Sad Day (Read 593 times)

Today is my last day in the 30-34 age group. I've won a couple of medals at slower races in this group, where the group above would have been much harder. I guess its time to step up. BTW, why is 35-39 faster than 30-34? Is my generation just lazy?

BTW, why is 35-39 faster than 30-34? Is my generation just lazy?

Maybe they don't show up That's what happened at a 4 miler I did last year. I got 1st in my bracket!

Well, Happy Birthday!! I just joined the age bracket on the 13th. I felt a little sad for some reason. I think it's because there is no denying we are firmly entrenched in our 30s. Mid-thirties. We are 30something. They should make a TV show about that. Next up--40s.

Although it's not uncommon to see times in an older division that are faster than a younger one, it is still much more the exception than the rule. We slow down as we age; period. There is no question about it. You are much more likely to get an accurate sample by looking trhough the results of a really large race where the percentages have a chance to play out. Just find one and you'll see what I mean. I will say, however, that there really isn't much of a drop off in performance from 30 to 39, especially in the longer distances. When you move into the 40's and beyond, the decline begins to accelerate with each 5 year increment of the age groups. A 40-year old has a huge advantage over a 49-year old, where as there isn't nearly as much of a gap between 30 and 39. The gap between 50 and 59 is even greater than in the 40's, and so on up the line. We always tend to notice when someone older beats and think nothing of it when someone younger does. That's why perceptions become distorted.

BTW, why is 35-39 faster than 30-34? Is my generation just lazy?

I think it's selection bias. The less hard-core runners are the ones more likely to give up running as they age. That and the people with bad training habits or poor biomechanics have damaged themselves enough by then to drop out. The people who remain know what they're doing.

BTW, why is 35-39 faster than 30-34? Is my generation just lazy?

As others have noted, they *aren't* faster at the elite level, of course. But you're absolutely right - at local events, it ain't easy placing in 35-39. Or 40-44. Or actually anywhere from 30-54. Not if you're an average joe slowpoke like me. I've never won anything in my age group (I'm 38). But in almost every race, I look down at 20-24, or 25-29, and realize I could have won a lot of cheap plastic trophies if I'd run at that age. I'm guessing chasing sorority girls and going to keg parties takes priority over recreational running. At least that's my hazy recollection. But there's good news, too. After glancing glumly at the younger folks results, I look down the page at the more senior among us ... and usually find out that I absolutely massacred the 75-79 age group. And the 80-84 guys? I smoked those fools.* So if you keep running and manage not to croak ... you can end up with a closet full of trophies. A lot of the time, if you're in the 95-99 age group, all you gotta do is show up to win. This is my plan. It's a 50 year plan and I'm scheduling it carefully. I figure the ladies in the old folks' home are going to think I'm da bomb. * Note: don't blame me if you glance down and find an 83 year old who beat you by 5 minutes. That happens, too. It's depressing. But he can't live forever. Boo-yah. ** Note # 2: don't enter any ultras. Then you'll really get depressed. Folks in their 40s and 50s and 60s actually win those things, at least when Scott Jurek's not around.

Today is my last day in the 30-34 age group. I've won a couple of medals at slower races in this group, where the group above would have been much harder. I guess its time to step up. BTW, why is 35-39 faster than 30-34? Is my generation just lazy?

Maybe it's not so true for the guys, but I have read and heard that for women motherhood has a LOT to do with the increase in pace for the 35-39 demographic. 30-34 are often still too busy with the kids to tackle running competitively, especially if one doesn't have a supportive spouse to help them make the time. I'll be entering the 35-39 group in a few weeks, myself. I'm kinda nervous. In the 30-34 AG I'm always smack-dab in the middle of the field at larger races and smaller ones often find me only a few places above the bottom. I need to HTFU and get faster quick!

Imagine what it was like trying to move up from the 12-17 bracket to the 18-25 bracket !