I suppose as I get older, I’ll notice stories like the one concerning a 100-year old Frenchman, Robert Marchand more often. He recently established a world one hour record for cycling by covering a hair over 15 miles in that time. He was timed on a track in a velodrome riding a fixed gear bike but without aero bars. Since it says he ‘established’ the world’s record, I’m guessing he may be the first centurion to attempt the feat.
Mr. Marchand’s feat is amazing. He’s 100 for crying out loud and should be hardly able to get up out of a chair…and he’s riding fixed gear bike on a banked track 15 mph? You know I’ve read ‘Younger Next Year’ and believe completely in being able to keep so much of our physical fitness well into our 80’s…but this guy is another 20 years past that! He commented that, for the past five years, he’s no longer taking rides over 62 miles. Okay…I’m reading that to mean that at age 100, he’s still able to ride over sixty miles at a crack. And if we can assume he’s riding slower than his world record pace for an hour, that means he’s out on a bike for probably 5 hours at a crack, on occasion.
"Basically, I am like everybody. I am lucky that I haven’t had any major health problems. My advice to anyone, young or old, is to keep moving. I do ‘physical culture’ every day. It works out my whole body and keeps me supple. Some people when they reach 80 years old, start playing cards and they stay immobile. Not me. I’ve never been able to keep still,” he said. Truly…there is hope for anyone…at any age. It’s never too late.
Unless you’re me and tuckered out from a simple 42-mile ride. My legs were all kinds of sore and I don’t think it was from yesterday’s ride. I’ve been having issues over the past three weeks, particularly in the muscles of my right glut and hamstring. My left calf has been sore on the previous two runs, as well. I felt them all…and not in a good way…during the ride and decided it was time for a ‘zero’ day.
Yes…some guy who’s 100 would think I’m a candy-ass…but I know to listen to my body. If I do, I’m hoping I’ll keep going and maybe be like him someday.
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