Lame Excuse
I'm tired of hearing the same old hogwash: "It looks like fun but I'm
too old for that stuff."

The simple truth is that it's never too late to skate. Allen and Dennis
are two cases in point.

Although both are advancing in years Allen is 87 and Dennis is pushing
50 inline skating rejuvenates them physically and spiritually. Once
you've met them it's easy to see how both defy age so absolutely with
their enviable fitness amazing attitude.

No Joke
I crossed orbits with an uncommonly spunky Allen Mac Donald in early
April of this year. He was flush from just having won a 10K in Irvine,
CA. Allen had on the same brand of skates mine, so I stopped by and we
got to talking. I thought for sure he was pulling my leg when he
mentioned that he was 87 years old. No sooner had I expressed genuine
disbelief whereupon he produced a copy of his driver's license to prove
it.

Wish List
"Four and a half years ago, my grandkids asked me what I wanted for my
birthday and I said 'Inline skates!' Well, I got skate pads and a helmet
for my birthday on December 10th" Allen related, "sort of as a teaser.
When I asked 'where are the skates?' they told me 'Just wait 'till
Christmas, Grandpa.' And sure enough, they came."

New Wheels
4 years later, Allen was truly styling. His son had upgraded his
skates to super-sleek Sydneys, which have bigger wheels and better
bearings, along with an extended four wheel aluminum frame for greater
speed and stability. He was also sporting wristguards and an aerodynamic
helmet, but his real fashion statement was the pinstriped baseball pants
which came down just over his knees.

"Are those pants a part of your protective gear?" I inquired of Allen.

"No, I wore these pants because my legs look so thin," he said with a
wink.

Secrets of Youth
Mr. MacDonald's youthful demeanor and looks are exceeded only by his
modesty, because getting him to tell you about his accomplishments is
like pulling teeth. I did manage to glean between the lines that his
athletic curriculum vitae includes being a two-time Senior Citizen
Olympic Inline Skate Champion as well as an avid ballroom dancer.

Lady's Man
Allen ballroom dances every Tuesday at Leisure World in Seal Beach, CA,
for an hour. "It's very physical, you know, and it helps with the wind.
Plus," he says with a glint in his eye, "the girls are out and everyone
wants to be hugged and held."

Olympic Champion
The Pasadena Senior Citizens Center organizes the Senior Olympics every
May and June which Allen takes part in. Two years ago, with his main
competition coming from a 74 year old gentleman, Allen won his age-class
in the 10K in 47 minutes. This year, with souped-up skates and more wind
in his sails, Allen won again in a blistering 38 minutes. Asked if he
wants more competition next year, Allen replies enthusiastically "Yeah,
get those grandmas and grandpas out there!"

Skyscraper of Skating
Dennis Cummings is another individual who defies his years thanks in
large part to skating. Dennis was in a deep rut, but turned his life
around by starting to skate. His body was a mess from years of
carousing, Dennis crawled out of that rut slowly and when he finally
reached level ground he kept going. Skating gave him a ritual and a
purpose to pull himself up by his bootstraps. Now Dennis goes through
more wheels than anybody I know.


Stoic Approach
Dennis bathes in inline skating's fountain of youth at least three times
a week, once indoors with the kids, and twice in the "garage" with the
big boys. What the big boys do is serious business, no Sunday skate in
the park by any stretch. We go hard and hurt. I work out with Dennis
twice a week in the "garage" and the funny thing is, as long as I've
ever known Dennis, I've never heard him utter a complaint, never heard
a single excuse out of him.

Gutsy Menu
We meet in the "garage" each Monday and Wednesday night at 9p.m. in the
Berkeley hills. The "garage" is a rectangular parking structure the size
of a football field whose 3rd level is open on three sides. There,
oblivious to the sparkling view of downtown San Francisco from the near
turn of the 300 meter course, we subject ourselves to 32 minutes of
finger-tingling, stomach-churning, anaerobic haze. Our workout consists
of four 5-minute intervals (with 5 minutes of rest in between), four
2-minute intervals (with 3 minutes of rest in between), and four
1-minute intervals (with 2 minutes of precious rest in between).

Suffer in Silence
Dennis suffered so badly in the first workout he skated with us. We'd
lap him on each repetition as if he were standing still. He'd be gasping
for air with legs that looked like overcooked noodles. With each
succeeding session, though, Dennis was able to hang on for longer and
longer before getting dropped quietly off the back.

Positive Progress
Now, Dennis doesn't get lapped any more. His starts are razor sharp, and
he's even in contention during the one-minute intervals. Late in the
workout, while other guys half his age are dry-heaving and bowing out
before it's over, complaining that they're tasting their dinner or that
their legs are toast, Dennis will be doubled over from exhaustion,
hands barely holding on to his knees, but he'll always summon the
strength to flash me a grin and give me a thumbs up to indicate he's
still with the program.

In the Mix
Last week while I was on the road, Dennis almost landed on the podium
in a local race, beating a whole host of big-time skaters for the first
time. His eyes were glowing when he told me how he found himself in a
savory situation all the way until the end. "I was in the mix right up
to the final sprint. Dan Burger had told me before the race 'You can
keep up with us Dennis. Just make sure you stay in position and you'll
be okay. Stay in position. After Joey jumped I went with him. We went by
a whole bunch of people and I could tell they were pissed "

Gourmet Training
The beauty of Dennis' performance is that he's gotten such great results
with such little work. The exigencies of his workaday life precludes
monster training days, so he relies on short bouts of lung-bursting
intensity. High quality training without much quantity means that come
race day Dennis' body is rested but still remembers what it's like to go
hard.

Roll Models
Dennis and Allen are living proof that some things just get better with
age. They both embody the saying "It's never too late," because both of
them picked up inline skating late in life. Whether you're like Allen,
up there in years but sprightly like a little-leaguer, or Dennis, really
just an old teenager wanting to show a little muscle, go ahead and turn
back the clock on inlines!

At the ripe old age of 29, Eddy Matzger is considered a "grandfather"
of inline skating. He first tried inlines in 1988 and turned pro in
1991, drafted, in essence, straight out of college by a wheel
manufacturer. Matzger, improving every year, now skates for long-time
sponsors TWINCAM bearings, Roces Roadskates, PowerBar, Breathe-Right,
and Transpack.