Ahhh, getting old...

I look at my Bench-Press trophies in my basement. They represent a time period of between August, 1987 through May, 1990. I was in my bench-press prime back then, ages 30 through 32. I was drug free and benched in the 385 pound range at the body weight of 217. As I said, my last contest was in May of 1990.

So long ago.

Now? Well... I weigh 267 and, on a good day, maybe I can bench 335. I could prolly go 20 to 30 pounds more but, since I now train by myself, I don't dare try. I'm 51 years old and am losing my strength levels. But, I "press" on. Gotta take them vitamines, "Animal Pack" daily packs. There are ten tablets in those packages, a small meal in themselves.

I think that athletes have a better handle on their mortality than the average person. One cannot but acknowledge diminished abilities as they unfold before your eyes. Only fools deny the obvious. My powerlifting friends are all going through this too. About twice a year I get together with one of them to train. Together we look at what we can lift now and compare it to back then. We're getting old.

Bob, my "coach" he's 58 and still lifts in contests. He took home a NYS record in the "Dead Lift" this past November. Good for him. Maybe, the Lord willing, I can enter a contest yet again. I can no longer lift in the "Open" division where the younger men lift - 20 to 45 year olds. Instead, I must compete in the "seniors" division. That would be great to shoot for.

Enough rambling.