Probably earlier for potential…but most don’t tap into it soon enough and so that’s probably correct…
Variety for different people too. Frodeno is 40 now and seems to have improved through his 30s despite many years of training.
Arguably maybe AB did reach physical peak in his late 20s. Not saying he can’t get better at ironman from now with specific training, but does feel like he’s slightly fading in one sense of natural ability, but maybe that’s just a bad few years, time will tell.
Likewise Blummenfelt currently 27 is better athlete than Frodo was at 27. But will be as good as a 37 yo Frodo?
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i think he might break himself somewhere along the way…
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Can’t think why I’m looking at this thread as I’ve always been slow. Maybe it was the getting older tag.
For me it’s always about complete rather than compete. Problem is that I often attempt challenges which should in theory be out of my reach (if you know you know). This leads to chasing cut-offs - its the 5th discipline you know and I’m a master.
In December though things caught up with me an I’ve decided to step back from ultras to more sensible distances (by which I mean only full ironman or multi day marathons).
In my 60th year, but I still have the elusive 3:30 marathon on my bucket list. Should I hit the delete button?
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How bad do you want it, how close have you come before and how much time can you devote to it?
two words…. hell no!
use it or lose it….
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Turn 55 this month. Trying to squeeze another 2/3 years out of moderately competitive Ironman and Time Trial racing and certainly hoping to be AG competitive.
Yes it’s getting harder, but same for the rest of my AG.
I figure there’s plenty of years to keep fit by walking the dog round the block, so might as well keep this insanity up for a while longer before that starts.
One thing I’m genuinely unsure of: will it be a sudden ‘that’s it’ or a slow, gradual slide out of the sport.
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I think it’s well documented now that I can feel it ebbing away, certainly that desire to dig deep for intervals. I can feel every one of my operations now and these recent leg injuries have not helped.
I also think for the firs time that I can remember, I’m letting the weather hold me back. I have some teeth and gum issues to sort, my ongoing physio etc.
The ‘want’ is still there but the question of ‘how much’ is getting asked a lot and I’m not too happy about the answers!
‘How bad do I want it’ - it’s not top of my list
‘How much devotion to it’ - problem is that I have many other goals I would not sacrifice and I guess I need about six months and a number of try-outs to achieve it.
Closest was 3:42 but that was 18 years ago.
But hey, 3:30 could be the ultimate cut-off for me to chase
My 49th year was such an exceptional year that I do wonder if I have reached a peak and it is all downhill from here. But then I look at my Training buddy, who is 54 and just ran a 2:35 marathon, another who swims easily at 1:20/100m. It’s possible that I have just crested the hill on my biking performance, but definately more potential on run and swim. With that in mind, my 50th year will be my fastest ever
Going forward, I know I will start to slow down, however, I am pretty confident, that in 10 years time, so long as I remain healthy, I will still be faster than 90% of 30 year olds
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The advantage of a misspent youth is that as I head into my 51st year I am 100% confident that in 10 years time I will be faster than my 30 year old self. Even death would be difficult to prevent that.
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I’m fortunate to have a decent sized, well equipped pain cave and I’ve come to rely upon it much more than I should in recent years. One of my goals for this year was to get outside more when the weather isn’t so great.
Today I was planning a lunchtime 60 minute hilly trail run in the local hills. But they’re covered in snow and the wind is 20mph gusting 40’s. The snow is fine but running exposed hills in strong winds? 
So I should just alter my plans and do a low level trail run through the forest. Just gotta sneak past the treadmill and remind myself that it’s just a habit and it’ll all be fine.
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Really?
I ran a mid-36 in 2019 and I wasn’t running anywhere near 40 minute 10km in training.
EDIT: Found a couple of 6:30am 37min 10km jogs to work from 2013 
Jesus. If only 
38min 10km from Feb 2021
39min 10km from March 2020
40min 10km from June 2019
So, looking at that pattern, I should be running a 37min 10km this month 
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My fitness is at an all time low and my fatness at an all time high…
I am about to embark on a two year plan to get fit again…
At least a 20% improvement across all three disciplines is required…
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I was 46 in my peak year of racing – had the fastest times at pretty much every distance, but was never competitive in my age group. It was also my peak year of training volume and intensity. I’m 64 now, and trying to recover some of the speed I’ve steadily lost since then. I started weight training again last year, and started doing more group rides and runs at speed. And I’ve seen improvement. Some of my race times last year were the best since that peak, and landed me on the lowest step of the podium a couple of times.
I’m in the 65-69 age group this year and have fantasies of doing a bit better, so I’ll be adding a track workout and swim squad sessions. Might not be the brightest thing to do, but I won’t know unless I try. Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional.
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I’m with you on the weather.
It never used to put me off cycling if it was chucking it down it outside and cold. Now i retreat to the indoor trainer at the hint of wet and cold.
Turn 54 in a month.
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Kona is on my bucket list, but only if I can find a race with no other 75+ age group participants (I have more than 15 years to achieve that goal)
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Let’s try to avoid signing up for the same races 
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When i first moved to Switzerland 5 years ago, never missed a Saturday club ride, come rain, snow or hail… now unless it is 10 degrees and dry I retreat to the basement
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Starting to wonder if I’m hitting the slowing down process for running at least. Best parkrun I’ve done in the last 6 months was 19:31 on a slightly long course I think. I know I’m not in PB form but struggling to get 19:50 about 3 weeks ago, a minute behind my PB from 2019.
Probably need a bit of rest and better conditions, and some focussed run training might help.
Cycling doesn’t seem to be going too badly.
As for swimming, I’ll report back when I do some 
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