New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #32

Wishing all a safe and peaceful New Year-----and good climbing.

Brad Young wrote:

 how can I miss you if you won't go away?"

Now I’ll have that song in my head all day  

Lori? 

April 2018, when this lovely long conversation was still in the Training Forum?

Direct quote:

"I think when I started this topic it was around  the questions of aging on performance.  What’s real, what’s possible and what is no longer possible for an aging body.

8 years ago my doctor sent me home with a book “Younger Next Year” written by a doctor and a lawyer. I read it in one sitting and have carried it around with me ever since. It is solid science and advice about how to live well in The Third Act.

It turns out that we don’t have too many liabilities and most can be fixed. Those that can’t be fixed we work around. "

You're doing spectacularly good enough, and are totally capable of motoring on.

:-)

Yesterday home crag. Photo Gman, climber Steel Mouse

Old lady H wrote:

Lori? 

April 2018, when this lovely long conversation was still in the Training Forum?

Direct quote:

"I think when I started this topic it was around  the questions of aging on performance.  What’s real, what’s possible and what is no longer possible for an aging body.

8 years ago my doctor sent me home with a book “Younger Next Year” written by a doctor and a lawyer. I read it in one sitting and have carried it around with me ever since. It is solid science and advice about how to live well in The Third Act.

It turns out that we don’t have too many liabilities and most can be fixed. Those that can’t be fixed we work around. "

You're doing spectacularly good enough, and are totally capable of motoring on.

:-)

Yea but, I didn’t think he really meant it.   

All of us old folks can relate to the experience of having read 1984 in about 1968. Then, before we knew it, it was 1984. And of course, when 2001, A Space Odyssey came out in 1968, 2001 seemed so far away it would never happen.Then it did. And I think it was 1969 that this gem hit the radio waves out of some obscure recording studio in Texas. Of course 2525 was just an abstract idea that would never really happen. Right.

Well, we got to see 1984 and 2001 for ourselves, but I don't think any of us is likely to be around 500 years from now.

wendy weiss wrote:

Well, we got to see 1984 and 2001 for ourselves, but I don't think any of us is likely to be around 500 years from now.

Oh boy. Should I admit that I was multi-tasking, saw the number 25, and thought it was about this year? Probably not.   .

I’m optimistic about the future. So many cars on the road between Pacifica and Half Moon bay today. But none of them were looking in the right places for the right things. They’re all just driving in circles, materialistic people comparing themselves to one another. The good waves are out there, unridden. This is true for both oceans and mountains. Just go a little bit further. There’s no one around the next corner. If that’s what you want… Happy 2525!

You know Colden, there is a reason there are damn few people out there.  It is too damn cold to surf!

Kristian Solem wrote:

Oh boy. Should I admit that I was multi-tasking, saw the number 25, and thought it was about this year? Probably not.   .

Took me a few minutes too.

Starting 2025 off right… I’m reading the book Kris’ wife recommended called The Barbell Prescription and I’m enjoying it way more than I expected. One of the authors is an ER Doctor who goes deep into the physiology of aging and what he calls “the sick aging phenotype“.  

My mistake was thinking that because I’m active and hike a lot I would be strong and not have to worry about sarcopenia – – loss of muscle mass.  But in fact, anything you don’t use (muscle) you lose. So I’m excited about launching into weight training.

I don’t know if Kris will have a thought on this, but I watched a short clip with Dr. Stacy Sims, where she was asked if Pilates could be considered weight training (because my Pilates instructor vehemently said yes, it is). Stacy said absolutely no. This is not “lifting heavy shit“. Not nearly enough resistance in even an advanced Pilates routine.

So I think it’s going to have to be both—weights a couple days a week and Pilates once? .   

I still use my WHOOP.  This was my summary after Climbing with Bob two days ago.

I had to correct the sleep because I did not get up at 2:30. But when I saw my Strain score at 19.7 (21 being the theoretical maximum) I knew I was going to face a wipe out the next day unless I was aggressive with protein and hydration and extra sleep.

If anything would cause me to stop climbing it’s “the day after”.  I don’t just get a little tired. Everything goes to hell the day after.  Guy has suggested throwing back a few ibuprofen and maybe a shot of whiskey.   Oh how I wish that could work.

So it’s another little puzzle piece I’m working on diligently.  I think weight training could help - – just being stronger. I’m wondering about the use of amino acids, certain supplements, bone broth, recovery formulas to help with the day after.  I’m seeing some benefit from stretching, breath work, hot Epsom salt baths. I just think there will be some combination of things that allows me to recover like a champ. (that’s an obvious question there… What do you all do to recover from a hard day?)

Because now we’re looking at saddle rocks.   And I was particularly interested in the Pommel.  Bob was mentioning Walk On The Wild Side. Something tells me it’s not going to be simply a walk. There is so much fun to be had and I don’t want to be sidelined because I can’t get out of bed.

—-

Tony was released from rehab yesterday. There was a minor hangup where one doctor at the last minute thought he should stay one more day. Oh my God. I’ve never seen Tony. so pissed off. When I got there, he was dressed, sitting in a wheelchair, had all his stuff on his lap and he wanted to get the hell out of there right now.  

When he got home, he thought he might clean the garage. He got in his car and thought he might drive. Then he thought he might scrub a pot in the kitchen. When none of that worked, he wound up flopping down on the sofa out of breath and in a sweat.  Snap back to reality oops there goes gravity.    

I've been told that protein intake, hydration, and rest, as soon as possible after intense exercise is important, not just the day after.

Thought I’d be rested after a few days off from climbing. Either I was still sore from campusing for two weeks or my diet doesn’t contain enough of protein or something else? Whatever it is, the campus board needs to be approached slowly again.

The something else may be just an overinflated egotistical memory of myself being able to hit those rungs hard…  

New Year, new day, will try thrashing about on the headwall climbs at my gym today.

Dude. It certainly seems like you train way too fcking hard and are an over training/ repetitive motion injury waiting to happen... 

Lori Milas wrote:

I’m sure there must be a path leading to saddle rocks, but I just bumbled through the desert.

There's a highway of a trail straight from the Hall of Horrors parking lot... 

Brandt Allen wrote:

I've been told that protein intake, hydration, and rest, as soon as possible after intense exercise is important, not just the day after.

I have a whey protein shake and 5 grams of creatine immediately after climbing, no exceptions. I don't take creatine every day since it may cause some water weight gain in your muscles. However, I think that the benefits of creatine definitely outweigh the downside, especially for us older folks. 

I also have been sleeping a LOT after climbing, like 9-10 hours.  My recovery has been surprisingly good, and I think that the amount of sleep definitely has something to do with it. I also don't train to exhaustion like I did in my 30's. 

Greg Opland wrote:

There's a highway of a trail straight from the Hall of Horrors parking lot... 

Thank you, Greg.  I always appreciate your help!     I found the trail this morning before even seeing your post, and finally got to sit on a rock with Randy's guidebook and scope out Saddle Rocks.  There was no need to search for Walk on The Wild Side because there was a line at the base, and several people already on the route.  That left side of the lower segment looks like there's lots to explore and routes within my range.  Right On caught my eye.  

From a distance this crack looked promising.  Up close it kind of bombed.  Probably not worth the bother?

Brandt, you are absolutely right about the timing of protein, hydration etc.  For women, it's supposed to be within 30 minutes of finishing hard workout, for men, you have a 3 hour window.  Does this mean I have to keep a protein shake in the car on climbing days?   I don't know that the exact timing is critical, but for sure, start asap after climbing.  

So much has changed in the science world.  Did you know there are actual 'Protein Labs' at universities across the US that break down food values, measure nitrogen balances, break it down by age, gender, level of exertion etc?  To think, a few years ago we had Jack LaLane, and Juice Man... outside of that we were just winging it.  Not that at 30 I cared much anyway.  Today I care.

I was listening to an interview with Kevin Costner this morning, talking about his love of the wild west and the stories of how it really came to be.  He just released a movie on Netflix and Max called Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1.  Looking forward to popcorn and watching this today.

 

    

Lori Milas wrote:   Does this mean I have to keep a protein shake in the car on climbing days?   

I take a little cooler with a protein drink and extra water to drink on the drive home. Very easy to do. 

Having been only a moderate climber (by ability and carefully studied inclination) routes like WOTWS and Right On were always sitting ducks for my out-of-control aspirations, especially Right On. I've done it perhaps 5 or 6 times and a blast every time; discounting the cheesy Barry White impersonations "right on, right on , right on" which of course were de rigueur.  Lori's photo above featuring the 2 prominent cracks is the third pitch. The leader must stay fully inside of the large right crack and press his back against the rock, chimney style. This works quite well until it is eventually realized you are 20 feet up without effective pro. About the third time I led that pitch I attached a very large hex to several long runners, extended my right arm out, asked for slack, then tossed the hex, grenade-style ,towards the wider section of the chimney, up and to the right. The hex ( sounding like a large cowbell) came rattling down until it encountered a narrowing section and thereby became solidly wedged in place directly opposite me.

After that it became a kind of thing: "... no, instead let's go do Right On and get Don to make the hex toss"

True story.