Why not me?

I have finally gotten past whatever cold bug I had for a few weeks.  And earlier this week,  I was talking to someone about it and she told me, she felt I shouldn't work out while I was sick.  Now, I've been sick, many times in my life and am pretty comfortable knowing when to work out and when to back off.  However, this person then took it the next step and said "at your age, you shouldn't be doing any of what you're doing.  Remember you're almost 52.  Those women who are still doing triathlons at 85 are the exception, not the rule".

This bothered me, a great deal, to say the least.  I value this person in my life and her opinion.  However, it made me start to wonder about what I do, "at my age".

When I first started working with Wendy, I brought up the age issue, which she pretty quickly squashed.  She bluntly told me that she felt that was a limitation I placed on myself.  She just didn't accept it as fact, she told me it was just an excuse (Wendy is rather blunt with me!).  And I've realized that slowly her attitude is altering my attitude.  I was raised, within my family and society, that at a certain age we "shouldn't" do certain things.
For instance, I started P90X2 this week.  I read quite a bit about it before I started it and I found folks who said "if you're over 40, this is not the workout for you".  Of course, there were many folks who are over 40 who are doing it, and having no issues.  But again, it could be said, "they are the exception, not the rule".

So, I went out for a run, this morning, and that phrase kept sticking in my mind.  I'm 51, in probably the best shape of my life, oh, I've weighed less but never been "in shape" like I am, and I am in the process of training, ultimately, to race an Ironman Triathlon.   And suddenly it hits me, "why can't I be the exception?"  I don't have to be the rule!  It doesn't matter how old someone else thinks I am, it matters how I feel about what I'm doing.  And I feel good about what I'm doing in my training.

Many people truly "can't" due to physical limitations but many more choose not to, due to their own self imposed limitations.  And I will no longer allow limitations that others think I "should" have, rule my life.

This attitude will, undoubtedly annoy some people in my life.  And they may choose not to be part of my life due to that.  While that will sadden me, what saddens me more is that they will miss out on possibly doing something wonderful because they don't think they "should".