Second Wind: The Rise of the Ageless Athlete

by Lee Bergquist

Meet and learn why older men and women are passionate about fitness and Second The Rise of the Ageless Athlete is an absorbing account of a growing subculture of Americans who are challenging the notion of what it means to grow old.

216 pages, Paperback

First published May 12, 2009

Reviews

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Profiles of 18 masters (over 40) athletes. With a couple exceptions (e.g., the track multi-event wonder Phillipa Raschker), they were not unusually good athletes. More emphasis seemed to be placed on people who had taken it to extremes - those with decades-long streaks of running every day, a guy who had completed hundreds of marathons after age 70, a guy who raced solo in bike race [mostly done by relay teams:] across America, a fanatical body-builder, and so on.

The focus is more on their extreme dedication, lifestyle adjustments, and accommodations to aging than on details of training, on which I would have welcomed a bit more info. Also, I would have enjoyed seeing some material on masters continuing to compete in team sports (e.g., basketball, baseball in the Ponce de Leon leagues, etc.).

Nevertheless, pretty engaging read and nicely illustrates the author's conclusion: "The human body is a wonderful engine. And it wants to be pushed."

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

An account of 18 masters athletes and why they are so passionate about their sports. The book was written in 2009, but it still rings true and provides inspiration for those no longer considered in the prime of their athleticism. It shows that age is just a number and you can find your own challenge to inspire you to keep going. It was interesting to read about these individuals and what makes them "tick", but there are also many other books on the aging athlete available. I would give this 3.5 stars, mostly because it is a bit dated.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very interesting profiles of masters athletes in all fields- skiing, swimming, biking,and more. The book was largely the profiles of these very driven athletes, with small snippets about aging and athletic ability. Good support for people who ascribe to 'use it or lose it' and also interesting to read about what drives people to reclaim their passions midlife. Be ready to find obsessive, driven profiles here.

[Warren Keppler · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of the biographies of 18 people in a variety of sports challenging the limits of aging. The book is a bit outdated now, but is an interesting examination of how people choose different ways to perform while they age. Interesting but not required reading.

[Michael Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

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