We were on a break during a day of skiing recently when I saw an old man in the table behind us. Skiing is a tough sport full body workout. So I’m always intrigued when I see folks who are in their sixties.
This person looked older than most others I’d seen. So I asked him if he wouldn’t mind sharing his age. He said he was 78.
I almost fell off my chair.
I asked him if he had been skiing since he was a child. That was the only plausible explanation I could come up with.
He shared that he only started learning when he was 61. His wife encouraged him to learn so they could take a trip with their kids (and now grandkids) every year. They make it from the UK to North America once every year for this trip. And he was the oldest student at ski school this year.
I shared my admiration for his commitment to fitness, family, and learning, and we went onto enjoy our respective meals.
I found it incredible to reflect on his accomplishment. He was on top of a stunning mountain (literally and figuratively), enjoying time with his family, pushing himself physically and mentally, embracing the risk that comes with any activity at his age, learning, and living. This is while over 95% of folks in his age group would likely be doing something sedentary or, worse, watching television.
I always feel grateful when I meet role-models like this gentleman. I wasn’t particularly fit as a child. I didn’t run very fast (or long) and didn’t train in any sport – something I always wished I did. I’d studied in 7 schools by the time I was in 8th grade. All that moving meant there wasn’t much opportunity to train either. And by the time, I got to high school and stayed in the same place, it was too late. Growing up in India, that’s when you give up sport to study to make it to a good college.
It was only during my undergraduate years did I fully appreciate the joy I got from playing sport and staying fit. And, since then, I’ve been obsessed with a simple idea. As I get older, I want to keep climbing the fitness percentile for my cohort.
I wasn’t the fittest 15 year old around. But I’d sure likely to be among the fittest 60 year olds by the time I get there.
And people like this 87 year old gentleman remind me of just how much fun that can be.
