My issue with getting older surfaced in my mid-late 40's. Made jokes about it at first, readers, groaning climbing out of the p-car. Chasing my dogs around one day and taking a big fall, my legs just couldn't keep up and I face planted over a bush onto my driveway. Laid there for 20 min with the dogs freaking thinking I was dead. Then not a week later I was building a long fence though only 42" tall. I dropped my hammer on the other side. Instead of walking all the way around, I jumped up on the fence and then jumped off. 42 inches. When I landed on the other side, I thought I was going to blow out both knees. Damn that hurt. That was the day I decided that getting old sucked seriously. Fast forward to now. 55. A hurricane just passed off the coast and the waves were fantastic. After they settled to 6 ft or so, I took the boogie board out. Jumped in for about a minute or 2 and jumped right back out. Trudged back up to our beach chairs and I told my wife I am too old to be trying this kind of stuff anymore. Does that suck or what?!

My 40's were a major turning point - now at 48 my overall health remains good but physical capability and subsequent aches and pains (almost constant) have greatly increased. Biggest contributors are the significant injuries of my youth - back, shoulders, and knees. Still workout at gym on regular basis but just last Saturday I pulled a calf muscle playing Frisbee with my son...

Santa. So be nice!

Start looking on Facebook and you will find your old schoolmates.

Have been to a lot of my reunions and enjoyed everyone of them. Going to my 40th next summer and cannot wait.

I turned 40 this year...and I am not in the shape I was at 20, that is for sure. But I went windsurfing after Earl went by this week-end. At first I felt out of shape catching my breath all the time, but then I felt alive again and put in some good runs...Exercise is key to stay in shape, and I will start kiteboarding now. My problem is just that I need excitement in my exercise. Gym or biking just does not do it for me.

I like that.

I hit a wall at about 43. Kept racing karts until 47 when a work accident put an end to that (neck injury). Felt about the same until around 63 which was good enough to work my ass off all the time, but not run sprints against those a third my age (which I could and would do at 40 against those half my age).

Now, I'm really off. Don't clean the house like I used to, don't wash the cars every week, hell, I don't even work that much. Well, the benefits are that I don't have as much pain as I read about here with some of you guys.

That is unless you figure getting really tired and sometimes sore is pain. I don't because tomorrow is always a new day.

I just turned 40 two weeks ago. I've lived here in Houston for about 15 years and in the house that I'm in for 13 years. It's the longest I've ever lived anyplace (previous "record" was about 6 years). I do realize that I'm getting older from little things here and there, but I don't feel old physically or mentally.

I remember noticing feeling older or less capable or something at 53. Now at 74 I work on my cars a lot more than I ever did and can do just about everything I need to do. Since I am no longer in a hurry I pace myself, and by paying attention, the arthritis, knee replacement, and back surgery do not come into play. Mechanicing keeps me flexible, but strength is down. The things that I can't do anymore, I've already forgotten about. Life is good.

Best,
Tom

I'm 42 and still limping from a touch game of football Sunday.

That's a big well done Tom. I hope I'm the same at 74...

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I'm 45 and I'm feeling good, There is nothing I can't do but like Tom I pay attention to what my body is telling me.
I walk for about an hour a day almost everyday without pain. I intend to keep walking and watching what I eat for as long as possible.

Meanwhile... I don't worry about getting old. It happens to us all and all you can do is make the best of anything that comes your way.
Yes the people you love will start dying off. I've seen my mother deal with that now that her friends are all in the 70s and 80s. But she's happy and enjoys life the best she can. My dad died about 12 years ago so it's been hard on her.

Just one last thing... I saw Michael Douglas on Dave Letterman the other night. He told Dave that he had stage 4 throat cancer. The type caused by excessive drinking.
One thing I was impressed with was his attitude. He seemed to be in good spirits.
I hope that attitude helps him fight through it.

Virus Spread by Oral Sex Is Linked to Throat Cancer - washingtonpost.com

I thought HPV had been linked to throught cancer

One thing that is not well known is that his wife is an absolute chain smoker. Being near her has to mean that he inhales a fair amount of smoke, so between that and a bit of booze am not surprised at all.

That said, he is a bit young for this to happen.

Every day is a good day but sometimes you really have a good day, isn't it all relative??? the alternatives are grim or are they???

Right now I have a brother-in-law, double wooden nickel 55, on his death bed for sure, cancer city.

I made this realization last week on my day off, I was touching up some stucco work and when I finished I hung some sheet rock in my garage. I was wasted to say the least, right then I said to myself, there is no way I could build another house myself. I would need at least 2 helpers, I would be the cutter and the finger pointer.

In two months I hit 62, I can't believe it. My knees are shot but they are still natural, I only ski 2-3 hours in a day now, running is a thing of the past but I can still ride the bike, can't rock climb anymore but hey, life is good :D

I feel pretty good for 49. The only thing that really bugs me is that my close up vision went away very suddenly in the last year or so. I wear readers most of the time now at work. Other then that, I am enjoying life.

getting run over by a car on my motorcycle started the spiral down. i cant sit indian style anymore. i cant really feel my entire right foot. and my lower body seems to ache all the time.

my vision..pfftt..in low light, like in the tunnel i work in..i can barely read my plan sheets. healing and recovering from exercise is a timely process. i pulled a hamy on my jog yesterday..i was laughing and crying at the same time. i must have looked ridiculous. i am still sore today.

can we look at the silver lining here?!! i have more money that when i was 20. i wish we could live life backwards..hahhah.

I'm 53 going on 12... and my wife thinks 12 is optimistic.


Ya big sissy! I get run over by cars two or three times a day and it doesn't slow me down!

But yeah... I do find myself thinking twice about any high risk activity that twenty years ago I would jump right into... but that is a good thing IMHO

43, Started wearing prescription sunglasses to see my RC planes. I have never had to wear glasses before. Mayors, Judges, Presidents, Senators and Congress (people) are about my age. That was when I realized I may be falling out of the hunt. Next thing I know they will be younger than me, Like being ruled by my kids. That and the "great white buffalo".

age 61, and I have decided I cannot do snowboarding anymore and need to go back to skiing next winter. My legs just can't do the board quick turns anymore, whereas skiing is more like floating down the hill.

And at 55 I needed glasses for reading.

I'm old when I get up in the morning for about 10 minutes, then I'm good till late evening...then I get old again....but only after, well you know.