NEVER TOO OLD
Guest columnist SARAH BRIGGS on why age is no barrier to fitness Eleven years ago I was about to turn 40. I went mountain biking, got nettle stings all over my legs and the bloke I was vaguely involved with at the time said, “well you won’t be doing that in 10 years’ time, will you?” My immediate thought was, “why on earth not?” Not long after, I finished the relationship and also entered my first triathlon. I came first in my age group (Lady Vet 40+), which was a huge confidence boost. It also demonstrates an advantage to being older and competing: if you’re even half decent you might get a category placing. This was endorsed recently at the Talkin Tarn ‘triathlon’ (duathlon). My friend Penny is in her mid-40s, and this was her first multi-sport race: she was 2nd in her age group, which I think has whetted her appetite for more. Another running partner is Kerry, who turns 40 this year. At the beginning of the year she was regularly running three miles but had not considered going any further. She started running with Penny and me and quickly increased to doing six mile runs. As I wanted team-mates for the Kielder Marathon,
the Hawkshead trail challenge, which must be the toughest race I have ever done. Since doing this two years ago I had forgotten quite how long some of the hills are; I walked the odd few yards but Penny doggedly ran every single step of the way. By way of tribute to both women, they keep me going at times when I might have just given up and walked if I was on my own.
I asked around: Kerry agreed. We recently did a 10-mile off road hilly training run and she did fantastically. Both Penny and Kerry demonstrate an advantage which sports scientists state is linked to being older: stamina. I am frequently impressed by their sheer determination to keep pushing themselves up hills and across bogs, when in a different age they would have been grandmothers sitting in chairs knitting jumpers. Penny and I recently completed
So at age 50 (I’ll be 51 in September), why do I do it? Ultimately it boils down to the fact that it makes me feel good and I don’t see why I should stop. My 100-year-old grandmother only stopped exercising regularly when her legs started giving way at age 98, but I’m sure the fact that she has kept active has helped her maintain a positive attitude to life and to keep fit so long. And then look at Josh Naylor; the man is awesome and at age 70+ is still fell-running. I’ve entered the Kielder marathon. I’ve always sworn I’d never do a marathon. But I didn’t do any particular challenges for my 50th as I had a new baby and getting fit again is a great feeling. As Penny and Kerry and I always say, when people say we’re nuts; it’s the people who give up because they think they’re too old who are nuts.
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