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wayne w
Trad climber
the nw
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i did zm in a push the year i turned 50. thanks to my stellar partners! i'll be 55 in the fall, but have already done my first march ascent of el cap, and i hope to do many more...this year and well beyond.
meditation, training hard but sensibly throughout the year, eating a healthy mostly organic diet, being blessed with an amazing girlfriend and great friends, and lots of interests that i am passionate about keep me feeling much younger than i would without them.
happy belated birthday john!
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quasitrad
Trad climber
Corvallis, OR
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Yeah, fun thread. My son is turning 4 and I'm turning 50. Yikes! I'm motivated to stay in shape so we can share a rope on some classics. I figure that in a few more years and he'll be my rope gun. Until then I'll rely on the wonders of modern medicine.
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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thanks wayne w - very inspirational.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Couchmaster can vouch for the fact I got my ass serious kicked around on stone by 52 year old when I turned 50. It took eighteen months to get back in shape but it was either that or quit in complete defeat. I don't mind not climbing as well as others, but I hate not being able to climb as well as myself. Having to stage a mini-comeback at the moment after an injury this past winter, but it won't be anything compared to the journey I had to go on at 50 to reclaim it all. Best advice - don't stop climbing if you can avoid it.
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Michael Hjorth
Trad climber
Copenhagen, Denmark
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I turned 50 two years ago. My wifes present to me was a three week stay in Yosemite. She arranged it secretly with my old climbing buddy 1½ year in advance urging him to start training. It was a kind of multiple anniversary. We had both been climbing 25 years, he had been up El Cap 20 years before and I had 10 years before. We had a good trip, among others up WFLT, but had to back down Muir. Too slow, too much gear.
I have steadily improved my climbing ability during these 27 years. Broke my PR by OS two 7a+s (.11d)in France three weeks ago. So I am (secretly, please keep it inside ST!) setting a goal to redpoint an 8a (.13a) before I turn 60.
Michael
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Topic Author's Reply - May 1, 2007 - 10:05am PT
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Michael: your secret's safe with us!
Thanks for all the posts... I'm already stoked, but y'all are inspiring me even more.
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scuffy b
climber
The town that Nature forgot to hate
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When I turned 50 I was in the process of getting into the worst
shape of my adult life. I gained 25 pounds over about a year and
did almost no climbing. I'm just now (literally, only in the
last few weeks) approaching my 1990s weight.
BUT on my 50th I was in the middle of a 9 day backpack trip,
woke up at a spot where perhaps no one had camped within a few
generations, surrounded by dear friends, proceeded to one of the
trippiest lakes I've ever played around at, dinner at the edge
of another lake, a hanging one with spectacular view, capped by
carrying a load of hot popcorn up to our sandy ledge-stuck onto-
the side of knife-edge arete killer bivy site.
One special day.
Joe, I'm with you. Climb weirder. It's working well for me.
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spyork
Social climber
Land of Green Stretchy People
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I got 3 years to go, I hit 47 this summer. I am going to climb something big on my 50th, not sure what. Depends on how my body is holding up.
I do get people telling me I can't do this and can't do that. I wonder if they are just projecting their own thoughts.
*Shrug*
Happy birthday all!
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PhilG
Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
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I turned 50 ten years ago. I have to agree with Warner that age is just a number, but I also have to agree with Tom Higgins when he said "one comes to the realization that there are more seasons behind you than in front of you."
Having said that I want to add that in the last ten years I've had more fun and enjoyed climbing even more.
I am extremely lucky in having two sons who climb, I live ten minutes from a bouldering area, and I can get large blocks of time off.
My advice stay focused on why your out there: the joys of doing something outdoors, the fun of adventure, the sweet smells of mountain air, the pleasure of touching warm stone.
Oh yeah, wear "protective" underwear and have someone double check your knots.
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Happened so long ago I can't even remember the event.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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i turn fitty next february. i plan to spend the day ditching work, bouldering hard with my homies, shagging the 'natrix, going out to dinner at my fav restuarant here in flag, then watching a movie in hd dvd on my monster plasma screen.
because at fifty it's all about:
early retirement
bouldering with your buddies
sex with your hot wife
good food and drink
and tv. really, really BIG tv.
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Carolyn C
Trad climber
CA
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Turned 50 three years ago. Went to Tuolomne that day for a short climb (it was early October, and a beautiful, cool, sunny day). I have some gray hair, but I laugh easier and more often. Been with the same guy for 30 years, and after 30 years of climbing and skiing, we're leaving in 5 weeks for a new life adventure - working on a cattle ranch in Montana. It's all good, it seems, despite the bad stuff. Have had to say the final goodbye to many friends and family over the years, but have great treasure chests of their memories, which delight me still. It's just hard to believe that the older I get the happier and more content I am. It seems I enjoy this phase of life more than being young - who knew??
"Ah, I was so much older then. I'm younger than that now."
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Ouch!
climber
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Carolyn C. If you are going to Eastern Montana, better take along a 55 gallon drum of DEET. You will enjoy the branding, castrating, and dehorning of the calf crop.
OH! And a well broke horse in Montana doesn't mean the same as in other places.
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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I'll hit fifty next July---fifty years of climbing, that is. Still havin' fun, now at a somewhat reduced level of achievement. But hey, the medium is the message---being out on the rock with the breeze blowin', the forearm hydraulic meter headin' to zero, and the finishing holds perhaps a bit too far off...is still where its at.
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couchmaster
climber
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Yeah, what HealyJE just said about staying in shape. He shows up early in the year, maybe a bit out of shape, maybe a little pouch on the belly. Next thing ya know, he's sprinting laps around everyone while carrying 60 lbs of gear in a haulbag. And you're watching all this while working to stay up with a 15 lb day pack on.
I don't know how he does that. He was talking good diet and yoga.
BTW, Wayne W, great motivational story, you can't be the Wayne Wallace ?(last issue of Alpinist doing the uber-out there solo FA of ?) I have an old memory of you being 14 and me being older on our first climb together. Maybe you weren't 14 and I was dreaming?
Regards
Bill Coe
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Carolyn C
Trad climber
CA
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Ouch! - actually fairly close to Missoula. And i'm just doin the office work type thing; husband is doin the hard work. Hope he enjoys it. And i hope they don't have mormon crickets there in montan.
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RRK
Trad climber
Talladega, Al
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I second EdH - things heal much much slower but at least they still function sometimes. I joke with some of my old climbing buds that we couldn't put all of our useable bodyparts together and make one functioning climber. I was at the funeral for a friend recently and ran into a bunch of the old guys that I used to fight with. We were comparing things that still worked and one of them said "at my age if it's not hurting it's not working." Them's words to live by.
RRK
'nuther thing bout getting old (besides being able to do it) - every thing that you ever broke tore strained or pulled comes back like Marley's ghost to remind you that you were once a dumass.
I've got some hilarious 50th bday shots (about 4 weeks ago for me) if I can figure how to shrink the resolution to an acceptable level. They would be right on point here for sure.
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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I remember that great scene from Bladerunner where R. Howard is on the rooftop in the rain, talking to "Decker" (Harrison Ford), and Howard says, "I've seen thing you people wouldn't believe." And he lists a few amazing things. Then he pines that all of these memories and experiences will soon be lost in time, "Like tears in rain." Then he dies.
I thought about that scene for several weeks and then I realized that nothing is ever really lost. I'm still coming to grips what that idea actually means but it is true in some fundamental way.
Like Phil was saying the joy is in being out there doing whatever it is you enjoy, not trying to hang onto it. Easier said than done but I'm thinking that's a big part of the adventure once you pass 50.
JL
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Topic Author's Reply - May 1, 2007 - 04:44pm PT
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Thanks, JL. Your ponderings ring sincere.
Great posts, all! I'm really enjoying your responses.
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John Vawter
Social climber
San Diego
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Look at the Woodson Shindig thread. If you were to plot the ages of the attendees you would find the greatest concentration between 45 and 55.
I'll be 53 this June. I haven't been climbing much for the last three years, but I'm going to make a comeback!
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