Aging Gracefully

Running a 10K in the early 80's

I thought I could run forever.  Literally.

Imagine me at 75 or 80 years of age, out in the elements putting one foot in front of the other on a brisk spring day. I'm on the trail near my neighborhood being passed by bikers and runners much faster than me but I'm still trudging along at a comfortable, steady pace. In my mind, they are envious of this old guy, guessing my age and generating thoughts like  "look at that old fool"  or "good for you, gramps, good for you!"

My plan was to run forever. I believed  that  running was  to be my primary form of exercise and the only form exercise I ever really needed. And why not? It has been for the past 34 years ever since I started out by running a section of gravel roads adjacent to the high school in Parkersburg Iowa back in 1979. 

"Hey Doc, wanna go run with us?"  I was teaching summer music lessons and some of the coaches were hanging around the high school gym.

"Sure, why not". I was just looking to fit in and to be one of the guys. As the band man in town, that wasn't always the easiest thing for me to do.

So off we went, about 4 of us. My goal was to just keep up and to not embarrass myself. But a funny thing happened about mile 2. I found myself inching ahead and maintaining a slightly faster pace than the others and pretty soon I was leaving the group behind.

"I'll meet you guys back at the high school" and off I went In a cloud of gravel dust. Now I'd being lying if I told you I didn't gloat just a little bit as I stood in front of the school watching them finish the last hundred yards heading up to the parking lot.

"Nice job, Doc. You been working out behind our backs?"  ( there's no way we just got smoked by a sissy music teacher)

"No, just felt good to keep the pace we had going" ( yeah, you just got smoked by the band man!)

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs 1994

I count that moment back in the summer of 1979 as the start of my running life. From there, I went on to run my first 10k on the 4th of July in Independence, Iowa ( yes, there is such a town) at 8am and in 80 degree heat. During  the 1980's through the mid-90's I ran in hundreds of 10k's and half-marathons and even 2 full marathons. I ran in small towns and in New York City. In extreme heat and in the cold and snow. I burned through more shoes than the shoemaker's elves could cobble. I nursed my way through nagging injuries and ran on some days when I should have taken the day off. I had my own subscription to Runner's World. I got offended when someone called me a jogger.

On average, I estimate that I've logged about 1200 miles a year for the past 34 years. That's about 40,000 miles, give or take a mile or 2. For the past 20 years, running has been only for fitness and well-being-no more personal bests or running events for this "seasoned" runner. And as recently as 3 years ago, I was running about 5 times a week on average, always for at least an hour per run. 

About 3 years ago, my running started to change. It was getting harder to maintain the frequency and distance I was used to without a few more aches and pains. My willingness to grind through the early morning runs and weather challenges that I used to take on with an attitude of defiance was fading.

And my doctor was pestering me. "You need to hit the weights." That wasn't the first time he'd said that. "At your age, you naturally lose muscle and gain fat. You need the hit the weights".

My "unwilling to age gracefully" voice was whining back at him..."but I'm a runner. I don't do weights. I don't like gyms. Can't I just run?" 

Hyde Park, London 1993

Then last week I went to a health fair at work. There was my my doctor, giving a presentation on healthy living (aging gracefully) for people over 40. And when asked about exercise, he stated his case again. "Get to the gym. Sure, keep doing your cardio, but hit the weights."

For some reason this time I listened. Actually, I did more than listen, I joined a fitness center and have a meeting with a trainer this week. Somewhere along the way, I realized that I could age gracefully by making adjustments to my fitness regimen or I could age ungracefully by keep doing what I've always done, in spite of not getting the results I wanted or used to get.

Setting my 10k personal best, 1989

This aging gracefully thing has applications in about every aspect of my life, I suspect. When I made a career decision to leave the world of business travel behind 3 years ago, that was an aging gracefully thing for me. I still go to work, I just stay out of airports and rental car lots these days. 

When I hired a guy to do my heavy garden and yard clean-up this year, that was aging gracefully.  I imagine there will opportunities to age gracefully that I haven't yet encountered or considered, but I like the idea of aging  gracefully. 

So this runner, who said for years that he doesn't do gyms and weights, is going to give it a shot under the guise of aging gracefully. 

Just don't get me wrong-I'm not giving up running. 3 times a week might be just fine.

 And I still think I can run forever. 

For now.

Golden Gate Bridge, late 80's.