The Possibilities for the New Year

As we end this year, perhaps we should look at some of the possibilities going forward.

In January, when my daughter and I were registering for the Disney Marathon, we met a remarkable old man.

He was 87, his back was straight, he stood tall, his eyes were clear and his voice was strong. He didn't begin running until he had retired. He has been doing Disney events every year since 1995.

One of the events is the Dopey Challenge. It consists of running a 5K, a 10K, a half marathon and a full marathon on consecutive days. He's done it four times.

In the past, he had qualified for the Boston Marathon. During the event, he fell and broke his hip. 6 months later he was running in another 5K.

Nowadays, he said, he doesn't feel the need to beat anyone anymore. He just outlives them.

This brings me to an article at BodyBuilding.com, about a 95 year old. Below is an excerpt. The full article may be read here.

These remarkable men are role models and suggest what possibilities lie before us, no matter what age.

Charles Eugster may be 95 years old, but he is far from decrepit. He started bodybuilding at age 87 and keeps breaking his own speed records. Learn what he has to say about exercise, aging, and more!

Dr. Charles Eugster grew less and less active as he aged. The athletic glories of his youth gave way to sedentary married life. Summer days rowing and boxing slowly transitioned into couched evenings in front of the telly. For 40 years, Eugster put his athletic pursuits on the back burner as his children and dental practice grew.

But idleness did not sit well with the British sprinting champion, so he began resharpening his athletic edge in his mid-60s. Eugster started skiing and pulling oars again, beginning a remarkable run in sports. For two decades, he went on to dominate senior rowing, winning 36 masters gold medals.

Eugster's efforts rewarded him, but the deterioration of his body eventually became evident. At 85 years old, Eugster was widowed by his second wife, and his muscles had slacked considerably. He had a "pancake butt," as he puts it, and that spurred him into a new pursuit: bodybuilding. Eugster wanted muscle and an Adonis body. He craved strength, a longer life, and the attention of "babes."

So, Charles Eugster began hitting the iron at age 87. He started supplementing with whey protein, lifting weights, and sprinting again. Success soon followed. He won three Stren-Flex World titles, and recently broke the 200 meter and 60 meter world records for the 95+ age group.