Here’s what Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has to say about the popularity of over 50 athletes in
his blog:
“When I was a kid, most of the fathers over 50 would settle into their sofas at night with a beer and watch TV. Until the remote was invented (the first was in 1950, from Zenith, and it was appropriately named “Lazy Bones”), the most exercise a lot of dads got was getting up to change the channel during the week. On weekends, maybe they mowed the lawns or played catch with their kids. My dad was an exception. He regularly played handball, especially in the summer months.
Today, over-50 athletes are not only common, but they are often in better shape than some of the people they’re playing with who are half their ages….”
I also see many people over 50 at the gym every day.
My wife, Jan (over 50), ran a 5k the other day. There were tons of others over 50.
Over 50’s are getting healthier than ever before. Us baby boomers are over 50 now and we don’t want to put up with getting old and sick like our parents. Don’t want to sit around and get fat and lazy and take medications for a living instead of living life “out there”!
And yet… I hear from over 50 people close to me all the time, “I could never do what you did”, or “I really need to lose some weight and get fit one of these days.” They just don’t realize how “easy” it is. You just do it! You just stop eating crap and hit the gym a few times a week for an hour or so. 3 hours out of your life each week in exchange for probably many years of extended life – healthy life to boot. Okay, so you have to give up the fries and switch your taste buds a little to healthier choices. I tell you folks, if I can do it, ANYBODY can do it.
Three years ago and beyond, I existed mostly on cokes and fast food and desserts. Today, I eat mostly turkey, chicken, vegetables and fruits. I drink water and tea and protein shakes. But I didn’t one day go from 4 cokes a day to drinking water. From fast food to chicken breasts in one day. It’s a gradual thing and your mind and your taste buds will adjust.
I bring all this up (finally I get to the point!) because I had a high interest in competing in the senior olympics. I was training with a trainer for the 100m sprint. It was a goal and I was excited about it. Was. Until I went to Wichita Falls, Texas to watch the senior games track and field event there. I wanted to see what it was like to help with my training.
My wife and I arrived and saw lots of people milling around. There were 2 people in the stands watching. Everyone else was either staff or participants. There must have been 30 or 40 participants. And only 2 people in the stands? Where where all these people’s families? Their kids. Their spouses. Their friends. 2 people plus me and my wife. That’s how big the crowd was.
The events just happened. No announcements. Nothing about who was racing or what the event was. Every now and then there would be a pistol shot and some people would run around the track. Who won? I guess only the winner knew who won because nothing was announced. There were no awards ceremonies. Just the pistol, some running, and afterwards you might see somebody with a medal in their hands.
Was there pride in winning one of these events? I’m not sure. I would like to think so. But there was so little officiallness about the whole event that if I had participated and won, I’m not sure I would have cared. In fact, one winner offered to let me have the medal he won. So I presume that the medals don’t hold much significance, even to the winners themselves, and apparently none whatsoever to their family who didn’t even show up to support or watch.
Donald Watson (90 something) running 200m race
I don’t bring this up to discourage people from attending. Quite the contrary. I want these events to mean something! Because they do! There are some outstanding athletes who are over 50. Some are amazing because of what they can do at an advanced age. But others are amazing just because they are great athletes and could give many younger athletes a run for their money.
Let’s get some sponsors for these events. Some announcers telling us a little about the participants and certainly a ceremony for the winners. How about some local media coverage? And if you have a over 50 athlete in your family – for Pete’s sake, show up, support them and cheer them on!
Well, until we can get more of these things, I’m hoping this website can help. We can cover some of these events. Have some bios of the athletes. Add just a bit of pomp and circumstance – what’s possible on a website at least.
But that will take you, and you, and you – all helping out. Take video of your events. Interview the participants. Take photos. And send them to us to post here. And it’s definitely not limited to track and field events. How about 5K’s and Marathons, and Cycling, and Rock Climbing, Swimming, Triathlons… whatever sports activities over-50’s are participating in, we want to cover it.
Need some inspiration? Check out
this page at Bob McGrath’s blog.
Let me hear what you think about this! Comment below.
Ray Robinson
