Why compete in tournaments?

In a few days I'll compete in my seventh and, I think, final martial-arts tournament of 2013.  So this is as good a time as any to pose the question that I'm sure many senior athletes frequently ask themselves: why compete when you're 60, 70, or older? 
   I can get cute and just ask, "Why not?"  Or I can say, with great authority, that most folks 60, 70, or older actually don't compete.  I'm 67 and still young by the way I define old and young, but I can tell you that I'm virtually always the oldest competitor in every tournament I attend.  Sometimes I'm the only 60+ competitor and therefore have to compete against athletes who are 25, 35, or in one recent instance 45 years younger.  This isn't necessarily good, which is why I would love to see more -- make that MANY more -- 50+ athletes competing in martial-arts tournaments.  But I compete just the same.
   Okay, so why bother?  Well, let me offer a few reasons why you should come out of retirement or take up Taekwondo or another martial art at this point in your life.
     1.  Fitness is forever.  The average American adult is destroying his or her health in a variety of ways, generally by eating too much and exercising too little.  So if your doctor clears you to begin a fitness program of gradually increasing intensity, you would be wise to consider Taekwondo or another martial art.  You need to make fitness a permanent part of your life, and doesn't it make sense to choose an activity that also teaches you how to defend yourself from an attack?  Of course.  But at a certain point your training needs to be put to the test, and that's where tournaments come in.  By training with a tournament date in mind, you'll push yourself beyond your usual limits while preparing, and on the day of the tournament you'll give 100%, not 75%, when hundreds of eyes are on you. 
     2.  Charting your progress.  Your success in the training hall may or may not reflect your level of competence.  Whether you specialize in forms, weapons, or sparring, you need to face new competition -- athletes from other schools and perhaps other styles -- in order to get a genuine progress check.  If you're consistently #1 in sparring at your school but consistently #10 in tournaments, allow reality to set in.  The message is clear: you've got ability, but you haven't yet invested the hours that some other athletes have.  Competing in tournaments is an exciting and sometimes humbling experience.  This is good.  Martial artists shouldn't wear rose-colored glasses.  If you want to get better, work harder.
   3.  Because you can.  Call me old-fashioned, but I believe that if you have some talent, you're supposed to use it.  Billions of people on this planet don't have the health or resources to engage in sports, so I believe it's a bit offensive for capable people to behave as though they're incapable.  If you sit on the couch long enough, well, yes, you'll become incapable.  But this is not nearly the same thing as being born physically or mentally challenged.  So it's up to you to push yourself and use what God gave you.
   I compete in martial-arts tournaments for the same reason that many people run marathons, even though they can't possibly win . . . or play golf even though they'll never beat Tiger Woods . . . or shoot hoops at a local gym even though they'll never be drafted by the Miami Heat  . . . or play tennis even though they'll never be invited to Wimbledon.  I do it because I can . . . and because striving is its own reward.
   If you're 50+ and active in the martial arts, sign up for a local tournament.  And if you haven't tried the martial arts yet, remember that age isn't a barrier.  Find a senior-friendly school, and join the family.
   Enjoy yourself.  Compete.