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Racing Against the Clock If you are a baby boomer like me, you are already aware that we are wearing our years differently than generations past -- at least some of us are. But behind all the assured predictions from the demographers there remain considerable questions regarding how the boomers will ultimately deal with fitness as they age. Will we saunter over to visit the next-door neighbors, get in the car to drive to the mailbox or become no-shows at the gym? Fortunately we have the opportunity to become the longest-lived Americans in history and perhaps the best conditioned as well. But will we allow this gift to our generation to slip away? The 2004 documentary from director Bill Haney, given a double entendre title of "Racing Against the Clock," allows us to see how five women ranging in age from 50 to 83 confront the transition from middle age to late middle to old age in remarkable ways. Before becoming analytical let me simply say in no uncertain tone that this film is a triumph. I’ve watched it twice now and have come away each time empowered by what these women athletes have accomplished. I can’t wait to share the experience of watching "Racing Against the Clock" with others. I have a couple of observations that perhaps underlie several subtexts. If we take the definition of baby boomer as generally those born after WWII through 1954 or so, we find two of the women in the film to be boomers. But doesn’t the boomer definition to some extent imply USA? Ironically, two of the women in the film are immigrants who spent their early years in post-war Germany. A couple of the women grew up in pre-war America, replete with sexual stereotyping. Finally, the youngest of the five athletes at 50, Jacqueline Board, grew up in a family of sharecroppers and during an American era of racial discrimination. If demographically these five women are diverse, they come to "Racing Against the Clock" with a common thread for they are each determined to shake the popular perception of competitive athletics being exclusively for the twentysomethings. I couldn’t help seeing my own mother in several of the women, for they share the common label of senior. They also lived conventional lives, raising families and performing as housewives. Sadly, many women of this generation, including one of the film’s subjects, Margaret Hinton, are now filing into the nation’s nursing homes. But Margaret, unlike many wheelchair and walker-reliant women in their 80s, is still actively competing in track and field. She is feisty, and the film’s message it that that’s okay. With a few exceptions, these women would not likely have been Olympians when they were younger, even given the opportunity. They came to athletics later in life. But in athletics they found discipline, companionship and joy of physical activity. Who needs a fountain of youth? This has not given them immunity from diseases common to their age. In fact, Pat Peterson, a three-time cancer survivor, slyly suggests that there be a competition between those with heart disease and those with cancer. In the end, "Racing Against the Clock" shows that fitness is as much a state of mind and independence as it is appearance. That’s what keeps these women going as they follow their dreams to compete in the World Masters Championships. If you as viewer are already athletically active you will come from this movie with plenty of unanswered questions about the day-to-day training these disciplined women observe. The makers of the film chose rightfully not to make that sort of documentary. Rather, the film gives a brief biographical sketch of each of the subjects and then moves smartly through the emotional and physical roller coaster of competing with one’s self and eventually with the best seniors from around the world. Despite the title "Racing Against the Clock," there’s never a clock to be seen. The real competition, and the story, is the race against aging. If you need incentive to lace up the running shoes, dust off the bicycle or to jump with joy, "Racing Against the Clock" just might do it for you. I encourage you to seek out this film and share it with your fellow boomers, pre-boomers and post-boomers. I suspect the message will resonate across the ages. Official "Racing Against the Clock" website: www.racingagainsttheclock.com 6/7/07 Back to the main Cinema Tuesdays Reviews page More about the Cinema Tuesdays series  |
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