Wednesday, August 30, 2006
The only multi-day climbing trip I've ever taken is approaching. Thursday, I fly to Austin and the next day we drive into Mexico for two and a half days of climbing. Back when I climbed all the time, I lived right next to a number of good areas so I never had to make a trip to for it. Ironically, 15 years after the fact, I make my first one. I'm starting to get pretty excited.
On the other hand, I now know just exactly why -- after thinking I knew -- old(er) athletes simply can't compete with young ones: Our bodies won't allow it. I've bouldered pretty hard the last few weeks, pulled together some pretty good shape in short order, had good rest between sessions and haven't been overdoing it in that regard, and yet, my left shoulder and both pinkies are a little tender in the joints. Clearly, I can't continue at the rate I've been going, or at least, I'll have to back off of the intensity a little bit. It's been so much fun getting back into it that it's a little disappointing that my body can't hang with what my mind wants to do. It's also tantalizingly frustrating that the more difficult things it can do, it can't do for very long.
On the other hand, I now know just exactly why -- after thinking I knew -- old(er) athletes simply can't compete with young ones: Our bodies won't allow it. I've bouldered pretty hard the last few weeks, pulled together some pretty good shape in short order, had good rest between sessions and haven't been overdoing it in that regard, and yet, my left shoulder and both pinkies are a little tender in the joints. Clearly, I can't continue at the rate I've been going, or at least, I'll have to back off of the intensity a little bit. It's been so much fun getting back into it that it's a little disappointing that my body can't hang with what my mind wants to do. It's also tantalizingly frustrating that the more difficult things it can do, it can't do for very long.
Determinedly pulling things back into perspective, I'd still have to say that I'm doing just great for age 48. I've got 20 years on all the other boulderers in the gym, over 30 on a significant number, and I'm not looking that bad by comparison.
# posted by goldpython @ 8:47 AM 
