Double Over Ankles

In surfing, riding waves that are over your head is a sign of skill. Riding double overhead waves is a mark of courage. Picking your challenges is a sign of wisdom.

Pictured: Dr. Stone stand-up paddling

I took up both surfing and stand-up paddling in my 60s. The constantly moving water, the sound of the waves, and the force of the surf crashing on the sand were awe-inspiring and scary. My get-up moves when prone surfing were those of a 60-year-old: slow, not so smooth, and a little tentative. Each wave caught brought another sense of accomplishment. Each crash was humbling.

Aging bodies don’t crash well. The time out, the pain, the stiffness, and the cost of the injuries in downtime and missed work become more brutal, more of a threat to survival. The key to continuing to surf—along with engaging in other highly active sports—is judgment.

I migrated to my favorite surf height, which I call “double over ankles”—a riff on the double overhead real surfers aspire to. The small waves give me most of what I would get from the bigger surf but without the overwhelming danger. The caught waves were more frequent, the time on the water more consistent, the downtime nonexistent. And the number of smiles was nearly the same.

Aging brains and bodies can choose either not to play or to play with intention. Much of the reason my female endurance athletes took up running after age 35 was the maturity they had gained about their bodies, their physical goals, and their unexplored sports abilities. They already knew about their endurance levels from being moms, wives, businesswomen, and former athletes. What inspired their ability to run marathons, do triathlons, and endure 100-mile races was another level of growth and self-awareness. And this holds true for men and women. 

If every athlete paused and assessed their potential, their risk tolerance, and their desires; then worked with a coach to set goals, their accomplishments would flow and their injuries be reduced. What I learned was that “double over ankles” challenged me in style and skill and rewarded me with more time spent on the water and out of the doctor’s office.

So go ahead and surf, ski, run, and play with thoughtfulness. Sport is a thinking person’s game, and aging athletes have all the advantages—if they would just cogitate before they agitate.