1.  Year of birth:     1934

2.  Height & weight (now and at younger age):  

Now: 5' 1.25", 127 lbs., 
40 years ago: 5' 2", 117 lbs

3.  Year you began rock climbing and/or bodyweight athletics:

4.  Are you retired? Still working?:   

I retired in 1995. Since then I do occasional 
side jobs of carpenter work, small remodeling jobs 
and electrical work.

5.  Is your family supportive of your rock climbing and/or bodyweight athletics:  

My girls worry about me on the rock. My son, however, 
is as adventurous as I am, so he doesn't worry. 
I also ride a Harley and
the girls worry a little.

6.  How important is the social aspect of the activity for you?:  

Not too important. But when I go to JTree in the fall, 
I have friends that come in from Oregon and Tucson 
to climb with me and its really a fun time.

     

1.  Type of rock climbing or bodyweight athletics you now enjoy:   

I climb both trad and sport, and I love friction 
(its easier onthe body). I still lift weights but 
nothing like I used to. I do at least 30 minutes of 
cardio at least 6 days a week.

2.  Type you enjoyed at a younger age?:  

I did the same type of climbing that I do now. 
However, even though I still lift weights, I'm not 
the animal in the gym that I used
to be. And it's not easy making concessions to age.

3.  Do you engage in auxilliary training or associated athletics?:  

Yes, I still exercise regularly.

4.  How often do you climb or exercise now? At a younger age (<65)?:
  

The daily cardio on the exercise bike 
(most of the time) and strength training 3 or 4 times a
week. Since I live more than an hour from the climbing 
gym, I only climb once a week when I'm home.
When I'm traveling and in a climbing area, I try 
to climb 3 or 4 days a week. Usually, 2 days of 
climbing, then a rest day.

5.  Length of climbing or exercise sessions now?:  

Gym climbing sessions last about 2 to 3 hours, 
depending on how hard the climbs are. Cardio and strength 
training sessions 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

6.  How long does it take for fairly complete physical recovery?:  

Recovery time depends on how hard the climbing or 
workouts are. For strenuous stuff, 3 days.

7.  At what level of difficulty do you now climb or what are the most impressive
bodyweight exercises you now do? Past levels or performances?:  

Since I started climbing and lifting later in life, 
I never got to a very high level before the age related 
decline set in. Up until fall of 2004, I was leading up 
to 5.8 trad and 5.10 sport. In the fall of "04, I took a 30 
foot whipper leading on  Walk on the Wild Side in JTree 
and haven't led since. 
This past fall, I felt comfortable enough with my climbing 
to try leading again but I was having problems with the 
positional vertigo that I have and was afraid to try. 
I still climb up to 5.8 trad and
5.9 or 10 sport.

 
8.  What changes have you observed in strength and endurance over the years?:
Grip strength?  Arm & upper body strength? Legs?  

Endurance isn't what it used to be. My grip strength is 
better now than it was 10 years ago. My upper body strength 
is not. Leg strength isn't bad because of the bicycling 
I do.

1.  Any injuries or illnesses since age 65 affecting your climbing/exercising?:
How have you coped?  NSAIDs or other medication?   

I tore my left rotator cuff in 2000 and have had 
orthoscopic surgery on both knees. I opted to not 
have surgery on my shoulder but instead went with 
therapy. I now have arthritis in both knees, tendon 
pain and minor arthritis in my shoulders. I am convinced 
that a lot of my problems are due to the heavy lifting 
and leg presses I did when I was competing. My
doctor prescribed a series of injections in my knees 
that stimulate the production of fluid in the joints. 
It helps a lot, but the biggest help is being in the desert. 
I feel 20 years younger when I'm in Joshua Tree. 
I also take glucosamine chondroiton every day. 
Also, the climber's best friend, ibuprofen. And the bicycle.

2.  What kind of diet do you follow, if any? Vitamins? Stimulants?:

I don't follow any special diet, but I eat a lot of 
fruit and veggies and whole wheat bread. Also pastas 
and some cottage cheese and yogurt. I stay away from 
refined sugars and deserts (except during the holidays). 
In addition to the glucosamine chondroiton. I
take a multivitamin daily, plus calcium and vitamin E.
And a glass of wine 3 or 4 times a week.

3.  Special food or drink after a workout?:  

No special food or drink after a workout.

4.  Water or fluid intake? High? Low?:  

I drink a lot of water, especially in the summer.

1.  What is your current philosophy of your sport? Has this changed with age?  

I enjoy the exercise most of all. Also the challenge of 
the moves. It gives me a great sense of accomplishment. 
And keeps me young! The main change since I've gotten 
older is that I'm aware that I will heal more slowly if 
I break a bone so I am more careful. I try to stay away
from crack climbing because it seems to be hard
on my shoulders (not to mention the pain in my feet - 
I never mastered the technique). I also don't do 
overhangs anymore because of my bum shoulders.

2.  What are your current goals and personal rewards from the sport?
Has this changed with age?:

My goal is to just keep climbing as long as I can.

3. What is your opinion: Is rock climbing  or bodyweight exercise performance –
at any age - influenced more strongly by genetic attributes or training and experience?
(Nature or nurture?) Is it even possible to generalize?: 

That's hard to say. Training can do a lot but it can't
increase your reach, so genetics play a role in performance 
also. I have a real disadvantage because I am not only short, 
but I have very short arms for my height. No amount of 
training will make them grow. Joshua Trees friction climbs, 
however, are great equalizers.

4. If you climb, what are your predictions for the future of rock climbing? 

The sport will continue to grow. I think we will see a 
lot more climbing gyms, especially in areas like lower 
Michigan where I live, where there are no good natural 
climbing areas. Also, more natural areas will be developed.
I hope some day to see climbing as an olympic sport. Maybe 
not in my lifetime, but I think it may
happen.