CNNSI posted this photo-article the other day, and I couldn’t resist sharing it with all you AR junkies…Yes, it’s time to think about “Amazing Older Athletes”.
I haven’t taken the time to do an in-depth statistical study, but I did note that the majority of the 18 athletes highlighted here are in their late 30s or early 40s. Indeed, they all are noted for performing at a high level in the world of professional sports, though many are noteworthy for accomplishments that reflect isolated, late career moments of greatness rather than sustained dominance. And while these older athletes are impressive, they are clearly the exception in their respective.
I couldn’t help but laugh a bit about these “old” folk as I considered the athletes I am so familiar with through the world of AR. In AR, most racers are old by SI’s standards, some even ancient. The dominant teams of Nike and Merrell are usually composed of athletes over the age of 40, and most of the strongest teams I know of in the “amateur” circuit also boast many if not most teammates in their fifth decade.
A quick search of the Badwater Ultramarathon site revealed that at least 5 or 6 of the top ten finishers every year dating back 5+ years are 40 or older with several in their fifties.
In this year’s Western States, 8 of the top 20 finishers were at least 40. Only 1 of the same group was under 30 years old.
And then I saw a bit of news, mentioning that Mike Kloser was gearing up for his first race since injury in July. That’s two months ago. The injury in question? Broken collarbone, several broken ribs and a collapsed lung. He’s going out to China for a 3 day stage race. And oh yeah, he’s 49 years old…
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