The Sport Factory James Harlow

James Harlow

Aging is a pretty fascinating process. No matter how hard we want to stop mother nature’s progression, our attempts will be futile. However, we can sure slow her down to a high degree. If you were to compare two average 20 year old males, they would have a similar capacity to get in shape. Apply the same comparison to average 60 year old males and it is a different story. The divergence in fitness level and subsequent quality of life at this age can be pretty startling. But for those willing to put forth the effort, there is still great reward -- perhaps the greatest of their lives.

James Harlow is a perfect example of the upside to the post-AARP years and a testament to the fact that improvement in fitness can be obtained at any age. I first met Jim when he attended our “Grind” stationary training class. The class is a very targeted (tough) 90 minute work out, and I could tell he was putting his 62 year old body to the test. He made it through the class and has rarely missed one since. According to Jim, “I kept coming back because I wanted to see if the workout could really work for me. At first, it didn’t seem to make any difference; I was still dropped on the Saturday morning ride. After a few months, though, I started noticing that I could keep up.”

Jim is a rare individual that simply does not look or recognize his age. He absolutely tests himself physically and mentally with each work out as if he were 20 years old. He decided to focus his efforts for The 6 Gap Century, arguably one of the toughest century rides on the east coast. Jim’s hard work continued to pay off. “As my coach predicted, I finished the 6 Gap Century in a better time than I thought possible-- he was right,” he said.

His next goal was the Georgia State Time Trial Championship, and he did a great job of preparing himself. Unfortunately, Jim crashed in one of the turns, severely lacerating his hand as well as sustaining a sundry of road rash. I believe he missed only one Grind session before he was back on the bike and training hard. As he puts it, “I have been blessed with persistence.”

Goal setting is an important part of his training process. “My goals for this year are somewhat different than last. I want to finish a century in 5 hours or less and climb Hog Pen Gap in 50 minutes without stopping. My next big ride is 3 State, 3 Mountain Century.” He keeps some dream goals on the horizon as well. “I would like to ride the Bike across Colorado, a week-long 500 mile ride over some of the Colorado Rockies. I would also like to ride across America.”

Jim’s consistency is another cornerstone to his success. “I have been attending the Grind for a year now and my condition is better than it ever has been, including high school. This past winter I attended the Sport Factory’s Strength and Conditioning sessions, and my overall body strength has greatly improved. I am looking forward to this next riding season.”

Goal setting, consistency and persistence are values that can be applied to any athlete at any age. “I think our society places artificial barriers on people. At 62, I have attained a level of fitness that I thought was beyond my reach, but it has not been an easy journey and I still have a long way to go,” says Jim.

I would like to recognize Jim how far he has come.

Published in: Success Stories