Completing a century – of the very long kind

[RPS]

As in 100 years. :beer:

Last week I attended my uncle’s 100th birthday party (the first person I’m close to who has made it) and on the drive back from Florida I found myself thinking a lot about longevity in general: whether life can be enjoyed at that age, whether I’ll even want to reach 100, the changes he’s witnessed first hand, what lifestyle choices he’s made to improve his chances, etc… This last point is of particular interest because for the most part he’s not followed a health-oriented lifestyle – except for being a very nice person, living a simple life, having lots of friends and family who care for him, receiving good medical care, and also doing for others as needed. Regardless of being a statistical anomaly in light of choices, reaching such an important milestone couldn’t have happened to a nicer man.

Anyway, I know turning 100 is somewhat common now, but I’m curious about who expects to live 100 years. And do you want to? If so, what do you plan to do to complete your century, or to improve your chances of reaching the finish line?

As a side question (or maybe they are related for you), if you at times picture yourself growing really old, up to what age do you see yourself riding a bike on a regular basis? I see my dad in his 80s in fairly good shape and think that if I’m as fortunate that I would still be riding (he hasn't for years). Much beyond that I’m not sure – for some reason I can’t paint a mental image of riding a bike at an even older age.

[Ray]

Congratulations to you and your uncle, and your whole family, to be able to share in such an amazing milestone.

I have no idea what it takes to get REALLY old. Good genes clearly are a pre-requisite but certainly not enough by themselves. A lot of it has to be the right attitude and a lot of luck along the way.

I have no idea how old I'll make it to, how old I'll WANT to make it to, or how long I'll ride a bike. I suppose it'll all come down to quality. As long as riding a bike is fun and I'm capable of it, I'll do it. I'd be happy to reach 100 if my quality of life is good, but happy not to if its not. My dad died a few years ago at 88 - he had a great life and was pretty into being alive up until maybe the last year. But once his mind stopped working reliably and consistently, he stopped wanting to stay around. He got pretty depressed a lot in that last year and I think it was just part of the process of checking out. My wife's grandmother died less than 2 years ago at 95. She was an absolute marvel up until a couple of months before she died and then everything pretty much went south at once. She wasn't ready to go until she was, and then she died very quickly. I don't think any of us can have any idea what old age will hold in store for us. I just hope to die happy and to not outlive my wife (unless for some reason she needs me to - but she's much stronger than I am emotionally and will deal with my death far better than I'd deal with hers). If I can get another 30-40 years in before it falls apart, maybe see a couple of grandchildren, that would be a gift!

-Ray

[SoCalSteve]

As in 100 years. :beer:

Last week I attended my uncle’s 100th birthday party (the first person I’m close to who has made it) and on the drive back from Florida I found myself thinking a lot about longevity in general: whether life can be enjoyed at that age, whether I’ll even want to reach 100, the changes he’s witnessed first hand, what lifestyle choices he’s made to improve his chances, etc… This last point is of particular interest because for the most part he’s not followed a health-oriented lifestyle – except for being a very nice person, living a simple life, having lots of friends and family who care for him, receiving good medical care, and also doing for others as needed. Regardless of being a statistical anomaly in light of choices, reaching such an important milestone couldn’t have happened to a nicer man.

Anyway, I know turning 100 is somewhat common now, but I’m curious about who expects to live 100 years. And do you want to? If so, what do you plan to do to complete your century, or to improve your chances of reaching the finish line?

As a side question (or maybe they are related for you), if you at times picture yourself growing really old, up to what age do you see yourself riding a bike on a regular basis? I see my dad in his 80s in fairly good shape and think that if I’m as fortunate that I would still be riding (he hasn't for years). Much beyond that I’m not sure – for some reason I can’t paint a mental image of riding a bike at an even older age.

As I grow older (51 now) I have often asked myself this question...Its a good one.

When I was a Team In Training Coach, I coached 2 people who were in their early 70's to do a 100 mile bike ride. I'd like to think I will still be cycling into my early to mid 70's as well (G@d willing).

Steve

[cmg]

yep at 50 that question comes up at every ride in my mind. usually right before i get dropped. before 50 i said i'd like to ride till about 58 -59 don't think my reflexes will be sharp enough to keep from getting hit by a car. now i'm hoping til early 60s. to a 100 don't think so.

[tmessenger]

I'm 58 still do summer club rides every week and MTB in the winter, the old guy in the club is 73 he does centuries all the time and is strong, we're still having fun. The idea to stop cycling because of my age never occurred to me.

tm

[endosch2]

Everyone reading this post should read the book "Younger Next Year"

You can ride your bike into your late 70s or early 80s.

The premise of the book is that we view the aging process completely wrong and that everyone has the ability to be functionally younger the next year.

There is a great chapter that discusses new bikes and the concept of "kedging".

It was designed for those turning 60.

[endosch2]

Everyone reading this post should read the book "Younger Next Year"

You can ride your bike into your late 70s or early 80s.

The premise of the book is that we view the aging process completely wrong and that everyone has the ability to be functionally younger the next year.

There is a great chapter that discusses new bikes and the concept of "kedging".

It was designed for those turning 60.

I forgot to add that one of my key riding partners is 63. I am 39, the leader in our group (X nordic ski olympian) is 52, who kicks my butt pretty consistently.

[dookie]

You can ride your bike into your late 70s or early 80s.

why not longer?

i'm not trying to provoke, just curious. after reading the original post, i'm thinking 'century on my century'...which i realize is probably a bit optimistic. but seriously, is that it? sheet...i'm 1/2 way there.

[rdparadise]

Well, I plan on being around till at least 80 and riding the whole time. Why not? My family has a history of living long (dad's side anyways) so I should be able to make it provided health and luck and continued good attitude is on my side.

Regarding riding, one of my regular Tuesday riders is 70 and he is as strong if not stronger then me. This past Saturday, I led a club ride and a legend from Philly, Bill Cotton, rode from his house in Cheltenham to join my ride in So. Jersey. When we saw him at lunch, he had 70 in and 70 to go. I knew he is getting up there in age so I asked him how old he was. He said he just turned 77 last week. The guy ascribed to the century a month club and has been doing it for about 3 years, year around. Not bad. My plan is to be as good, God willing.

Congrats on the century for your uncle. It's great to pick the brains of those so wise. They go back before tv, have seen and lived through world wars, of course no internet, remote, etc. etc. It's amazing when you think about the last century and the advances we've made in improviing our lifestyle. Good for him and your family!

Take care,

Bob

[johnnymossville]

Congrats to your Uncle on hitting such a great age. To ride 100@100 sounds like a really wonderful goal and I would never call someone crazy who dreams of doing so.

Think about how many people believe 100@20 seems all but impossible.

[rwl]

Growing up in Sacramento in the 70, we used to ride pretty often with Ed Delano, also known as "Foxy Grandpa". At 75 he crossed the country in 33 1/2 days. He was a force to be reckoned with in the long rides when he was in his 60s.

[nahtnoj]

An incredible milestone!

I'm probably not going to make it to 100, at least on the basis of genetics. My grandfather died last year at the age of 90. He had an extraordinary life, and spent about 88.5 years of it living exactly the way that he wanted to. He had a rather steep and very frustrating decline. It was better though than something long and drawn out.

I'm young, and this may change as I age, but I think now much more in terms of quality vs. quantity.

[Chad Engle]

I'm young, and this may change as I age, but I think now much more in terms of quality vs. quantity.

This is key. Good friend of mine's Grandfather lived well into his 80's, hard living in the early years made the last years pretty miserable. Sharp mind trapped in a pain filled body.

[Ken Robb]

[QUOTE= The idea to stop cycling because of my age never occurred to me.

tm[/QUOTE]

I don't think many people decide to quit anything "because of their age". That suggests to me that someone says "gee, I'm 60 now so I'd better quit skateboarding." I think some activities become too painful and/or too much trouble for the enjoyment provided, or the participant realizes that he's no longer safe enough doing something at which he used to be proficient. Sometimes it's a choice like: should I go skiing this year knowing that a crash at my age might keep me from walking well ever again?

[RPS]

I have no idea what it takes to get REALLY old. Good genes clearly are a pre-requisite but certainly not enough by themselves. A lot of it has to be the right attitude and a lot of luck along the way.
I agree Ray, and think your statement above pretty much nails it – luck has a lot to do with it.

My plan to maintain a high quality of life as I age is to eat less each day (calorie deprivation seems to help), keep my weight down (I’d like to get under 140 but that’s going to be tough with my sugar addiction), and stay as active as possible (walk, hike, run, cycle, occasional manual work, etc.). The one “genetic” area that is likely to do me in faster than anything because it’s hard for me to control is that I don’t know how to lighten up (I’m a little too high strung for my own good). I try hard to relax and take it easy but that in itself makes me anxious since it’s not in my nature. I’ve accepted that long runs or bike rides are better for me than twirling my thumbs. If I want to drive myself nuts all I have to do is watch golf on TV. :rolleyes:

My uncle by contrast has never exercised for the sake of exercise, is overweight, and eats a poor diet high in fats, sugars, and starches (and too much quantity in general). However, he doesn’t appear to let outside events bother him or provoke a reaction to the extent that I see in many others. Until recently he loved sitting in the comfort of his living room with a good book or watching sports on TV, regardless of whatever else was going on in the world (poor sight keeps him from reading now). In his case a laid back personality may have been a genetic blessing – which is also pure luck.


BTW, I’m not diminishing science and medical advances. In reality if not for modern medicine he probably would have died many years if not decades ago.

[RPS]

Congrats on the century for your uncle. It's great to pick the brains of those so wise. They go back before tv, have seen and lived through world wars, of course no internet, remote, etc. etc. It's amazing when you think about the last century and the advances we've made in improviing our lifestyle. Good for him and your family!I’ve always enjoyed talking with older people, especially those who have experiences I can only imagine or read about. As an example, having been born in 1909 cycling in his youth was a major part of getting around – that and walking or horseback. It was definitely not considered a sport by the typical man (and very few women rode a bike). Transportation options were limited but since most people stayed within a very short distance of their home to work on the farm and help the family get by (particularly during the depression) it wasn’t seen as a problem. Trains were available for long journeys but those were very rare. It wasn’t until he was a young adult that cars and buses made it to the rural scene.

One of the things I find most fascinating about life in those times is how self reliant people had to be – or accept for lack of choice. Not only did they not have cell phones to call for help if they had a mechanical while out riding as we can do today, if they had an accident on the farm while working they were SOL. There were no phones to call for help, no cars to drive into town, no ambulances, no lifeline helicopters, etc… They had to send a person into town for a doctor and wait until the doctor rode back. If the medical problem was more than minor by our standards today chances were they could die or never recover completely. Although they had no point of reference to compare against, it was a very tough life compared to today IMO. Simple but harsh and demanding.

[RPS]

PS. -- Thanks all for well wishes. :)

[sc53]

One thing I've noticed with both my Mom (she died in March at 82) and my elderly uncle (he's 90) and their friends who are still around, is that even if your mind stays sharp and you still have energy and will, your balance gets really faulty as you get up there in age. I don't know if that's genetic, or a product of arthritis and other aches and pains, but poor balance would definitely be a factor limiting my ability to ride my bike into advanced old age. I'm not sure how one improves one's balance--maybe yoga?--but just keeping active isn't enough. My balance is already kind of iffy and I'm "only" 56.

[Ken Robb]

One thing I've noticed with both my Mom (she died in March at 82) and my elderly uncle (he's 90) and their friends who are still around, is that even if your mind stays sharp and you still have energy and will, your balance gets really faulty as you get up there in age. I don't know if that's genetic, or a product of arthritis and other aches and pains, but poor balance would definitely be a factor limiting my ability to ride my bike into advanced old age. I'm not sure how one improves one's balance--maybe yoga?--but just keeping active isn't enough. My balance is already kind of iffy and I'm "only" 56.
Improving balance is one of the benefits claimed for T'ai Chi. It appears to me that it would be true.

[thejen12]

My great Aunt lived to 100, she died in the 1980s. Boy, did she see some changes in her lifetime! She said 100 was "too old". She was mostly deaf for many years, mostly blind for a few years, and walked very haltingly with a walker. She lived with my Aunt.

My Aunt is now 95 and in way better shape than my great Aunt was at the same age. She is slowing down a bit physically, and is going blind due to macular degeneration. She has decided not to renew her driver's license this year, due to her eyesight. Her mind is still extremely sharp and she still tries to get out for a walk in the countryside on a daily basis, though sometimes she is too tired now, mostly due to her volunteer activities.

I don't think either lady strived to live a particularly healthy life, though I'm sure they ate well. Neither had much money and produce from the garden made up a large share of their diet. I don't think either one drank much, if any, alcohol, and neither one smoked. Neither exercised for recreation, although I'm sure they got a dose of it in their daily activities. Both had a strong religious faith, a good sense of humor, and an interest in other people.

If I can just go on living, I don't see a reason not to get to 100, but we never know what life will send our way in terms of illnesses and accidents. As far as riding goes, I'm sure my goals and priorities will change as I age, but I expect to ride for a long time in one capacity or another. That's what they make adult tricycles for! I'll get one with a basket so I can ride to the store to pick up a new package of Depends... for my husband. :D

Jenn

[Tobias]

I'm young, and this may change as I age, but I think now much more in terms of quality vs. quantity.Exactly. Like Churchill said, you can make changes to help you live to 100 but it will seem like 200. Living long without quality and enjoyment seems pointless. Maybe worse than pointless since we can’t assign a negative age value to suffering?

[Tobias]

My plan to maintain a high quality of life as I age is to eat less each day (calorie deprivation seems to help), keep my weight down (I’d like to get under 140 but that’s going to be tough with my sugar addiction), and stay as active as possible (walk, hike, run, cycle, occasional manual work, etc.). In addition to diet and aerobic exercise, we can all benefit from strength and flexibility training also. These two areas are very important to slow the effects of the aging process since they reduce mobility, balance, and other motor skills as we get older. Many falls that start a downward spiral are caused by lack of strength and balance.

[Tobias]

That's what they make adult tricycles for! I'll get one with a basket so I can ride to the store to pick up a new package of Depends... for my husband. :D

JennOuch, that one is below the belt! I'm sure he loves you too. :rolleyes:

[thejen12]

Ouch, that one is below the belt! I'm sure he loves you too. :rolleyes:
Yeah, he'd tell you that by that time I won't remember how to get to and from the store! ;)