For many of us, there are those fitness achievements that we can’t help but pat ourselves on the back for—the completed Ironman triathlon, the 10-minute plank, the deadlift no one else in class could do.
And then, for some, it’s the simple fact that you’re still able to work out, especially at an advanced age. For 90-year-old Joyce Hanna, who resides in the Bay Area in California, she doesn’t consider her biggest achievement to be her best marathon time at three hours and 20 minutes at 45 years old—which is several minutes under what running experts deem a “good” marathon time. Hanna considers her greatest fitness achievement to be that she is “still exercising and enjoying it.”
This is something all of us can aspire to in our later years, and Hanna shares how she keeps the fire alive when it comes to her workouts.
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A Dedicated Runner
At 40 years old, after picking up Ken Cooper’s “landmark book” Aerobics, she was first introduced to not only the concept of aerobics, but also to the importance of fitness. She says, “Dr. Cooper advised us to get so many points a week to improve our health and cardiovascular system by doing some kind of physical activity.”
That’s when she was inspired to try running.
“If I ran a certain distance, I could get so many points,” she shares. “I thought that it would be fun to try that. So, I ran down to the corner of our block in Palo Alto and then ran back. I’m glad it was a short corner because I felt kind of silly. I hoped none of the neighbors could see me. I was in a tennis dress and a little white lace scarf that I tied behind my head.”
But then that one corner turned into running two corners. Then the whole block, all the while feeling embarrassed that someone might spot her doing something that was, at that time, out of the norm.
“We had five sides to our block, so I had to run to five corners to get around the block,” she says. “I eventually got the right number of weekly points that Cooper thought I should have for my age and gender. Then I thought, why not do a little more?”
Eventually, Hanna became a marathon runner, and she continues to dedicate herself to her fitness ventures to this day.
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Joyce Hanna’s Workout Routine
Spinning
In general, Hanna aims for six workouts per week at 30 to 60 minutes each. This includes working out on a Peloton bike for at least 30 minutes for three times per week. Each spinning workout includes HIIT intervals (which alternate between short bursts of intense activity and brief periods of rest) followed by five minutes of stretching.
Strength Training
Working out on machines or using free weights, Hanna focuses on strength training three times per week for 30 to 60 minutes each time.
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Walking
Although she’s not finishing marathons these days, Hanna still gets her body moving with leisurely walks around her neighborhood. She typically walks for about 30 to 60 minutes, five to six times per week, and while sometimes she’ll walk on her own, she’s often accompanied by a friend or her daughter.
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Balance Work
Knowing that good balance is so important for seniors who want to avoid falls, Hanna does intermittent balance work throughout the week—for five to 10 minutes, five times per week, in which she’ll do things like stand on one foot or do some tandem walking (walking in a straight line and placing the heel of the foot directly in front of the toes of the other foot).
Stretching
Lastly, Hanna stretches for a few minutes on most evenings before going to bed.
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Words of Wisdom
In addition to improving her health and overall fitness, Hanna points out that her workout routine reduces stress, provides her with energy to do the things she needs to do and increases her sleep quality. She adds, “It’s a great activity to do with friends,” something that can always help seniors build community and combat loneliness.
To fellow seniors, she advises, “Keep moving and get on a schedule that you can live with. Don’t get injured. Be patient! And keep going.”
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Sources
- Joyce Hanna, fitness enthusiast.
- Marathon Handbook: “Average Marathon Times By Age, Sex + Ability: What’s A Good Marathon Time?”