anotheranon | inspiration

Much as I've been griping about my lack of finesse on the strip of late, I'm surrounded by plenty of individuals to look up to - people who remind me that not only am I at the start of what could be a very long journey, but that it is very possible to improve with age.

My main fencing club is known locally as a "veterans" club. In fencing that means 40 or over, and on many nights I'm one of the younger people there. This was a revelation to me because my prior club seemed to be mostly teenagers, and I always thought of sports as something for young people anyway (hell, when I was a little kid I didn't think adults could even run, simply because I never saw it :P)

NONE of my club mates have slowed with age - they routinely kick my ass and I may be comparatively new but don't suck THAT bad. Their stamina and endurance is all the more remarkable when I remember that at least 3 have had surgery in the past couple of years! It's also worth noting that many of them started in college and have around a 20-30 year lead on me in strategy and experience.

I'm starting to suspect that it's not just at my club either - there are enough fencers 70 and older nationally that the USFA is considering a separate age class just for 70+ (see III).

What I'm seeing with my own eyes plus the occasional stories of fencers who keep playing into their 80s and even 90s(!) gives me hope that if I can stay with this I stand a better chance of maintaining my mental and physical health long past retirement (and hopefully improve my game as well)!