Fitness for surfing in times of woe: the lamppost's lament

Is anybody else in their mid-40s and seriously struggling with surfing?

My 47th birthday approaches and my body feels like a leaden weight. I'm fit and strong, with a healthy heart and decent pulse, but flexibility, suppleness and 'spring' belong to another age.

A lost age.

Maybe it's the metal cage at C4 in my neck, maybe it's all the broken bones, torn ligaments and severed tendons over the years, maybe it's playing football a lot lately and ending up with chronic Achilles tendonitis in both legs, or maybe it's just what happens when you reach middle age. But the reality of surfing for me, today, was that I could barely get to my feet. I just had no umph to get me there.

Now, it is undoubtedly true that I have had a lot of injuries and that I've pushed myself when I shouldn't have done. My body is knackered. But albeit that playing football and surfing have lately turned into an exercise in ritual humiliation, in which I kid myself that the occasional flash of what once passed for ability shows I can still do it but actually just have a nightmare, in other environments I'm fine. I can do 10 rounds on the bags/pads and feel fit as a fiddle. Circuit training is tough but fine. I can walk for miles and barely feel I've done a thing. I can swim a long way (as in, a mile or so) without getting tired.

So what is going on?

If anyone knows anything about fitness for (mid)40-year-olds, which is correct:

1. Despite recovering well from neck surgery I walk about with two herniated discs at C5 and 6. This, with the surgery of a couple of years back, means that I am about as flexible as a lamppost in a coffin, its light still flickering but just a bit, as if it still made a difference or meant something but is in fact redundant.

2. It's cold. Very. This has a detrimental effect on 'active' sports (at my age).

3. I'm 46. Simple. My best days are long gone. I should give up football entirely (agreed) and only surf sparingly (really?). That way there's still a chance of a good session. Constantly pushing myself, as I do, is a recipe for disaster.

4. It's time to get a dog and go for long walks. One that lives with me, that is. And get into gardening (which I do quite like).

Sometimes, in this usually optimistic, glass half-full blog, one feels depressed. But wait, what's this? An email from my friend Mr Ryan Air. He reminds me to check in because I'm off to Lanzarote on Saturday with my sons, Harry and Elliot. Warm water, warm air, warm waves, an island I know with people who are nice... Maybe surfing will work for me again?

Hope springs eternal (in the minds of the serially deluded, at least).

Pictured courtesy of Cammer's Camera: me, at the crest of a wave.

Comments

[Joanne]

Tendon problems, muscle weakness,stiffness, cold weather intolerance Hmm all very familiar but all gone now - 46 is no age to be getting your symptoms unless maybe, but no you don't want to think that I know but one day you will especially when the brain fog starts.
Enjoy the warmer weather and yes it will make a huge difference to your symptoms and you may even push up on that board and show the boys how good their Dad can be surfing again.
Best wishes

[Bena48.wordpress.com]

Alex, lay off the high impact stuff. It plays havoc with many blokes over 40.

My other tip is to give a load of time to convalesce from injuries. I impressed myself when I snapped my Achilles at 47. Like you I'm an impulsive bloody idiot but hey the choice was to a) recover or b) do n't recover.You have form Alex, I have read your blog and book. You do n't give yourself a chance.

Bin the football and the boxing and associated training. The injuries are catastrophic in middle age and there often is not a route back.

I'm expecting to skate till my late 50s and surf and cycle until my scooter cannot launch me from the beach. Give yourself the chance to do the same.

Sorry to be brutal.

All the best.

Ben

[allie]

One word Alex...... YOGA... said it before and saying it again, Another 3 words....PETE THE YANK...... age is inevitable , and while we all sercome to it and yes you have had more injuries than most this does not mean you have t stop doing all the stuff that makes you you, Give up the footie ( but thats just cos its a crap game ) boxing TRAINING is great, just take it easy , stretch lots n no sparing, Surfing is fantastic for both mind n body, Just choose your days , what can be better than warm water, sunshine ( or sunset) 2-3 ft peeling lefts , dolphins, fish and friends. Dog walking and gardening are both good, but gardening can be dangerous, trust me im a professional. Basicly all you have to do is have a competitivectomy and just do the things you enjoy, while you still enjoy them, take care of the neck/shoulder/back/gippy leg oh and do some YOGA...see ya in there soon i hope xxx

[Matt Bailey]

You are wrong. At 46/47, your best days are not gone.

I agree with the post above, yoga is the way to go. I'm also 47 with a long list of broken joints, ailments, etc. But, the older I get, the more yoga helps. I still run and cycle with 35-year-olds.

If you really want some life-changing results, lose some fat and some muscle mass (most men have too much), as well. Commit to a predominantly veggie diet for a year and avoid beer and junk food.

Also avoid high-impact sports like football. They're not worth the injury. Focus on stretching and suppleness, and getting plenty of sleep and rest.

Once you are lighter, Yoga will give you all the strength you need and will bring back some (a lot) of the 'spring' you're missing.

I'd also recommend a good steroidal anti-inflamation drug, once in a while (I have bad knees) Seriously though, in moderation, and only when you're lighter and more supple.

I hope you don't mind the unsolicited advice from a stranger.

[Matt Bailey]

One more thing to keep in mind: You need to give yourself adequate time to warm up before an activity.

When I was 30, I could (indoor) row 5k in less than 19.5 mins, from cold. Now, it takes me 2500m, just to warm up.

My advice is, whatever you think you need to get the body up to temperature and working properly, double it. If you are doing yoga, take a hot bath or a shower before you even start (even then, start slowly).

[Dill - Weight Loss Trainer]

I'm worried about what getting older will do to my flexibility and endurance - you see a lot of older active people and they seem as energetic as a 21 year old, but then the majority of the time, you are surrounded by older people who complain about their joints hurting or something along those lines... I'm 27 right now and I'm going to keep everything I do up so that I can at least still have some activity in me in my later years. Motivation!