56 here. Sounds like I have a lot of company
I have always been a fitness nut. Fortunately I didn't ruin my knees growing up playing sports. That said my back, neck and joints from wrists to hips to everything have never reminded me more that I am getting old. I am in serious denial because I like feeling good. As mentioned in the bicycle thread, I still try to ride competitively. I can't tell you how many I know in their 60's that are still fit so there is hope for us oldsters. Tennis clubs in Florida are filled with 70 and 80 somethings that play every day on clay...and some not so bad having played with them.
If I have any advice to you guys...is...exercise the best you can. I do sit ups and pushups and ride my bike about 15 miles a day on the dirt with a few long rides...some aggressive on the road thrown in. None of us will likely feel like they did when they were 30 but I believe weight control and cardio is the key to getting the most out of what you have. For those with tender knees that try to ride a bicycle...about 90% of those that ride, do it wrong. You have to spin high cadence and a low gear to keep pressure off your knees.
Last tip...take Omega 3 supplements. Read up on the web about why.
All the best to my fellow boomers. We grew up in the very best possible era of America and better to burn out than to rust out.
PS: A short anecdote to share about aging and competing with young guns...some if not most of whom are cocky about competing with old guys. My girlfriend's family is close and her nephew who I watched grow up is in college now and age 20 is getting into cycling so has a lot of questions. There are many similarities between he and I even though we are 36 years apart. I grew up competitive swimming and so did he. We are both gear heads. He is 6'4" and fit and I am a bit shorter but we are built similarly. He's a great kid. A few years ago I was at a pool party and he was on the swim team and we raced at a family gathering. He touched me out....two lengths of the pool crawl. I frankly couldn't believe that he beat me...him being just a kid and all...my denial. So we raced again and he touched me out again. I still couldn't believe it. Yes he was swimming everyday but I was pretty fast in my day. About two weeks ago, he brought his mountain bike out to our house and the family went for a bike ride. Now we had been talking a lot about bikes. He is now a strong young man and I figured he may have some speed but I ride with a lot of fast guys and don't impress easily. We get out to the park and we are racing about the park on mountain bikes at 20-25 mph and he is trying to drop me, which he can't.
So...we are riding home down the trail and get to our dirt road about 1/2 mile from our house. I look over at him...I still like to race...and that means race anything
....I lock out my fork, he jumps out the saddle and takes off. I catch him and pass him and beat him by 3 bike lengths. The family was all back at the house and he had a lot of crow to eat. I still don't think he believes that a 50+ year old man can out sprint a kid who is in his prime. For the record, I was on a faster bike.