Fantastically Fit at Sixty!
Sometimes you need a little reminder that—as clichéd as it may be—age ain't nothing but a number. That the only thing stopping you from going out there and doing whatever it is you really want to do is, well...you.
These amazing women prove that pursuing passions (rock climbing and backcountry skiing!), exploring the world (running through the Sahara!), and embracing adventure (swimming across the English Channel!) will keep your body vibrant, your mind quick, and your life filled with joy. Isn't it time you went after your dream?
Bev Pressman
The petite Pressman, a retired literacy instructor and medical practice manager, divides her time between homes in Alaska and Idaho. Having just wrapped up a 2-week rafting trip on the Kopowruk River in northern Alaska, Pressman says she used to curse her compact, powerful physique. "Especially my legs!" But it's her build that allows her to run, bike, hike, and, of course, complete 14-day rafting trips.
Pressman and husband Scott met at the University of Oregon, and immediately began rafting and backpacking, beginning their lifelong pursuit of outdoor adventures. Because she grew up in a family of six siblings, had three kids of her own, and now has four grandchildren, Pressman has always placed a lot of importance on family. She looped in some of her family to retrace the 500-mile Camino pilgrimage across northern Spain. She and Scott spent a year traveling around the world by bike.
Depending on the time of year, Pressman's activities can include skiing, rowing on shells or rafts, or climbing the sheer face of a mountain. She says she wards off "chicken wing triceps" and fat by getting in activity five times a week. As a result, her strong body has helped her deal with and recover from health issues including macular degeneration, arthritis, and spinal stenosis.
Her stay-fit secret: Just keep moving. "I get irritable and antsy without time to exercise," says Pressman. "For 40 years it's meant so much: It's been my alone, meditative time; a chance to get caught up with friends; and the opportunity to share adventures with my husband. Plus, it's my weight control so I can sneak animal crackers!"
Louise Cooper
It takes a special kind of person to do a marathon a month after completing chemo. South African native Louise Cooper has done that, and much more, such as running through the Sahara and up the 28,000-foot Mont Blanc in Switzerland. And just 5 months after that post-chemo marathon, Cooper placed second in a 135-mile ultra-marathon through Death Valley, CA.
With more than 70 marathons and seven Ironman competitions under her belt, Cooper has definitely set herself apart. She started as a runner, then began doing triathlons and ultra-marathons, and then switched to adventure racing. And just to spice up the mix, the 5'2" owner of four rescue dogs mixes in international expedition racing and mountain climbing.
The biggest challenge the divorced schoolteacher and race director has faced is breast cancer—twice. In 1998, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of the disease; at the age of 44, Cooper was told she had 2 years to live. She lucked into treatment with an experimental new drug (coincidentally developed by a close friend) that had been submitted for FDA approval. As she healed, she managed to keep teaching, gleaning a sense of normalcy plus energy and strength from her students. "When you lose control over your body with a disease like cancer, you can still keep control of your mind," she says.
Continuing to focus on the needs of those around her helped Cooper get through a second bout with cancer. In 2013, a new tumor led to a double mastectomy and chemo, which didn't wrap up until December 2014. The surgery and treatment didn't stop her—it barely slowed her down. "I don't give up, and even when injured or ill, I force myself out there."
Rather than obsess over her own health battle, Cooper put her energy into caring for her father. "My dad was undergoing treatment for cancer at the same time, and I needed to take care of him," she says. "I barely had time for me." She also works for Project Athena, a nonprofit that raises money and awareness for women who've suffered life setbacks. The organization finds ways for them to accomplish their athletic, adventurous goals by providing necessities like travel expenses, equipment, and entry fees.
Her stay-fit secret: Think of activity as more than exercise. "I just love the way I feel after a workout, I love the social aspect of working out with friends, and I love the way it makes me look," says Cooper. "I think my motivation is intrinsic, and I'm doing it for the right reasons, for myself as opposed to pleasing others. Perhaps that is the reason I keep going when others might give up."
Sarah Dunstan
Former critical care nurse and EMT Sarah Dunstan finds her joy swimming in open water. Dunstan spent 8½ hours in August 2013 swimming 14 miles—two-thirds of the way—across the English Channel, before she had to retire. Remarkably, she's heading back to England to give it another shot this August—but this time as part of a six-woman relay. If they make it, they'll set a record as the oldest relay team to cross the Channel.
Dunstan swam on a local team in her youth, but then life intervened, and she didn't resume the sport until she joined a local Masters team at 56. After a series of triathlons and an Ironman, she journeyed to Spain in April 2013 for cold-water training in preparation for her Channel attempt. "My body has served me well and allowed me to go places and do things that, as a youth, I would never have dreamt possible at my age," she says.
The Channel swim led to a shoulder injury that required rotator-cuff surgery. During her recovery, when she wasn't certain whether she'd be able to swim again, Dunstan drew on stories of others beating adversity. "I am most inspired by those people who have overcome some degree of disability to return to the activity that they love." Now that she’s back, she's thrilled more than ever with her broad, swimmer's shoulders: "They identify me as a swimmer, and that makes me very proud."
Her stay-fit secret: Dunstan cross-trains and spends as much time as she can outdoors. Her home in central Virginia—which she shares with her husband, an orthopedic surgeon—is near the Appalachian Trail and Shenandoah National Park. She hikes there often with her friends, who are also athletically inclined. "One of them rides her bike 120 miles to see her granddaughter!"