Besides retirement, is there anything to look forward to in middle and old age?

I'm 29 so feeling similar feelings, although I kind of got over it. Honestly I ran in college at the D1 level so I'm never going to PR again and I'm too lazy to do a marathon right so I don't really care about not PRing anymore. Maybe look into doing triathlons too?

I am honestly happier the older I get - when I was younger I had a ton of student debt, too many roommates and worked 100 hours a week. I work less now, I look better, and I am able to save a lot. To the OP isn't your life going to get better the more money you have? Assuming you aren't in LA or NYC, but don't you make more money than like 90% of Americans at $110K / year?

Get out there and do some fun stuff! Learn to surf, get to the beach, pick up random women, learn golf, visit friends, go for a hike, learn the drums, try going skateboarding, photographing, golf, a blog about wine. I am able to afford to do a lot more cool stuff now that I actually have a decent amount of money. Some of these will be a little ridiculous when you are 50 I guess but who cares.

This is also why I'm convinced inheriting a ton of money is incredible.

Not trying to be rude, but your a bit unimaginative.

I quit competitive running at 29 and joined a pole vaulting club. Did that until I was 34. Than I took up rock climbing. Hopefully I have a lifetime of challenging climbs and adventures ahead climbing with friends. Time spent with friends is really the most important part to me. Enjoy the outdoor aspect too of course. I'm 41 now and love to run and lift weights for conditioning as well.

Sounds like you might be better off than me though in other ways, so keep in mind you can use some of those resources to your advantage if you find there is something you want to do. If you started a business or a new hobby, you have more resources than most people to make that happen.

It can be better wrote:

100% honesty here. Your lack of interest in a family means that you will feel unfulfilled for the rest of your life because raising a family is what a man is supposed to do. The things that don't interest you anymore don't interest you because they are the things that a boy should be interested in. Time for some reflection my friend. Good luck to you.

I have to disagree on that one. It might well be true for some, but I never at any point in my life wanted children. I'm not judging those who do, as I'd agree it's a normal drive for a very high percentage of humanity, but it wouldn't have been a good move for me.

I actually reach an achievement peak in terms of recognition in my career last year at the age of 60, and I'm still hoping that, in relative terms, I can improve running-wise. I don't feel any lack of fulfillment, just a lack of time to fit together work, running and other interests.

No doubt many would feel a lack of fulfillment if they never have children, but it's not a universal.

Born in 1985 wrote:

Ca$hclay wrote:

Go jump out of an airplane. Worked for me.

Already done (both tandem and AFF) in my mid 20s. I tried bungee jumping and indoor skydiving as well, and while they're fun, you get to a point where the novelty wears off and/or you start doing things that are way too risky for my taste (like wingsuit base jumping) to get that same thrill and excitement.

Ha ha. I'm not that loco, but I get it. Adrenaline rules. We have to shake things up a bit every now and then. Simply being content and cruising all the time is no good at any age. Re: OP, I'm pushing 50 and loving life. Still young and healthy (most of the time) enough to do the things I love and now I have the $, time and patience to do them. And when time tells me I can't do those things anymore, so be it.

Nothing wrong with questioning your current station, but concluding you've "peaked" is so very shallow. From an empirical standpoint, maybe you have, but every day is the day to peak. Life don't end til your dead!

If your goal in life is to retire then you need a better job. Find a job you never want to retire from.

It can be better wrote:

100% honesty here. Your lack of interest in a family means that you will feel unfulfilled for the rest of your life because raising a family is what a man is supposed to do. The things that don't interest you anymore don't interest you because they are the things that a boy should be interested in. Time for some reflection my friend. Good luck to you.

Don't make me break out my Real Man post ....

Playing grab ass with the females at work ( no one will believe it), so why not?

Peeing whenever you feel like. Say you have a "condition"

Given your current situation I would say you are fine and I have no sympathy for you. Sack up.

Born in 1985 wrote:

So, is there anything exciting I can look forward to besides retirement? The only other thing I can think of is possible technological advances. Hurry up and get me my flying cars, intelligent robots, and trips to Mars, because thinking about this thread for too long is becoming depressing.

As cheesy as this sounds, give back. Think about all of the things that helped you get where you are in a life that is comfortable. It's really satisfying to work with other people using knowledge that you have gained over the years to help them.

I'm not saying you need to go work with starving people in africa..but is there an issue in your city that bothers you? is there a cause that needs help?

Essentially you’re doomed because you’re not following your biology. Whether you like it or not life has/had a few more phases planned for you yet - find partner, have kids, raise kids, grandkids, guide next generation......don’t engage in this process and you’re going to have to work hard to find contented ness - find a good counsellor and prepare for a few years of regret at the end of your life.

Quite honestly, the world has gone downhill since 1993. Not sure what you're so upset about, though.

Death?

The kids moving out.

This is gonna sound flaky but bear with me. One thing that keeps a lot of people happy in the long run is the ability to be creative. I'm not talking about painting a sunset. It could be having the ability at your job to develop creative solutions to big challenges or doing something in your free time that allows you to make creative decisions. Maybe it's starting your own business or going out and fixing some problem in the world that pisses you off. Maybe it involves some risk. Maybe it's something only you can do.

Random answer wrote:

This is gonna sound flaky but bear with me. One thing that keeps a lot of people happy in the long run is the ability to be creative. I'm not talking about painting a sunset. It could be having the ability at your job to develop creative solutions to big challenges or doing something in your free time that allows you to make creative decisions. Maybe it's starting your own business or going out and fixing some problem in the world that pisses you off. Maybe it involves some risk. Maybe it's something only you can do.

Creativity and starting a business is awesome, but I doubt the OP is rich enough to go in that direction. You need to be prepared to have that business fail, and going back to your old career may be difficult. The OP seems rich enough to be comfortable but not rich enough to take wild gambles like Elon Musk.

While I'm at it, here's a business idea that's high cost and high excitement. It requires a large upfront cost and may not be profitable for the first few months:

1.) Purchase a large, narrow plot of land that is flat and not that far (3 hours drive max) from a major metropolitan area.

2.) Build a one-mile long dragstrip on it.

3.) Charge people a certain amount ($10 per race?) to race on that dragstrip. Provide them with their finishing times as well as their peak mph and splits. This gives them safe competition, lots of adrenaline, and the opportunity to push their street legal vehicle to the limits. Bonus points if you offer exotic car rentals.

4.) Advertise the heck out of it on billboards along the highway that leads there. Almost all drag strips are much shorter than that (eighth mile and quarter mile ones are common), so you'll be bringing in a new product to market that is potentially superior to what we have now.

Intenserunner,

Great post.

OP,

High end bourbon, great wine, and really good cigars help everything....

And go out and run, paddle, have fun with fitness...

Here's a cool thing;

Once a week, Go out and run 4x200 at the track in the dark with no watch...

You'll feel like Rudisha!!!!

Identify two 23-25 year olds who seem sharp in your work. Take them under your wing, and teach them how to do it right---whatever the "it" is that you are so good at.

You'll thank me in 5 or 10 years. Most rewarding part of life is helping those behind you. One day, you might work for one of these people and they will remember what you did for them.

It's Egun wrote:

Here's a cool thing;

Once a week, Go out and run 4x200 at the track in the dark with no watch...

You'll feel like Rudisha!!!!

^This.

Running late at night especially with a full moon is pure magic. Look above and see the Milky Way spinning its arms about you and know you are a living part of all infinity.

Volunteering being more important than racing is ok...Still training but the training being the key is great. Ive found though that time just rolls once you retire. Its just a blur when you don't have to endure Monday, Tuesday etc. Every day is Saturday.

Getting back with old girlfriends after 30 years and looking each other and saying "what happened to you"??

The training always seems the same in retirement as when you were young..same smells, same scenery or similar and same thoughts.

Very lucky.