lightheir wrote:
It is still a win, absolutely.
The young guys/gals always bemoan how 'easy' it is for a 65 year old to win their AG - because nobody else usually shows up. The reality is that there are tons of health limiters that young people aren't aware of that cause a massive dropout in participation as you age up. ....
Aging up does mean there's less competition to mow you down, but it unfortunately often comes with the sobering realization that
you may very well be next in line to be mowed down by father time.
I'll be 62 this year and hope to make it to M65. There is still competition in your 60s in most local short course triathlons, but for independent long course the effect of time is apparent and devastating. If you want any level of competition, you have to go to branded races. And even at most Ironman races, less than 2% of the entire field is over 60 years old.
I've watched a number of people near my age drop out of due to recurring injuries and declining capability. Somewhere around your late 50s, it's going to feel like someone tossed you a grand piano to carry on all your runs. That's when a lot of people throw in the towel. So yes, if you can get to the starting line and still finish when you are a senior, it can be quite fulfilling.