Sure, it gets tougher to exercise as you get older. The aging body loses muscle, needs more time to recover after workouts and is more injury prone. Then there are the chronic aches and pains. But don’t tell that to the more than 450 “senior” triathletes who blazed through downtown Naperville last Sunday morning for the third annual AARP TriUmph Classic.
From tanned, fit and fast to the bit more casually paced, the 50-plus athletes swam 400 meters in spring-fed Centennial Pool, biked 12.4 miles through the city, then ran (and walked) 3.1 miles along tree-lined paths in the 80-degree heat, all to earn a gold finishing medal and bragging rights to say they’d completed a triathlon.
Dr. Ruth Seeler, 67, a pediatrician who teaches at University of Illinois-Chicago, crossed the finish line of her 30th triathlon in 2:08:27–not a blistering pace, but the sweat dripping down her forehead and two-piece blue tri-suit was a testament to her hard work.
“About 20 years ago, I had an `a-ha’ experience,” Seeler explained. “I looked in the mirror and I was a size 16, so I started training and getting my act together.” She dropped to a size 8-10 and has been training for triathlons ever since.
The TriUmph Classic is sponsored by AARP and is the only national triathlon series targeting adults ages 50 and older (those younger can enter, but make up a small part of the field and don’t receive medals). The short-course event is intended to encourage participation.
Witnessing an evolution
“It’s been interesting and rewarding to watch how these people evolved during the training program and developed self-confidence,” said Martin Katz, who along with his wife, Leslie, ran the eight-week, AARP-sponsored practice and classroom sessions to help participants prepare for the big event. Some 75 men and women took advantage of the sessions.
“Some people who were concerned about even completing it end up talking about how fast they’ll do it,” said Katz, a 60-year-old attorney and certified triathlon coach. “We encourage people not to worry about how fast they are and to enjoy the moment.”
About 75 percent of the Naperville participants didn’t come from competitive backgrounds, Katz said, although a small group was concerned with finish times and placement. One participant this year was a 78-year-old man who has completed the Hawaii Ironman–the grueling 2.4-mile swim/112-mile bike/26.2 mile run that takes place each October in Kailua-Kona.
“But most fall in the category of wanting to complete it for the experience,” Katz said.
David Ahner, 51, of Valparaiso, Ind., posted the fastest time among senior men, finishing in 1:06:54; among senior women, the fastest competitor was Dee Rigalie, 51, of Morton Grove at 1:16:21. But even the less visible victories were sweet.
Robert Bidlack, 69, is a retired mechanical engineer, married and grandfather of 13. His finish time of 1:54:01 met his goal of completing his first triathlon in less than two hours.
“I got to the run and I was pretty well tired out, but I got through it,” the Palatine resident said happily post-race. Three of his children and their spouses, along with seven grandchildren, came out to cheer him on as he and the other competitors swam, then biked, then ran. One grandchild ran with him for a short portion of the run, while another waved a banner that said, “Go, Grandpa Go.”
A little more than eight years ago, Bidlack, who was commuting between Chicago and Los Angeles for work, had chest pains and eventually underwent an angioplasty.
“The doctor told me that if I didn’t eat better and exercise, I’d wind up in the hospital again,” Bidlack said.
He started a cardiac rehab program at Harper College, one hour a day, four days a week, and really enjoyed the exercise.
Bidlack walked a few 5K (3.1 mile) races. In 1999, his son convinced him they should enter San Diego’s Suzuki Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon.
“I always though it would be great to do a marathon,” said Bidlack, explaining why he took the leap. He wore a heart rate monitor and ran/walked the race, backing down when his heart rate crept too high. He crossed the finish line in 5:45:00.
Last year, Bidlack set his sights on his first triathlon.
“I feel better since I started the training,” Bidlack said. “My core strength is better and there are no more backaches.”
It’s benefits like those that health professionals emphasize to aging Baby Boomers and their parents.
“If you continue to be sedentary, there’ll be the risk of injury, weight gain, heart disease and cancer,” said Richard Cotton, who is a spokesman for the American Council on Exercise and chief exercise physiologist for MyExercisePlan.com. “If you decide to get off the couch and take a 10-minute walk four times this week, and then take it to the next step, you’ll find that exercise never needs to be uncomfortable.”
Staying active can also reduce pain and stiffness in the muscles and joints, strengthens the muscles around the joints, and helps manage obesity, explained Dr. Sheila Dugan, a physiatrist (physical medicine and rehabilitation physician) on the faculty at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s, Chicago. And by managing obesity, people do a lot to lessen their risk of diabetes, heart attack and stroke.
A sense of accomplishment
The psychological benefits of exercise are also impressive.
“Exercise allows you to set a goal and accomplish it, even if it’s as simple as saying, `I’m going to exercise four days a week.’ That’s especially powerful if you’re retired, the kids are grown and you have less opportunity for goal-oriented behavior,” Dugan said.
Hope Martin, 57, grew up roller-skating, biking, golfing and playing soccer and tennis. The Glenview resident and mother of two played tennis and paddle tennis as an adult, but at age 50, with her children older, went back to work full time and found herself with less time to work out. At age 54, “I realized that I was getting to an age where exercise was more important than it ever had been, if I wanted to stay mobile, agile and young. I was gaining weight. I just made up my mind that I wasn’t going to let this happen to me.”
She joined a local recreation center and hooked up with a personal trainer. She added cardiovascular training and strength training and after six months, was going to the gym up to six days a week. On workdays, she’s up at 5:30 a.m. to work out.
The hard work paid off; she finished first in her age group among the beginner AARP TriUmph Classic triathletes, in 1:49:21.
“The conditions were perfect and the course was wonderful,” Martin said after the race. “It was just the right amount of challenge for me.”
