105 YEAR OLD WORLD RECORD HOLDER ROBERT MARCHLAND
Robert Marchand
The next time you’re thinking that you are too old to go for that hike, head to the gym or make some slightly adventurous travel plans; check out this guy, Robert Marchland. The French cyclist recently set a record in the 105 and over category, which was, of course, created for him.
According to a Fox News report:
At the age of 100, the international Cycling Union created a new over-100s category for Marchland. Three year ago, at the Velodrome National, he rode 26.927 kilometers (16.5 miles) in one hour to better his own record in the over 100s category.
A trainer friend at my gym, Jeff Archibald, showed me a recent New York Times’ article highlighting Robert’s feat. The February 8, 2017 Time’s article, by Gretchen Reynolds, states that:
At the age of 105, the French amateur cyclist and world-record holder Robert Marchland is more aerobically fit than most 50-year-olds — and appears to be getting even fitter as he ages, according to a revelatory new study of his physiology.
The study, which appeared in December in The Journal of Applied Physiology, may help to rewrite scientific expectations of how our bodies age and what is possible for any of us athletically, no matter how old we are.”
There have been numerous press reports about Mr. Marchland’s unbelievable achievements and the science behind them. But the Rocking Outdoors perspective is that we are constantly being told that we must slow down as we age – or stop completely. We hear that the body is deteriorating, take it easy – maybe walk a couple of days a week. But I believe, and it’s certainly true in my case, that for many of us we can continue to enjoy a physically challenging life if we do it carefully, intelligently and with proper medical supervision.
If you perform an internet search on the subject of exercise and fitness in later life, you will find two schools of thought. On one hand (the larger school) you have the “play shuffleboard and do a day of yoga each week” school. And on the other, you have people like Robert, who defy the current conventional wisdom and enjoy full, rich, physically active lives into their 70s, 80s and beyond.
Which group would you rather be in? The afraid-to-do-anything-too-physical-or-I-might-break-so-I’ll-just-waste-away group? Or would you rather strive to be like Robert Marchland, understanding that if you only get 25% of the way there, you are living a pretty great life. I know which one I would rather be.
Congratulations Robert Marchland. You are certainly Rocking Outdoors!
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Jeff Archibald, OES CES
