Inspiration
I'm sure many of us, the older we get, the more often we hear how "inspiring" we are to younger athletes. One of my favorite things to hear is "I wanna be you when I grow up!"
Here in the Pac NW, there are two ancient legends who are still active, who recently re-inspired me. At the Columbia River Triathlon in Vancouver, WA, last weekend, both Lew Hollander (from Bend, OR), and Sister Madonna Buder (from Spokane, WA) were in attendance. They are 88. They each have (or had) the distinction of being the oldest to complete an Ironman, and to compete in Kona. I've been seeing them occasionally at races both in WA/OR and on Hawaii for the past two decades.
Lew did the Olympic Aquabike, after competing in a similar event at the ITU World Championships this year. He swam 1 mile in just under 40 minutes, and biked at a 15.1 mph pace. I had a chance to talk with him before the swim start, and he's still sharp as a tack, although his hearing is a little weak. Just his presence, to say nothing of his performance, reminds me of my goal, "Keep doin' it 'til you can't"
Things break down, things don't work, but something keeps me heading back out the door and, slowly but surely, they start to repair and work again. It's people like Lew and Sister Madona who provide reassurance and inspiration to just keep at it.
As an aside, I ran across this calculator this morning while searching for something else. It says I'll live to 99...I don;'t know if I'll still be doing this for three more decades!
Comments
Thanks for the post Al, I'm re-inspired. However, after Kona 2019, I plan on taking a couple of years off from full distance then come back when I age up to M65.
BTW, I saw a surgeon about my potential hernia. He said I was describing a hernia but he couldn't find it. He cleared me to race in South Africa but wants to see me 2 Oct for another check. So I'll probably be the only one at Port Elizabeth putting on a hernia truss in T1, same as I did in Norway.
“Slowly but surely, they start to repair and work again”. thanks, I will use that and is true.
Al - this is awesome. Lew Hollander is my hero.
You probably know the Neil Young verse "better to burn out than to rust".
I have a friend and training partner who is 79. He did Maine 70.3 today and punched his ticket to Nice because he was the only one in his AG. He did the swim in 39 min and the bike in 3:19. His run was 2:38, but he doesn’t push the run when he doesn’t have any competition. Definitely an inspiration. BTW, @Al Truscott, the calculator says I’ll live to be 101! I’ll need to find more hobbies after I retire.
Thanks for this post. Yes, Lew is my hero too. Definitely feeling older now (at 63), but still running 70.3's.
I studied and passed my ham radio exams last fall (extra class). Not only fascinated with amateur radio but I have a huge hobby to keep me busy when I'm chair bound. The calculator says I'll live to 97, so I have my later years covered for a hobby.
But that's not today.
(I need to check the forums more often. Glad I saw this today)
I've not met Lew or Sister Madonna yet, but I expect I will since we do a lot of the same local PNW races. The truth, @Al Truscott , is that you are the one that has inspired me. You're a decade older than me and have left me in the dust at every race we've done together. You give me hope that I can continue to improve over the next few years.
BTW, the calculator says I'll live to 97. I guess I'll have to work a few more years before retiring! 🤔
@Al Truscott
""Keep doin' it 'til you can't" Definitely one to live by. I am young man by comparison (turned 43 just last month). But every year I think how I feel better than the previous. And like @Sheila Leard and Neil Young said ""better to burn out than to rust"."
@Al Truscott, I had opportunity to meet and race with Lew Hollander @ WC in Las Vegas in 2014. I was in his wave and he was still doing a pretty good job racing in his early 80's. He was relaxed, fit and quite cordial. Wherever he went he was surrounded by those that knew of him. I agree with @Sheila Leard better to burn out than , to rust." ditto"
I know you didn't mean for it to go this way but it can't be prevented. There is always somebody who is very inspirational but it takes it to a different level when you actually know said individual. One of my favorite pictures from KONA with my inspiration that I named Master Po and Grasshopper. In the las month I have heard a couple of comments I am not sure I am ready to hear. 1st was at SOS on the second swim as I was getting into the water with ZERO athletes around I hear a woman yell OLD GUYS RULE. Old WTF my calf only said 56? 2nd was running into an old work acquaintance with a young Air Traffic Controller who I had never met before. After a few discussion I got the "I wanna be like you when I get older" comment.