14:38:00.000-04:00

Love the comments on this -- they are particularly funny because, I think, this topic hits home. I can relate to many of the comments -- embarrassed to be "seniored" (to be bested by someone several years older) and hoping like crazy that I can still be a decent runner (or even get better) as I age.

Bob

Oh... so is that you in the picture? *Jim ducks an...

2008-03-13T18:34:00.000-04:00

Oh... so is that you in the picture? *Jim ducks and runs*

I bet you don't look a day over 21 with all that health-conscious stuff.

I totally recall during my college (beer swilling)...

2008-03-13T06:04:00.000-04:00

I totally recall during my college (beer swilling) days when I lifeguarded HOW MANY OF THE OLDER LAP SWIMMERS WERE IN BETTER SHAPE THAN I.

we women guards would joke about it (between evening sips) but it really wasnt funny.

those older folks can kick some a**!

now the college kids think Im old---so I guess it all works out.
:)
M.

Very funny stuff.As a hospitalist, the two consta...

2008-03-13T04:18:00.000-04:00

Very funny stuff.

As a hospitalist, the two constants that I see over and over again for people who look much younger than their stated age are.

1) They don't smoke
2) They remain physically active all their life.

It really does make a huge difference.

Aging and exercise? I like to think that there are...

2008-03-12T21:33:00.000-04:00

Aging and exercise? I like to think that there are no limits - some have the thought that when you reach ## age that it's all downhill - well I disagree, and when you continue your regular exercise program, you'll only benefit your body!

Thanks for the great story, super funny while a great point! :)

Is it just me or does anyone think the comments ar...

2008-03-12T20:44:00.000-04:00

Is it just me or does anyone think the comments are particularly hilarious today?

Now I've got visions of Amanda's grandma, with curlers but sans pants, being chased up and down the stairs by Gov Spitzer waving thousand-dollar bills.

And Jim, you can always dare to ask, but whether I'll answer is another question! (Ah what the hell, I'm 47. Which usually feels plenty old enough, but it starts feeling young when you hang out with the seniors).

My 70 year old father's doctor just told him that ...

2008-03-12T20:39:00.000-04:00

My 70 year old father's doctor just told him that he could spend time working out in the gym, or hanging out at the doctor's office; that was his choice. My dad quickly got a new gym membership. And yes, I still try to kick his butt just like I did when I was a kid. Only now, I don't tell him that is what I'm doing. I just stay quiet about it. Great post. I am proud of every person that walks into a gym because I know how hard it is. Even those annoyingly perfect, skinny chicks.

Funny you should write about super-fit old people....

2008-03-12T20:35:00.000-04:00

Funny you should write about super-fit old people. Just yesterday at the gym, while a bunch of us were struggling up the stairmaster and bashing Spitzer, somehow the topic switched to a local 80 year-old man who had broken some running record. He had averaged a 7:13 mile.

I noted that the only way I could run a 7:13 mile would be if Gov. Spitzer was chasing me with $4000!(He's just not my type.)

So the guy on the stairmaster next to me replied, "Yeah, when I was 82 I ran a 7 minute mile, but I can't go that fast now because of my knees."

Yikes.

So for a while I lived in my grandmother's basemen...

2008-03-12T17:04:00.000-04:00

So for a while I lived in my grandmother's basement, and I would wake up in the morning to her running up and down the four flights of stairs in her house. With weights. But no pants. And curlers in her hair. By the time I dragged my ass up for coffee, she'd have worked out for an hour, have full make-up on, hair done, walking out the door to work. She put me to shame. She just turned 80. Still rockin' it.

Crabby - dare we ask YOUR age?

2008-03-12T16:34:00.000-04:00

Crabby - dare we ask YOUR age?

my grandpa, age 84, basically invented the concept...

2008-03-12T16:33:00.000-04:00

my grandpa, age 84, basically invented the concept of jogging (I swear! I have documents!) and he has been active all through his life. He swims laps mostly now and I/he totally credit his love of and dedication to physical activity with his continued good health. He got ME started with working out back when I was in high school. I remember himcheeringme on when I finished my first one-mile run on the marathon! Love him!

Man I'm so jealous. Even my step-father makes me ...

2008-03-12T16:16:00.000-04:00

Man I'm so jealous. Even my step-father makes me look bad. He's 73 and he still works.

When I was seventeen, my mom dragged me to her gym...

2008-03-12T15:46:00.000-04:00

When I was seventeen, my mom dragged me to her gym. The trainer measured me and told me that I had a waist of 33 and hips of 38. It didn't go with the clothes that I was wearing so I was rather furious. I now understand that clothes, especially jeans, are worn tight, but I didn't at the time. I felt ashamed that she told me that I was huge. I also couldn't do any of the exercises and I felt fat, ungraceful and like I made a complete ass of myself. I've never felt comfortable in a gym since.

No one has measured me in a gym since then and I only been to one fitness class since and I didn't make a fool of myself there. It was low impact and at a resort so the instructor expected no one to know a routine.

At the first gym, I felt so ashamed that I didn't have the coordination of the older participants and completely humiliated by my measurement being told to myself and my mother. I work out at home. It's easier, cheaper, and I'm not embarrassed if I can't keep up with the exercises on a VHS. I haven't used the DVD player yet. Lately, I've been doing my exercises out of a book.

Oh this made me laugh. I always run next to this o...

2008-03-12T15:45:00.000-04:00

Oh this made me laugh. I always run next to this older gentleman, and some strange part of my brain is always like, "Hey, I'm awesome because I'm running faster than him." Or course he is about 352 years old...

Heh...I don't know about old people but I'm consis...

2008-03-12T15:35:00.000-04:00

Heh...I don't know about old people but I'm consistently getting 'chicked' by girls going faster than me.

I frequently go jogging on a popular wooded trail ...

2008-03-12T15:26:00.001-04:00

I frequently go jogging on a popular wooded trail and I am regularly passed by men in their 70s. Part of me is embarrassed, but mostly, I'm just inspired.

How awesome are you that you're living in a retirement community? Love it!

oh then you probably don't want to see this: http:...

2008-03-12T15:26:00.000-04:00

oh then you probably don't want to see this: http://marathonleap.blogspot.com/2008/03/101-year-old-man-to-run-london-marathon.html

There's a guy in ourneighborhood who must be at le...

2008-03-12T15:18:00.000-04:00

There's a guy in ourneighborhood who must be at least 70 who runs about 5-10 K a day. He's pure muscle...and has loooooong hair that flows out behind him as he runs in these awful shorts with no shirt. If I can look that good when I'm that old...man.
All my running tips came from a 72 year old who has been running for 20 years...I'm hoping if I start now I might be able to keep up with them when I get there.
I find older runners inspiring.

My grandpa is 75 and fit for the first time in his...

2008-03-12T14:41:00.000-04:00

My grandpa is 75 and fit for the first time in his life thanks to diabetes scaring the crap out of him.

Hell, I'll just be happy if I make past 65! It wou...

2008-03-12T14:27:00.000-04:00

Hell, I'll just be happy if I make past 65! It would be nice to be fit by then though.

Marie said,"I don't want to have to perform CPR."D...

2008-03-12T14:21:00.000-04:00

Marie said,"I don't want to have to perform CPR."

Don't worry Marie, he's there to perform CPR on you :-)

Sorry, coundn't resist.

Dr. J