Post by marathondude on Jul 6, 2008 17:10:37 GMT -5
Living and Running until 100
More and more people are living longer and enjoying an active life by maintaining their regular exercising habits as they age. Jeff Galloway, author and former Olympian, has written a book entitled, “Running until You’re 100.” He notes that keys to running as we get older include maintaining good health and nutrition, staying within our capabilities and exercising regularly. But the most vital factor in running until we’re 100 is still being alive at age 100!
The average adult in the United States lives to about age 80. Many factors can increase or reduce average life expectancy including heredity, diet, exercise, sleep, stress and happiness. If our parents and grandparents lived a long life, that gives us an advantage. If we eat a varied diet including a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and maintain a healthy weight, our life expectancy increases. Regular exercise also aids in extending the average lifespan. Additionally, reducing stress and having a happy attitude toward life helps. One great-uncle of mine lived to be 101 and was very active. He had his share of ups and downs in life, but always focused on the positive.
Even if we live to 100, what are the chances that we can still be running at this advanced age? As we get older, we can’t perform physically like we did at a younger age, but there are strategies that can help us to keep running. Getting off of the roads and running on trails, a flat hard-packed sand beach or golf course cushions our joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Leg weight training exercises aid in maintaining muscle strength. Slowing down, taking walking breaks and regular days off can also help.
When I see people still running past 80 years of age, I tell them, “You are my heroes – I want to be like you!” My friend Bart Ross, who is in his early eighties said, “Look how fast you are. Why would you want to be like me?” I answered, “If I can still run like you do in your eighties, it means I will also be fit enough for hiking, yard chores and travel.” Bart nodded and understood why I said he was my hero. A runner completed the London Marathon recently at age 92 in under 5:30. To date, he is the oldest runner to complete a marathon and at age 92 a 13:30 pace per mile is definitely running.
Upon pondering the future I imagine how amazing it would be to complete the Boston Marathon at age 100. Just living that long is hard to fathom, but finishing the Boston Marathon at 100 years of age would be the ultimate. I am in a bit of trouble though as I didn’t finish reading Jeff Galloway’s entire book. I was about two thirds of the way through it when I accidentally left it on a plane. I joked with Jeff a few months ago that since I had read two thirds of his book I would only be able to run until age 67! He got a chuckle out of that.
I have also shared a fantasy about my last run with some running buddies. In it I’m running the 10-mile trail loop at Wekiva State Park in central Florida and am sort of tired at the water stop around the five mile point. As I sit amidst the wiregrass taking a drink of water, deer approach and surround me before I peacefully pass away. Of course, my good friend, Jon Hughes, Walt Disney World Marathon race director and a great runner, had to chime in with his dream last run. “My last run,” Jon said one day while a group of us had stopped at the aforementioned water stop, “would be exactly the same as Gary’s except I would go ten feet further. Before I passed away, I would yell, ‘I finally beat Gary!” Isn’t it wonderful to have great friends! So, keep your lifestyle in tune with the factors to extend a healthy life and let’s all strive to be living and running until we are 100.
MarathonDude has 35 years of competitive running and racing experience highlighted by a marathon PR of 2:22:34. He is a regular writer for Florida Running & Triathlon magazine. At www.garycohenrunning.com you will find over a dozen FR&T articles, interviews with running personalities and dozens of “All in a Day’s Run” essays.
More and more people are living longer and enjoying an active life by maintaining their regular exercising habits as they age. Jeff Galloway, author and former Olympian, has written a book entitled, “Running until You’re 100.” He notes that keys to running as we get older include maintaining good health and nutrition, staying within our capabilities and exercising regularly. But the most vital factor in running until we’re 100 is still being alive at age 100!
The average adult in the United States lives to about age 80. Many factors can increase or reduce average life expectancy including heredity, diet, exercise, sleep, stress and happiness. If our parents and grandparents lived a long life, that gives us an advantage. If we eat a varied diet including a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and maintain a healthy weight, our life expectancy increases. Regular exercise also aids in extending the average lifespan. Additionally, reducing stress and having a happy attitude toward life helps. One great-uncle of mine lived to be 101 and was very active. He had his share of ups and downs in life, but always focused on the positive.
Even if we live to 100, what are the chances that we can still be running at this advanced age? As we get older, we can’t perform physically like we did at a younger age, but there are strategies that can help us to keep running. Getting off of the roads and running on trails, a flat hard-packed sand beach or golf course cushions our joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Leg weight training exercises aid in maintaining muscle strength. Slowing down, taking walking breaks and regular days off can also help.
When I see people still running past 80 years of age, I tell them, “You are my heroes – I want to be like you!” My friend Bart Ross, who is in his early eighties said, “Look how fast you are. Why would you want to be like me?” I answered, “If I can still run like you do in your eighties, it means I will also be fit enough for hiking, yard chores and travel.” Bart nodded and understood why I said he was my hero. A runner completed the London Marathon recently at age 92 in under 5:30. To date, he is the oldest runner to complete a marathon and at age 92 a 13:30 pace per mile is definitely running.
Upon pondering the future I imagine how amazing it would be to complete the Boston Marathon at age 100. Just living that long is hard to fathom, but finishing the Boston Marathon at 100 years of age would be the ultimate. I am in a bit of trouble though as I didn’t finish reading Jeff Galloway’s entire book. I was about two thirds of the way through it when I accidentally left it on a plane. I joked with Jeff a few months ago that since I had read two thirds of his book I would only be able to run until age 67! He got a chuckle out of that.
I have also shared a fantasy about my last run with some running buddies. In it I’m running the 10-mile trail loop at Wekiva State Park in central Florida and am sort of tired at the water stop around the five mile point. As I sit amidst the wiregrass taking a drink of water, deer approach and surround me before I peacefully pass away. Of course, my good friend, Jon Hughes, Walt Disney World Marathon race director and a great runner, had to chime in with his dream last run. “My last run,” Jon said one day while a group of us had stopped at the aforementioned water stop, “would be exactly the same as Gary’s except I would go ten feet further. Before I passed away, I would yell, ‘I finally beat Gary!” Isn’t it wonderful to have great friends! So, keep your lifestyle in tune with the factors to extend a healthy life and let’s all strive to be living and running until we are 100.
MarathonDude has 35 years of competitive running and racing experience highlighted by a marathon PR of 2:22:34. He is a regular writer for Florida Running & Triathlon magazine. At www.garycohenrunning.com you will find over a dozen FR&T articles, interviews with running personalities and dozens of “All in a Day’s Run” essays.