Most people know I am an avid cyclist and have been for almost thirty years. It seems, however, that over the course of the last five or six years I have come to appreciate the sport even more than I did before. I think the reason is that I have begun to recognize what it has done for me both mentally and physically as I age. There are certain unavoidable consequences involved in the aging process. We lose our eyesight, our energy levels decrease, we gain weight if we even look at the wrong foods, our memory doesn't seem to be as good as it once was, and a host of other issues that, frankly, we would change if we could. The good news is that we can have some control over this process by slowing it through diet and exercise.
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| Fighting Father Time one mile at a time! |
What I have noticed as I have gotten older is that I can still get really fit. It takes a little longer, and I have to be more committed to a clean diet, but I can ultimately get as fit as I ever could. Just having the knowledge that it is possible is half the battle. I think so many people my age (50) literally throw in the towel assuming that they are past the point of being able to reach a decent level of fitness. Once they throw in that towel, many fall into bad habits of drinking to much, eating bad foods, being sedentary, and literally hastening the aging process as opposed to slowing it.
The benefits of staying fit and healthy at this point in our lives are significant. Some examples are that I sleep better, I feel I am able to stay focused longer, I have more energy, my self confidence improves, my general sense of well being improves, the bags and age circles under my eyes diminish along with other physical benefits, and I am just generally happier!
So, while I am still driven to excel by the competition, there is now another force that drives me that has become even more motivating. I feel very lucky and fortunate to have found a physical activity that I love as much as the simple act of riding a bike, especially given all of the incredible
benefits it provides us that are trying to stay one step ahead of father time! Good luck and thanks for reading.
