Agelessness

Trick question.  Do you get slower or faster with age?  

Here is our scenario:  Participant A does a 10k road race in 2008.  She does the same exact race in 2009 except betters her time by over a minute.  

Participant B is one year younger than Participant A. During the race in 2008, Participant B warns Participant A that she better watch out in 2009 because she is going to be eligible for Participant A's age-classification.  In the 2009 race, Participant B is slower by almost three minutes.  

How is this possible?

You think you have the answer. Participant A trained harder for the race, right?  Nope. While all of you skiers, runners and know-it-alls were laughing (or thinking too hard), I forgot to add that the women were 79 and 80 in 2008.  Therefore they were 80 and 81...OK, you should get that much.  

The same physiological science that applies to a 25 year-old does not apply to an 80 year-old. It does not matter which way you slice the pie, that's how the cookie crumbles (right, Coach Flynn?). 

My coaches have always told me that I would become more physically fit with each passing year until I was in my mid-late twenties.  We do not reach our full physical and athletic maturity until this age-range, thus explaining the peak age of endurance athletes. People stay fast and fit well beyond their twenties, but it eventually takes a little more work to keep the aging body in great physical shape.  

It makes sense.  We get slower after we reach a certain age, right? 

That is what I thought until my grandmother Victoria Poole slapped my theory upside the head.  Yes, she is Participant A, and yes, she did complete one of the most prestigious 10k road races in the country (twice). Why is that cool? Because she is over 80 and has made a point to walk the 6.2 mile race course every year.  And because she showed Participant B (she will remain unnamed) that she was not ready to mess with the 80 and over category quite yet.  

I know I will be hard-pressed to walk 6.2 miles at that age and I would be willing to bet another $5 that most of you will as well.  No offense to your 10k race future beyond the age of 80, but not that many people can physically do that.  

I am a modest person and rarely brag about things close to home.  You will not see my write a blog post about any personal accomplishment (except for domination in spring intramural sports).  

That being said, am I bragging about my grandmother?  Without a doubt.  Do I feel bad about that? Not at all, because my grandmother (Grandma Engelke, your blog post is in the lineup) deserves every ounce of my praise.  

Following the race, my family hosted the annual post-event banquet in the field of our summer cottage in Cape Elizabeth, ME.  It was a truly special evening and I will push my father to offer the property next summer as well (if he says no, then I will offer it up without his approval).  

Despite meeting all of the African elite runners including the holder of the 3rd fastest marathon in history, the highlight of the party came from the pretty, little old lady better known as Granny.  

Olympic gold medalist and Beach to Beacon race founder Joan Benoit-Samuelson and the rest of the Beach to Beacon crew called my grandmother to the front of the function to recognize her as the oldest finisher in the 2009 edition of the race.  Along with a Boston Marathon track jacket and some other free-schwag, Joanie presented my grandmother with a life-time entry to the race.  From here on out, race number 1927 (for her birth-year) will be off limits to everyone except Victoria Poole.  

The 400 people at the party stood and applauded, sending chills straight up my spine.  In between moments of flirting with my sister and her friend, the African runners even professed their amazement at my grandmother.  She might have been too flustered to take everything in, but I saw it all and I do know that she was and will be forever thankful for that evening at the cottage.  

Although race registration does not open for another seven(?) months, my grandmother is the only non-elite runner that does not have to worry about gaining entry to the ever popular race. Participant B, I guess you will have to wait until next year!

It has been almost a month and I am still applauding you, Granny. Here's to 82 and more memories like this one.   Grandpa would have been proud.