My Attempt to Break a World Record
In sixty years’ time.
…In sixty years’ time. (Did you like my clickbait headline? 🙂 )
The world record for a deadlift by a centenarian is held by Edith Murway-Traina, who was lifting 75kg (165 lbs) in her hundredth year – very impressive.
Inspired by my recent reads Outlive & Super Agers (reviews pending) and convinced of the value of both public statements and setting big hairy goals, I’ve come up with five focus areas to help me break the record. I’ll need to increase not only my lifespan, but also my healthspan.
1 – Don’t be dead 💀
As Arnold Schwarzenegger famously did not say “dead men don’t lift.” I’m going to have to avoid being killed by smart machines or dumb people – including myself. This is going to be the hardest of the goals as it’s mostly outside of my control and well, quite final if i mess it up.
That said, there’s plenty in my control. Lifestyle choices positively affect your odds of dodging the major killers of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Life expectancy is rising long term, and I’m betting modern medicine (with AI in the mix) will deliver more miracles soon. To make it, I’ll need fewer bad choices, good habits, and even better luck.
2 – Stay strong 🏋️
Good news, I can already deadlift 75kg so technically all I need to do is hold the line for sixty years and hope no one else breaks the record. Seems easy, right? 👀.
In reality, strength is a major predictor of ageing well. We tend to lose muscle mass becoming weaker as we age and this combines with the two below points to produce negative outcomes. Staying strong through the decades is hard, and it only gets harder.
3 – Stay fit 🏃
Cardiovascular fitness is just as crucial. It’s no use being strong if I don’t have the energy or efficiency to lift. That means keeping up the cardio – maybe not weighted vest runs in my nineties, but staying active enough to carry groceries and chase grandkids.
My current VO₂ max (a measure of aerobic fitness) is about 54 – a good number. Let’s keep it there.
4 – Stay supple 🤸♀️
Mobility and stability are non-negotiable. They are really important in avoiding falls and preventing injuries that often cause people to stop exercising altogether. I do some Yoga, Pilates, and calisthenics but I could do more. Bad form or posture compound over years to cause chronic problems.
5 – Stay all here 🧘
There’s no point reaching 100 if I forget to lift on the big day. More seriously, neurodegenerative diseases are cruel, but diet, sleep, and stress management improve the odds. Advanced medicine is primed to help too, but it would be on me to keep the brain sharp. I’d like to keep learning, building, and having fun with the people I love.
Where I’m starting from at 40
Mostly things are on track to smash this record, but there are a few things I’m watching with a close eye.
Blood tests – I recently received results from my first annual blood test. Most biomarkers were solid, but a few jumped out to me. While my general cholesterol ratio was fine at 3.4, HDL (the “good” cholesterol*) is low and LDL (the “bad”) is edging high. HbA1c (a long-term blood sugar measure) came back 5.44%, technically normal, but high enough to worry given family history.
*“Good & bad” cholesterol is an oversimplification.
Joints – I’ve had a little tendonitis, a flare-up in my wrist a long time ago and some mild left knee issues more recently. I’ve suffered with a slow-healing sprained shoulder this year, and I have had some lower back issues that greatly improved through the right chair, mattress & pillow choices. Again, I have some family history which means I need to keep a close eye here.
Ageing seems to hit us in big waves, not steadily over time. The first one usually hits around our mid-forties – let’s see how motivated I am after it washes over me. Additional waves are normal in our mid-sixties and mid-eighties. But it’s possible to delay their impact and join the ranks of the “welderly”.
I’m coming for you, Edith! 🤪 Someone remind me in 2085!