The breakdown was unnerving, prodding me to ask this question, “Why does the aging athlete stop competing.”

Are the reasons physical, mental or chemical?

The breakdown occurred in a recent tennis match. I was serving, my partner and I were getting drubbed and not only did I not have a strategy for the upcoming serve, I didn’t care how the point ended.

This was a significant emotional event.

I’ve played competitive sports for more than 50 years. Seldom do I lose focus. But, on this day I’d lost the bounce in my legs, my back and hip ached, the heat index was over 100 and I was engulfed in sweat. The physical fatigue was normal, but the loss of focus and passion for competition was not.

If you are among the estimated 13 percent of men and women 60 years and older who still compete on the tennis or handball courts, golf course, softball field or running, you understand my concern. You’ve had it too. You know it’s hard to walk away.

The beauty of competitive sport lies in the test. You train. You practice. You seek tips on technique. You strategize and visualize. And, you treat your equipment with respect. Once the game or race is on, it’s you against the course; it’s you against your opponent and it’s the confident you against the doubtful you. This inner battle intensifies when facing physical and mental fatigue. It is at this point, when you must rally your resolve, particularly when you are losing, that you can hear the siren of leisure enticing you to quit because it’s so damn easy to do so. She seduces you with words like, “It’s just a game, why does it matter.”

But, to some of us, it does matter. We fight that call to quit. We believe we owe our best effort to those we play with and play against. And, we owe that effort to ourselves, even if we play at a lower level than in our youth.

So, what was it that led me to betray myself, to give less than I normally would on that last point?

As with most failings, the reasons are not readily discernable. In my case, it was the fourth consecutive day of competition in an unseasonable hot, humid week in July. Perhaps, it was burnout. Or, could it be the passion for competitive sport dissipates with age?

In my search for answers, I discovered two plausible causes to consider. The first is obvious. Edward Nessel, a biochemist and veteran swimming coach, wrote in an article for the American Medical Athletic Association, that studies have shown we lose about 1.8 percent strength and one percent maximum oxygen intake every year after age 35.

Continuous training coupled with competition can slow the rate of decline, while a slide into inactivity can increase it. This physical decline, due to injury or the loss of desire to train, is the most common reason aging athletes walk away from competition.

Not ready to do that yet. So, it’s time to train more.

The second cause is the body’s inner battle between two hormones--testosterone and cortisol. Without getting into the science of it, testosterone aids in muscle building, exercise tolerance and the drive to win. The more testosterone you secrete, the more you win, the more you win, the more testosterone you secrete. That’s according to a recent article written by Nick Summers for Newsweek. Winning begets winning, but too much testosterone can lead to overtraining and physical and mental stress. That’s when cortisol is secreted. It sends a message to the body that it needs to repair itself. Cortisol aids blood sugar levels and the metabolism of fat, protein and carbohydrates.

Was my failure to focus caused by a release of cortisol?

Perhaps my 61-year-old body needs more recovery time?

The implications of low testosterone transcend competitive sport. Low T can lead to inactivity and obesity. On the other hand, high cortisol can lead to depression. Maybe, it’s time to schedule a physical.

As I near the inevitable day that I’ll walk away, I take inspiration from the oldest members at our tennis club. Some are in their 70s and 80s and our oldest member just stopped playing this year at age 93.

For us, competitive sport not only delivers health benefits, it also has taught us many skills transferable to the workplace. It has taught us how to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat. It has taught us the importance of competing within the rules. It has taught us to respect a lesser opponent and not to be intimidated by a better one. It has taught us how to play with a lead and how to come from behind. It has taught us how to utilize our strengths and protect our weaknesses, and how to minimize our opponent’s strengths and attack his weaknesses. It has taught us strategy and visualization. It has built our confidence and self-esteem. It has helped us develop an athlete’s memory--that ability to quickly forget mistakes and focus on the moment. And, it has helped us develop the ability to quickly assess a situation and take decisive action.

In addition, I have found aging amateur athletes have positive attitudes and I reap the benefits of socializing with those who work hard, play fair and allow me to share their space.

There are many transitions in life, some harder than others. For the 13 percent of us aging athletes, walking away will be one of the hard ones. 

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