1. Eddie Brocklesby, age 72, triathlete.
Eddie only began running in her 50’s following advice from a doctor friend to do more exercise. Starting off with small goals of running a few miles, she moved on to triathlon training, duathlon competitions, triathlons and eventually ironman events!
To list some of her achievements over the next few years; she completed over ten marathons, became the duathlon world champion, completed the Lanzarote Ironman and holds the record for the oldest UK female athlete to complete an Ironman. She also recently became an ambassador for Sport England’s “This Girl Can” campaign. Oh yes, this girl certainly can!
http://www.triathlonengland.org/news/this_girl_can_june_5816
2. Hidekichi Miyazaki, age 105, sprinter.
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Well tell that to Hidekichi Miyazaki! In his 90’s he found himself with a bit of spare time on his hands, so he decided to take up running….in his 90’s! In September 2015 he broke the world record for a 100m sprint (in his age group) with a time of 42.22 seconds.
As he is still relatively new to the sport, he still considers himself a beginner and is hoping to go faster in the future. After breaking the record, he cheekily posed in a Usain Bolt lightening stance and said “I will say this: I'm proud of my health. The doctors gave me a medical examination a couple of days ago and I'm fit as a fiddle. My brain might not be the sharpest but physically I'm tip-top. I've never had any health problems. The doctors are amazed by me. I can definitely keep on running for another two or three years. It's all about willpower. You have to keep going”.
3. Mark Felix, age 49, strongman.
Mark only began competing in strongman events at an age when most people are thinking about retiring. Twelve years later at the age of 49, he has just qualified for yet another World’s Strongest Man.
He entered his first event at the ripe old age of 37 and regularly competes against opponents less than half his age! He turned pro in 2004 after competing in England’s strongest man and finishing in third place. Since taking up strongman Mark has earned himself a fearsome reputation by winning numerous international events, including the Vice Grip Viking Challenge in 2011 and 2012 and is widely regarded as having the strongest grip in the world. Even as a pro he still holds down a full time job as a plasterer and fits training into his spare time, is there no stopping this man?!
http://www.theworldsstrongestman.com/athletes/mark-felix/
4. Bob Becker, age 70, ultra marathon runner.
The Badwater 135 ultra marathon is billed as the world’s toughest race. The course takes runners through California’s Death Valley where, with temperatures that can reach over 49 centigrade, competitors run on the white road markings to prevent the soles of their shoes melting on the hot tarmac.
This race is beyond most people, even seasoned ultra runners. So when Bob completed the race this year it was a truly astonishing feat, but did he stopped there? No. After a rest, he turned around and ran the race in reverse, covering a total distance of 292 miles in 7 days, 8 hours and 48 minutes. By crossing the finish line he became the oldest person by 12 years and only the 29th person EVER to accomplish the feat. Not bad for someone who only ran their first ultra marathon at the age of 60!
http://www.runnersworld.com/races/70-year-old-becomes-oldest-to-complete-292-mile-badwater-double
5. Willie Murphy, age 77, powerlifter.
Willie is a grandma with “guns”. At 77 years of age she can out lift, out pull and out push gym goers a fraction of her age. She started weight training 4 years ago after seeing a sign about a weightlifting competition at her local gym and hasn’t looked back since.
She began with 5-pound weights and has since built up to some quite astonishing displays of strength, including being able to perform one-handed push ups and pull ups! At the recent WNPF World Championships she won her division in the deadlift with a lift of 215 pounds (more than twice her bodyweight) and has also won awards for power curls and bench press. In fact, she’s won so many awards she’s running out of room to display them - go go supergran!
If you'd like to follow the examples set by these five inspirational people, please contact us to see how we can help you on your way.