when did you hang it up (sports)

[id10t]

Never got into sports myself. Dad wasn't the sports kinda guy either, unless it was racing (and not that nastycar stuff either).

Skeet, trap, small bore rifle, IPSC, etc. sure is fun. As is fishing...

[Porsche_monkey]

I'm very close to 49 and I still play competitive hockey at least twice a week.

Two ibuprofen before every game, and running 3-4 miles once or twice per week to help stay in shape help.

I have no lingering injuries though. If my shoulders or knees really hurt I'd quit.

It is interesting that you are the oldest player on the team. Time to find a new league rather than pack it in?

[RKC]

Swam competitively from 5th grade. Skied from 5th grade. Bicycled seriously from 8th grade (Breaking Away, anyone?). Took up triathlon at UCSD in early-mid 1980s. Was on ski team too (yes, at UCSD). Did some windsurfing/sailing/surfing.
Never was any good at big stick & ball sports. No coordination, I guess...

More and more triathlons. Skiing got too expensive for awhile so I cut way back. Did an Ironman in 1999 at 34 and lost the drive a bit since, though I dabbled in triathlons until about 2 years ago. Gained weight (from 160 to 200lbs - 5'11). Took up skiing again as finances were better and kids were older. Bought a Hobie sailboat for Lake Michigan.

Finally was feeling old and joined my old Masters swimming group from a decade ago this year. What a difference. Weight coming down (slow but steady). Drive/snap in my step coming back. Figure swimming won't hurt like running at this weight.

Never had major injuries, and may go back and do a triathlon or two again. But I definitely like the water.

Weight lifting seems all the more critical now (at 43). Without it I seem to tire more easily. This agrees with the science out there for over 40's....

But mentally, I just want to keep doing things. No longer about advancement. Just being with family and friends in the wild/wet/sunshine.

I was just at Telluride and didn't ski down some of the things I would've 20 odd years ago, much less something like the cornice at Mammoth. Raced Nastar at Boyne mountain at New Year's, but have a hard time getting a medal these days. My swim times aren't what they were in H.S./College either.

Oh well.....it's good to be out there. It's about sustaining for as long as possible at this point. Find I NEED people to train with, hike with, do things with way more than my younger, more aggressive self did.

Not golfing yet - I'm from that part of the demographic that was too old for Tiger but too young for Palmer - but now I'm understanding the appeal of friends and fellowship. Maybe THAT is the whole point now - doing something healthy (or at least not unhealthy) with others - regardless of what it is. Maybe the point is just well-spent time.....

[lendaddy]

Originally Posted by widebody911

We thought it was a fresh tear, but when they went in, there wasn't any ACL left, so the original severing had taken place years ago. They made me a new ACL from a strip of my patellar tendon, and apart from being laid up for almost a year, I'm doing pretty good.

I had the same thing but they used my hamstring.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by PBH

It is interesting that you are the oldest player on the team. Time to find a new league rather than pack it in?

The league won't make a difference...I don't really care about winning or losing or the age of the participants, and there aren't many in the league that can outplay me. It is more about what *I'm* personably able to do and the difference between my mind and my body.

I could keep playing and work harder on conditioning. But the reality is that all the conditioning in the world isn't going to make my rotator cuffs better (L is bad from bodyboarding incident, R is bad from years of throwing softballs, tennis, etc). Nor is it going to bring back the soft tissue in my knees. Softball is actually a pretty nasty sport on your body - very much explosive movements and percussive to all joints. Plus at shortstop I end up contorting my back in all sorts of funny ways making off-balance throws, etc. Factor in the desire to actually make the play and you end up with your mind writing checks your body can't cash. Or they get cashed, but you pay a large penalty the next day/week.

Being in the water will be fine, and cycling is ok...the knees get worked but don't get pounded on. That is the killer.

I now have much more empathy for my old man, and understand those days he would go out and play even though I thought he was nuts...

[Seahawk]

Played sports all my life...lettered in the big three in HS all four years and received a baseball scholarship to college.

That said, I started really feeling the cumulative wear and tear in my late 40's. I'm down to basketball with age appropriate friends one a week, riding a stationary bike (which I hate) and kayaking one a week when weather permits.

During baseball season I play over 45 hardball, which means I get to keep the competitive fires lit without competing again 20 year old kids!

I just like to play, imagine I always will

[carmad]

Played rugby from age 12 until I was 26, to a pretty good level. I retired early but had played so much rugby, got tired of it. Luckily never had the niggling knee, shoulder type injuries, just a few broken fingers, and broken nose.
Considered many times to start playing again, but could not be bothered to starting training. Finally, when I hit 40, I had the chance to play for an ex-pat team in Saudi Arabia, against a British Royal Navy team who were in port. I was relatively fit at the time and thought what the hell, I have one last game left in me.
We ended up winning, I played most of the game, but got injured in the last 15 minutes and had to be replaced. I played pretty well, the skills were still there, just the speed and quickness of execution were not.
Glad I did play, but needed daily physical therapy for a week.
Now I am retired for good. Still love watching rugby, but only sport now is rolling around under the pcar.

[livi]

10 years of boxing some 20 years ago. Low intensity, intermittent, weight training since then.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by nostatic

......And it crackled. Like rice crispies. I straightened it, flexed again, and the same thing. Doesn't hurt, but that can't be good.

Both of my knees have been doing that since my early 20's.

Have not been able to ski bumps in years.

Right shoulder does it now as well.

Sucks.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by Luke Marano Jr

Your body tells you when to stop.
My feet flat out hurt from running. I am 50. Now I bike.

you need orthotics

I run still, cycling, no organized sports. Used to be fast, could run a sub 4 mile and long jump better than 20 feet, am 5'10" and could dunk as a youth. Did not do the sports much because I did not want to be old and crippled up from football and what not like my dad. Played ultimate frisbee with the track guys in college but did not join team, not enough time. Sports always have been easy, golf is the only one I was not good at right away, which it turns out is all right, because you can work at it until you are an old man.

[gassy]

Blew my ACL out in '92--fixed it with the middle of my patellar (sp) ligament, like posted above. 100% now--run and tennis and everything else ok
c

[LeeH]

I played soccer in an adult league at 36. It was the "recreational" league, as opposed to the competitive league. What I found was that most of the players were college age, not good enough for the competitive league, but most of them really, wanted to be there.

The last game I played started with our keeper MIA after getting kicked (resulting in two broken ribs) in the previous game. The guy on our team who agreed to play goalie was worthless. After having 5 goals scored on us I agreed to play keeper. Things were going well until the opponent had a guy break away and beat all our defenders down field. I made the decision to come out to the top of the penalty box and ended up sliding toward the ball. The guy tried to punch the ball past me and ended up connecting quite squarely (and with much force) with my lower rib cage. There was a loud 'crack' and most intense pain I've ever felt. When I tried to breath there was a creepy popping sound. I seriously considered buying an ambulance ride, but my wife was out of town and I couldn't figure out how I'd get my car home. I literally crawled off the field on my hands and knees.

The X-ray showed a displaced rib fracture. In other words, the broken rib got pushed in such a way that the two pieces of bone were overlapping. The doctors said I'd just have to wait for it to heal. I was in pain for more than six months and had a level of discomfort that interupted my sleep for right at two years. I would play again, but it would have to be in an old man league.

[VINMAN]

At 43 im still doing everything I did when I was in my teens. Although I was never big on organized sports. I still play hockey(goaltender) when I can. Played softball for a while, but I suck, so that didnt last.
I still surf, ski, bike, skate, ice climb. Ive always been more of a solo sport type of person. I never liked the pressure of the whole team deal.

My only problem now is, my recovery time is a few days longer than it used to be.

[Evans, Marv]

I started playing team sports in the 6th grade - football, basketball & track. The little town I lived in had a great program. Our grammar school went from kindergarten to 8th grade.
In high school I played left halfback on the football team, was the top low hurdler in central California in 1960, ran a 9.9 sec. 100, 21.7 sec. 220, broad jumped 22 1/2 ft. and anchored the 440 relay team. I also skied, scuba dived and played city league basket ball.
Didn't do much into my 20's (played on the brigade football team in the Army) except handball, and went back to downhill skiing until that became too crowded, went to cross country skiing until everybody started wearing spandex suits and skiing on plastic skis. In my late 20's I started backpacking, mountaineering, and ski mountaineering and continued that until into my 40's. Gave up the mountaineering stuff in my 50's but kept up the backpacking & fishing. (Actually the last time I had time to spend 2 weeks in the mountains was when I was 62.) Along with backpacking, I also rode my mountain bike and bought a sit on top kayak to ride the waves off the coast.
In the last few years I haven't had time to do much of that, because I've been involved in other things. It was kind of funny. After high I didn't have any desire for team sports. I haven't even watched any games all the way through on TV in over 40 years.
About 6 months ago my 44 yr. old brother in law & I beat his 17 year old son & his 19 year old cousin in basket ball. They were pretty lousy, because I was really, really lousy.
I'm happy that I haven't suffered any bad injuries over the years. The things I've done to myself have been from work situations rather than sports. I'm looking forward to getting back on my bike, kayak, and into the mountains again after I get some time to myself.
But, I can tell you it totally sucks to get old. But don't give up.

[911teo]

I used to play basketball quite well. I was quite fit and very athletic... I had to "retire" from basically any sport at 24 after I disintegrated all the legaments in my knee.

I had 4 surgeries and the legaments are now ok, but the bones are rubbing against each other and they are little by little wearig each other off...

I can still sail, play snooker (pool), darts.... I am not into golf... and when I have a free weeked I go to the race track... Motor racing is still a sport no?

[911Rob]

Haven't hung it up yet; although I feel I did at age 33 when I quit playing Rugby full time. Coached for another 10 years after that.

I still do a ton of sports though, but the heavier frame is tough to handle and my body aches from crashing it sooooo many times. Knees ache an awful lot. I'm a grandpa though and I love to lead the kids by example. I'll be skiing in my 80's....

[JeremyD]

Another ACL here late 80's - ripped in half at that time they just removed it and gave me a lennox hill brace - 45% of my cartlidge torn - I still shoot some baskets occasionally - like many here - I was multiple sport guy in HS - college scholarship in Soccer of all things -

I still pine for the days of the pick up basketball game. I'd love to get my knee fixed with a competent surgeon - occasionally it give out on me - or I can feel it move around - I don't want to have to have a joint replacement later in life.

It sucks getting old - late 30's is when I gave it up -

[Cdnone1]

I had to have three knee surgeries to repair a pretty horrific ski accident in the late 80's. I stopped everything but skiing for years and put on 18lbs.
I started to play volleyball again 2 years ago. I have dropped 20 lbs and haven't felt this good in years.I'm 6 foot 162lbs. I'm starting to learn about all the pick up games in and around my neighborhood. Being in LA helps.
Sure I hurt the next day, but in the long run I feel a whole lot better for not sitting around on the couch drinking beer every night.
Steve

[dipso]

43, still skateboarding swimming pools. No serious injuries, few broken bones in my twenties. I take a quick run, about a mile, every morning with my dogs and have a physical job. I can't see quiting anytime in the near future.
I am afraid of golf, I fear the next progressive activity is checkers in the park. Then feeding pigeons.
Once you start golfing as a form of exercise it is over.

[dipso]

43, still skateboarding swimming pools. No serious injuries, few broken bones in my twenties. I take a quick run, about a mile, every morning with my dogs and have a physical job. I can't see quiting anytime in the near future.
I am afraid of golf, I fear the next progressive activity is checkers in the park. Then feeding pigeons.
Once you start golfing as a form of exercise it is over. IMHO