Shakeout: Just A Number
Fifty one is the new thirty five
I turned 51 on Monday, which didn’t feel like that big a deal in the grand scheme of things. Now 50, that was a big one. Birthdays like 39, 21, and (for some reason) 48 all felt meaningful and significant in one way or another. Fifty-one, however, is just another number.
If anything, turning 51 solidifies my reality. There’s no turning back the clock. I am officially in my 50s and will be for the next decade. That’s alright. I’m more competitive in this age group than I was battling it out with you 40-somethings. (Babies, I tell ya.)
The other thing about turning 51 is that I legitimately feel better than when I was 41. I may weigh a few pounds more than I did a decade ago, but I’m in much better aerobic condition. Significantly, my times haven’t changed all that much in the past 10 years. Maybe the accomplishment at this point in life is simply not slowing down.
I’m also much smarter than I was in my 40s. Sometimes I catch myself thinking: “If I only knew back then what I do now.” At the same time, maybe the fact that it took me this long to learn a few things is proof that knowledge can’t be rushed. It has to be earned.
Every time we go for a run, we present ourselves with an opportunity to learn something new about who we are and what makes us tick. There are things we can measure and study, like pace and distance, and things that need to be experienced to be properly understood.
A cold morning run, a slow jog home at the end of a long summer’s day. An intense workout on a track, a long, slow run through the woods. All of those experiences are right there waiting for us, so long as we’re willing to get out and do them.