Interesting thread, and one that as a coach of a competitive sport (swimming) that requires both endurance and power/speed training, I have a little understanding of the subject. I'm also someone that is still competitive and do quite a bit of "training" myself (and some competing). Here are some things I've learned.
First, there are very complex scientific answers to these (and similar) issues as it pertains to age and endurance performance. There are few absolutes and exceptions abound.
I'd say when it comes to Seever and other older Endurance based athletes mentioned, they probably have a fair bit of genetic factors that predispose them to better endurance performance than the rest of us. They also train a little harder and take advantage of those factors (see below) through increased fitness. When it comes to their peers in there age bracket, there is no comparison. With the younger athletes listed, they may have similar factors going for them, but they also have youth as well, and it's well known that it's easier to "get fit and stay fit" when your in your in your 20s than it is in your 40s".
As for a peak age, its hard to say, and it individual. Getting older does cause a general loss in the ability to work at higher physical levels (just look at a heart rate chart as it relates to age
). But that doesn't mean that you can't perform at very high-levels well into your later years. Read the boring science below for more details, Stop here if not
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{boring science stuff}
There are a
-FEW FACTORS- that are primary to ANY endurance based activity and the performance of such. Probably the single most important is oxygen uptake (
VO2 Max being the primary measure of it). Your VO2 max determines the point at which your body transitions from aerobic and anaerobic work. Within the aerobic (oxygen rich) systems, your body can withstand prolonged work without generating the "dreaded" Lactic acidosis, which causes eventual muscle breakdown and failure, that is the hallmark of anaerobic work. Lots of other things effects oxygen uptake (and your VO2 max value) as well.
One is muscle composition; muscle (engine) tissue is generally comprised of two types of fibers, (
-slow and fast twitch-). Slow twitch fibers contain more mitochondria and myoglobin which make them more efficient at using oxygen to generate ATP (muscle's gasoline) without generating lactic acid, and that leads to higher better oxygen uptake and higher VO2 Max levels.
Generally, the population has a 50/50 split between slow & fast twitch muscle, however due to genetics, some people have higher percentages of either type that causes them to be better at activities that call upon those specific muscle types. Some of the worlds best marathon runners have been measured with up to 80% slow twitch fibers, while the exact opposite is true of world class power burst sprinters..
Other factors have to do with body composition, gender and very importantly, fitness. VO2 max can be "trained" through specific types of focused training. I used to be significantly overweight and sedentary. About 4 years ago I started running to "lose weight" and increase fitness. I've run, hiked, swam and cycled pretty religiously for the last 4 years (5-6 times a week). Because I'm curious about these things (throgh coaching), I've been using the
-COOPER TEST- to measure my VO2 max every 6 months, as I've gotten in better and better shape.
As my fitness has increased and my ability to run steady state (within the aerobic systems) for increased periods of time, my VO2 has likewise gone up. I started at around 39 mls/kg/min (at aged 33) to around 52.4 mls/kg/min (last year at age 37). You can see that despite my increasing age, I'm still able to "train" my VO2 Max to a higher level, which in turn allows me to perform at WAAAAAAAAAAAAY higher endurance levels then I could when I was sedentary (and younger).
So, if you accept this thumbnail science, it's pretty easy to see why some individuals (Frodo, Seever, Stinkyfeet, et al) can still perform above the "less genetically predisposed" many years younger.
Sorry if this TOO long and boring.