On Turning 40 by David
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Are You Turning 40 and Looking for a Profound Life Change?
Have a great day!
I’ve had a few months to mull this over by now, having started my 5th decade at Thanksgiving. I was worried that turning 40 would make me feel old. Frankly, there are days that it does. Partly I look at where my father was at 40: he had been teaching for 20 years and I was almost finished high school. I have been teaching 5 fewer years than he had at this point, and I have a 2 year old.
Most of the time I can get past that though, and focus on myself and not my dad. Long ago I noticed that men in their 40s do as well in races as (and in many cases better than) men in their 30s or late 20s. That always surprised me until I was in my 30s and had 2 (and then 3) kids. I was never able to get enough sleep and time for training was at a premium, particularly once the kids outnumbered the parents.
But now things are moving in the right direction. Our older daughter is almost 9 and is a big help with the other 2, freeing us up more of the time. My wife is pretty good about trying to free me up once or twice during the week for runs and I try to get out early both Saturday and Sunday mornings. The Lindsay pool has lanes open for adults from 9 to 10 on Monday and Thursday, so I try to get in after the kids go to bed.
Yes, life now seems to be about finding balance, although I suppose that is true at all ages. But this year I hope to re-write my PR times at most distances. I have had trouble shaking off the leg injury I developed at the beginning of July, unfortuantely. I guess taking longer to heal is part of getting old(er).
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