Age and Endurance

**Ken** · 05-21-2010, 04:36 PM

I'm tired. Actually, I'm exhausted. Today was Day 10 of trial, and we will possibly go at least through next week.

Three weeks ago I spent the entire week going through my 4-Box file and confirming witnesses. Between that and court appearances (this case and others) I only worked around 80 hours that week. The last 2 weeks have been a bit busier. For 14 days straight, I've been pulling 20 hour workdays. Up at 3:30 or 4:00 a.m., out the door by around 6:30 for a 2+ hour 70 mile trip through heavy traffic and traffic jams, followed by a day of trial, the same commute back home, and then staying up till 11:30 or midnight writing trial notes and prepping for the next day. Weekends are for prep and writing motions and proposed instructions - about 16 hours a day. We had a short day today, and I just got back about an hour ago and I'm dead tired.

My longest trial was a murder case a bit over 20 years ago. Trial lasted 8 1/2 weeks, and I had tons of energy averaging 2 - 3 hours of sleep a night. So what's happened in 23 short years?

Without a doubt, age affects endurance.

Now I'm looking back to the 20 mile sprints over mountains and the long open ocean swims as ancient history.

I guess my point is, age, even middle-age, affects endurance. Something else I've gotta' consider in all of my plans.

**Sourdough** · 05-21-2010, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by Ken

I guess my point is, age, even middle-age, affects endurance. Something else I've gotta' consider in all of my plans.

Reminds me of the great line in "On Golden Pond" when Mr Fonda says, We are not middle aged, people don't live to 154".

**Old GI** · 05-21-2010, 04:50 PM

Hey Counselor. I have the honor of receiving a Jury Summons for next week.

**Ken** · 05-21-2010, 04:55 PM

You probably won't get selected. For this trial, jury selection took 2 days and we went through about 130 prospective jurors before we finally seated a 16 person jury.

**Justin Case** · 05-21-2010, 05:12 PM

Thats why you make the BIG bucks

Relax a little, Drink a Cold Beer ! or, or 3 ,,,,, ,,,,,,

**Justin Case** · 05-21-2010, 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by Ken

Without a doubt, age affects endurance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umhEoIdKYm8

**Ole WV Coot** · 05-21-2010, 05:19 PM

You need to do physical, grunt work. Dig a ditch, split firewood. It'll help you unwind and lay off any extra caffeine or booze. Make a new man out of you.

**RobertRogers** · 05-21-2010, 05:32 PM

I think it is not so much endurance but rather recovery.

**BENESSE** · 05-21-2010, 06:14 PM

I can't tell the difference yet except that I don't sleep well and have a shorter fuse. (definitely a harbinger of old fartdom)
Oh, and there's more guilt about taking it easy--always feel as though I should be doing something productive when I'm not. (thanks, mom!)

**Ken** · 05-21-2010, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by Justin Case

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umhEoIdKYm8

I said I was dead tired. I didn't say I was dead.

**hunter63** · 05-21-2010, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by RobertRogers

I think it is not so much endurance but rather recovery.

LOL, you said it...................One of my favorite sayings, "The difference between young and old is recovery time!

It's also helps to have a lot of the same stuff, spead out, as it also gets harder to remember where stuff is.

**Ken** · 05-21-2010, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by Ole WV Coot

You need to do physical, grunt work. Dig a ditch, split firewood. It'll help you unwind and lay off any extra caffeine or booze. Make a new man out of you.

Coot, I do physical grunt work. Not lots of it, but usually one full day every week or two - more so in warmer weather. Booze has never been an issue. Maybe two beers in the last two weeks, and they were "paired" with my meals.

But coffee? I may as well just set up an IV. Still have lots of good veins.

**Ken** · 05-21-2010, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by RobertRogers

I think it is not so much endurance but rather recovery.

Good point, RR.

Originally Posted by hunter63

It's also helps to have a lot of the same stuff, spead out, as it also gets harder to remember where stuff is.

Like my watch? The one I wasn't able to find for over a week until this morning?

Last Saturday, I had to go to Wally World to buy a cheap Timex because I couldn't find my Seiko. Never, ever, wear a watch more expensive than a Seiko if you're in a jury trial.

**Alaskan Survivalist** · 05-21-2010, 10:06 PM

I read that the body needs very little rest, it is your mind that needs the rest. Transendental meditation may help. It's not a religion just a relaxation technique. It sounds as if you may be to caught up in your work too. I make sure that I just do my job as best I can and try not to care about it. It can be as stressful as you let it be. On my long days I take short 15 minute naps where I don't really sleep but just closing my eyes and laying back few minutes renews me for the road again. As I got too old to do construction I concentrated on driving truck since it was the closest thing to a sit down job an uneducated guy like me could get but it is by far the most fatiqueing thing I have ever done.

**Stargazer** · 05-22-2010, 05:33 PM

Ken when things wrap up let me know the beer and coffee are on me.

**Pict** · 05-22-2010, 08:14 PM

OK so your saying if I need a trial lawyer get a younger one?

I know I'm feeling my age at 44. It could just be that I'm out of shape but I clearly remember 24 mile hikes on and off trail, even navigating all night and then going to work construction the next day. I am no longer capable of what I did when I was 20 that's for sure. A big part of not being able to do what I did at 20 is called wisdom in some cultures. It is funny that as men we never quite get away from having to prove things to ourselves.

I remember climbing Pico da Bandeira here in Brazil when I was 28, its about a 10 K hike up a long rocky trail, 7,000 something feet not exactly Everest. I did it with my wife (24) and my father-in-law (54). The whole time he was way up ahead bounding up the trail like a goat. I remember thinking, what's the point in being 28 when this geezer is showing me up the whole time.

The next day I found out what the difference was. I wanted to go out and do another peak and he couldn't get out of bed. In ten years I'm going to be 54, time to get moving.

Mac

**crashdive123** · 05-22-2010, 08:22 PM

I'm pretty sure the expression "Work smarter, not harder" was coined by somebody around my age.

**mccaw69** · 05-23-2010, 12:49 PM

Recovery is exactly right.At 46,I can still work with the young kids step for step in just about anything,but it takes me 2 days to their one to recover from it lol