Geezers at meets

[johnnys]

I did my first PL meet last weekend and was surprised by the lack of old guys. I attended a huge USAPL meet last year and recall about a quarter of lifters being masters and a quarter juniors, but this one (RPS Pennsy States) was 50 lifters with 2 women, 8 masters (only 3 over 45) and 19 juniors. What's typical in your experience?

[Mark E. Hurling]

Being a geezer myself at 63, there wasn't a lot of company my age or close to it at the 3 meets I competed in last year. Even at the worlds in Vegas. There were 2-3 at the regional meets where 100+ lifters showed up and maybe 4-5 in Vegas where a bunch more competed, I just don't know how many. As the venerable Gordon Santee once said, "At my age, all my competition is injured or dead."

I lift in the USPA but I check the other federations meets for masters lifters and it looks much the same for the others as well.

[johnnys]

Interesting. It sounds like my spectator experience set the wrong expectations. Thinking back, I attended a session that was mid-weights up to 198s.

Maybe we geezers are best represented in that range? I'm a 220 now (was 198ish before supplements) though.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I'm in the 275 class, and I've seen just one in the next higher weight class. The others were in the 145 and 185 classes.

[old guy]

I'm in the 275 class, and I've seen just one in the next higher weight class. The others were in the 145 and 185 classes.

The way I am gaining weight I will be competing against you soon ( but you still have 10 years on me )

[Mark E. Hurling]

Geezers gotta represent!

[Bill Quick]

Geezers gotta represent!

And thank you for representing us like a beast as you pulled 425 in that pic on the front page. http://us8.campaign-archive2.com/?u=...&id=6935784f3f and scroll down.

Great job!

[Bill Quick]

Also, you're lucky to have a doctor who posts that pic in his office. My doc tells me I'm too old to be lifting weights. He's two years older than me. I asked him when he was going to stop running. That shut him up.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Thank you. I am truly humbled.

As Bartels and James used to say, thank you for your continued support. Doc Smith is one of a kind. He treats local high school and real professional athletes along with SoCal celebrities. It amazes me that he holds me in such regard.

[skid]

In an amateur local strong man contest I entered in June I was surprised to see someone older than me. I'm early 50's and he was probably 10 years older. There were no age classes so we competed with guys half our age. Quite frankly the older guy's performance was somewhat sad to watch. The mind was willing but the body wasn't able, although you could tell that at one time he must have been a very muscular individual.

Bear in mind he was attemting to do what 98% of any aged person could not do (log pressing for reps, sled carry for 150 feet, and 5 atlas stones). The log was 150 pounds, the sled was 450, and stones started at 180 and went to 275. I think he did one rep with the log, could hardly move the sled - maybe 10 feet, and didn't lift one atlas stone. Perhaps it is fear of embarrassment or injury that stops older guys from competing.