Fellow retirees, when did you start noticing your age catching up with you?

[Taurus]

So I'm 65, retired going on 2 years now, still in pretty good shape and very active. I maintain a pretty healthy weight which is the lowest I've been in 30 years, have no major medical issues other than well controlled type 2 diabetes, a new knee and over all feel like I'm doing pretty well but lately I can feel my age may be catching up to me.

For instance, I cycle a lot, at least 10 miles a day year round and still enjoy it considerably. On my daily ride there is one grade that is about a mile long that I have always prided myself how well I climb it. Always in my highest gear and able to maintain my target heart rate and respiration goals. And then yesterday as I was pulling the hill I look over my left shoulder in time to see a 20 something girl pass me like nobodies business. (before you guys ask I don't have pictures of said girl). I absolutely could not keep up with her.

I also find that working my yard feels more of a challenge and takes longer to recover from at 65. I cut my almost half an acre with a push mower for the exercise and lately it takes more out of me.

For those in a similar age group, when did you feel your age gaining on you have you?

[LATB]

I’ll retire when I’m dead. But the age started showing physically in my 50’s. By 60 it’s full time pain of some sort. Mostly joints and muscles from 50 years of construction. Luckily the back is good. The mind is sharp. The ambition is there. And pharmaceuticals for the worse days.

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by LATB

I’ll retire when I’m dead. But the age started showing physically in my 50’s. By 60 it’s full time pain of some sort. Mostly joints and muscles from 50 years of construction. Luckily the back is good. The mind is sharp. The ambition is there. And pharmaceuticals for the worse days.

I think a good back is the best a guy can hope for as we age. Joints can be replaced, ask how I know, but a back can ruin your life.

Sayin I'm retired isn't all accurate. Went from working for a living to doing work I like for no pay as a volunteer.

[PLRX]

Twenty-three years in the Marine Corps will put me in a wheelchair. I know I'll never make it to 75.

[Bruze]

Originally Posted by Taurus

So I'm 65, retired going on 2 years now, still in pretty good shape and very active. I maintain a pretty healthy weight which is the lowest I've been in 30 years, have no major medical issues other than well controlled type 2 diabetes, a new knee and over all feel like I'm doing pretty well but lately I can feel my age may be catching up to me.

For instance, I cycle a lot, at least 10 miles a day year round and still enjoy it considerably. On my daily ride there is one grade that is about a mile long that I have always prided myself how well I climb it. Always in my highest gear and able to maintain my target heart rate and respiration goals. And then yesterday as I was pulling the hill I look over my left shoulder in time to see a 20 something girl pass me like nobodies business. (before you guys ask I don't have pictures of said girl). I absolutely could not keep up with her.

I also find that working my yard feels more of a challenge and takes longer to recover from at 65. I cut my almost half an acre with a push mower for the exercise and lately it takes more out of me.

For those in a similar age group, when did you feel your age gaining on you have you?

It was gradual, but I've noticed getting winded at things that never would wind me before (will be 73 next month).

However, I walk 2.5 miles every other day, some slight hills, and that hasn't slowed me down. It's things that I don't do regularly that get me panting.

I don't have the physical strength I once had, and buddies complain about that too, and I remember my late father complaining about that also.

Another thing I've noticed in recent years is I've gotten very lazy. There's a lot of things I can still do physically, but I don't feel like it most times so I sit around instead. I'm mentally lazy, was never like that in my life. I care less and less about some things, maybe that's to be expected.

One of my lunch buddies will be 89 in November, doesn't use a cane or anything although he gets up very slow. He's a tall guy and weighed around 225 I think most of his life. He is down to 179 now and cannot gain anything back.

A lot of people, animals too, lose muscle mass towards the end of life; my dad was very thin too as he got 80+. I told my buddy that and he laughed, but I think he realizes it. Doc isn't much help, he probably doesn't want to tell him what I told him.

It is what it is.

Life is fun, you lose your virginity, get old enough to drink, and before you know it you start going downhill and you can see the end.

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by Taurus

So I'm 65, retired going on 2 years now, still in pretty good shape and very active. I maintain a pretty healthy weight which is the lowest I've been in 30 years, have no major medical issues other than well controlled type 2 diabetes, a new knee and over all feel like I'm doing pretty well but lately I can feel my age may be catching up to me.

For instance, I cycle a lot, at least 10 miles a day year round and still enjoy it considerably. On my daily ride there is one grade that is about a mile long that I have always prided myself how well I climb it. Always in my highest gear and able to maintain my target heart rate and respiration goals. And then yesterday as I was pulling the hill I look over my left shoulder in time to see a 20 something girl pass me like nobodies business. (before you guys ask I don't have pictures of said girl). I absolutely could not keep up with her.

I also find that working my yard feels more of a challenge and takes longer to recover from at 65. I cut my almost half an acre with a push mower for the exercise and lately it takes more out of me.

For those in a similar age group, when did you feel your age gaining on you have you?

You're slowly dying.

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

You're slowly dying.

No doubt.

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by Bruze

It was gradual, but I've noticed getting winded at things that never would wind me before (will be 73 next month).

However, I walk 2.5 miles every other day, some slight hills, and that hasn't slowed me down. It's things that I don't do regularly that get me panting.

I don't have the physical strength I once had, and buddies complain about that too, and I remember my late father complaining about that also.

Another thing I've noticed in recent years is I've gotten very lazy. There's a lot of things I can still do physically, but I don't feel like it most times so I sit around instead. I'm mentally lazy, was never like that in my life. I care less and less about some things, maybe that's to be expected.

One of my lunch buddies will be 89 in November, doesn't use a cane or anything although he gets up very slow. He's a tall guy and weighed around 225 I think most of his life. He is down to 179 now and cannot gain anything back.

A lot of people, animals too, lose muscle mass towards the end of life; my dad was very thin too as he got 80+. I told my buddy that and he laughed, but I think he realizes it. Doc isn't much help, he probably doesn't want to tell him what I told him.

It is what it is.

Life is fun, you lose your virginity, get old enough to drink, and before you know it you start going downhill and you can see the end.

You are right about muscle mass. My dad was a body builder in the Army and was nothing but skin and bones by 80, he lost it all.

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by PLRX

Twenty-three years in the Marine Corps will put me in a wheelchair. I know I'll never make it to 75.

The Air Force has done the same to my son, hard to watch.

[PLRX]

Originally Posted by Taurus

The Air Force has done the same to my son, hard to watch.

All branches break you down. It's like living 18 months a year; when you deploy, it goes above two years per year. When I went to Ramadi, I returned seven months later and looked five years older.

[LATB]

I was a climber. A true ladder and scaffolding monkey. Show me a roof and I’m on it. Height didn’t matter.

That ship has sailed. I admit I miss that.

Now I’m limited to a step ladder or a baker’s scaffolding. The young guys can do the high climbing stuff.

Yeah we’re all slowly failing. Oh well. Fukkitt.

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by Taurus

No doubt.

I might have been 50 when I was standing on a step ladder, painting the deck railing at my old house. On the top step, one hand on the railing and one on the paintbrush. Next thing I knew, I was on the ground- didn't know I was falling until I was down.

When I was a kid my reaction time was more like a squirrel. Not anymore.

[LATB]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

I might have been 50 when I was standing on a step ladder, painting the deck railing at my old house. On the top step, one hand on the railing and one on the paintbrush. Next thing I knew, I was on the ground- didn't know I was falling until I was down.

When I was a kid my reaction time was more like a squirrel. Not anymore.

Agree.
Similar thing happened to me a couple years ago. Fell from a step ladder and it was like slow motion, as if I wanted to react but there was a lack of communication between the brain and the body. Landed on my ass.
20 years ago I would have landed on my feet like a cat.

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

I might have been 50 when I was standing on a step ladder, painting the deck railing at my old house. On the top step, one hand on the railing and one on the paintbrush. Next thing I knew, I was on the ground- didn't know I was falling until I was down.

When I was a kid my reaction time was more like a squirrel. Not anymore.

That how I initially damaged the knee I had replaced a year or so ago, only I had to notch up the stupid one level higher. I was painting a staircase in our home in Roanoke and I leveled the ladder with books under one leg. The books kicked out and I went straight down painting a mauve stripe down the wall as I went. Total knee blowout.

[Taurus]

Originally Posted by PLRX

All branches break you down. It's like living 18 months a year; when you deploy, it goes above two years per year. When I went to Ramadi, I returned seven months later and looked five years older.

My son was on an obstacle course team, I was never in the military so I don't really know the details but they competed against the other branches. He ended up with a couple broken vertebrae in his lower back.

Bad thing is he needs a pump implanted to push meds into his spine as needed but Tri Care won't cover it. Fortunately the Wounded Warriors folks are stepping in and getting it done. They are literally life savers in my book.

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by LATB

Agree.
Similar thing happened to me a couple years ago. Fell from a step ladder and it was like slow motion, as if I wanted to react but there was a lack of communication between the brain and the body. Landed on my ass.
20 years ago I would have landed on my feet like a cat.

"Back in the day" I would have had a minute of more to reposition myself on the six-foot drop.

[Anjdog2003]

[Wathen1955]

It started for me in May 2020 when I retired @65. I was not planning on retiring, but with the Wu-Flu at full rage and me taking the 2 hour train ride one way, I decided I had enough and retired.

I would notice that my body complained while traveling on the train for this length of time. That is when I knew I that time was catching up with me.

I'm currently in good shape except for being overweight - 270lbs @ 6'1" tall. My idea weight is 200 lbs. Last time I weighed that much was right before I got married in 1982. I'm currently on blood thinners due to having a Protein C deficiency. Protein C deficiency is a disorder that increases the risk of developing abnormal blood clots; the condition can be mild or severe. Individuals with mild protein C deficiency are at risk of a type of blood clot known as a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). I got my blood clot back in 1997 when I discovered I had this issue.

Since I retired, I had to find something else to do. I'm currently repairing and selling used laptops. I don't make that much, but it keeps me busy learning how to tare apart some of these laptops. The most challenging one so far has been an Asus ROG G751 gaming laptop.

My only activity is walking about 1 mile every other day. Other activities are playing computer games.

YouTube (Short URL)

Lyrics
Gee, I really like your tits
I'll say anything that fits
We carry our vision
Wherever we go
If you keep your mouth shut
It's still gonna show
We're all gonna die
So let's get high
We're all gonna die
So let's be nice
I'm in the mood
So let's intrude
Pee on the ground
And jump around
I'm getting sick of paying bills
I need my doctor, I need my pills
We carry our women
Wherever we go
If you keep their mouth shut
They're gonna moan
(Mhm)
We're all gonna die
So let's get high
We're all gonna die
So let's be nice
I'm in the mood
So let's intrude
Pee on the ground (heh, heh)
And jump around
Life is demanding
But I'm just a bum
And if I respect it, boy
I feel dumb!
We're all gonna die
So let's get high
We're all gonna die
So let's be nice
I'm in the mood
So let's intrude
Pee on the ground
And jump around
We're all gonna die!

[Torqaholic]

Started putting the brakes on at 50. Not imposed on me, it was a conscious decision. Having been a thrill seeker my whole life I was pretty sure that it was only a matter of time until the limitations of age would lead to my unintentional death and when exactly that would happen didn't seem like a good thing to learn the hard way. Perfectly happy to show my death wish who's the boss

[ZipZap]

Yesterday…

I’ve been feeling “off” for about a year. We live at 7700 feet and actually considered moving lower. I have some lung function tests scheduled when I get back to the states.

Why “yesterday”? I finally, after many years, decided to get an at home sleep test before I left for vacation. The results showed up yesterday. I don’t know what “bad” is, but to me it looks terrible.

Avg 02 = 83%, Low 02 = 71%, 5 apnea and 257 hypopnea events in 7 hours for a lovely average of 36.6/hr. Normal is < 5. Guessing I should already be dead

The saving grace right now is that our trip is basically at sea level. The 5 - 10 miles/day walking is still kicking my butt.