Things do change as we pass through our chronological birthdays. However, we all have options. In the past, scientists looked for a single theory that explained aging. There are two main groups of aging theories. The first group states that aging is natural and programmed into the body, while the second group of aging theories say that aging is a result of damage which is accumulated over time. In the end, aging is a complex interaction of genetics, chemistry, physiology and behavior. And a lack of movement, strength maintenance, as well as effective nutrition are primary contributors to how and why people age the way they do.

I have written about many senior athletes in the past. One lady has proven that aging truly is just a number for many years. Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins set the first ever 105+ female track record. Yes, she is a marathon runner. Julia is the first American, to set a track and field world record and establish this in the 105+ age category.

Julia achieved the 100-meter time of 1:02:95 in the Louisiana Senior Games (LSG) competition at the 2021 Southeastern Louisiana University Track Complex in Hammond, Louisiana. LSG serves as the bayou state’s qualifying event for the biennial National Senior Games. Officials are submitting the results for pending final certification.

In September 2021, Hawkins’ 100 meter record was broken by centenarian Diane Friedman of Ohio at the Michigan Senior Olympic.  Her response was to seek higher ground with the age category. The only other track and field athletes to reach the 105+ age mark have been males – Japanese shot putter Hidekichi Miyazaki and Polish runner and discus hurler Stanislaw Kowalski.

Hawkins, a lifelong bike rider, has previous National Senior Games history competing in cycling time trials beginning at age of 80. She won several gold medals over the span of four Nationals before she lost interest, saying “There wasn’t anyone left in my age to compete with!” Turning 100 inspired her to take up running and set a record in the 100-meter race. Her focus now is to compete against herself for best time on the track, and to be an ambassador for healthy, active aging in daily life.

“She couldn’t have written her story any better,” said Marc T. Riker, CEO of the National Senior Games Association (NSGA). “Julia realized early that her accomplishments had put her on a big stage to share of message, and she has indeed embraced it as an amazing ambassador for healthy, active aging.

Hawkins said she is considering competing at the 2022 National Senior Games presented by Humana, which takes place May 10-23, in Greater Fort Lauderdale, “she has time to decide, and we aren’t pressing for an answer, ” NSGA media Director Del Moon said. As usual Julia Hawkins calls her own shots and will wait for the right time to decide if and how her track career will go on.”

Don Pellmann, a 100-year old Santa Clara resident crushed his competition and set 5 world records at this year’s San Diego Senior Olympics. Temperature rose above 100 degrees, but Pellmann didn’t let that stop him from becoming the first centenarian to clear the bar in the high jump, reaching 2 feet, 11.5 inches.

He was the first 100-year-old to complete the long jump and also broke records in the 100-meter dash, shot put and discuss. The only event he fell short of was the pole vault, where he was unsuccessful at clearing his opening height.

Healthy older people who exercise regularly are less inclined to struggle to find words to express themselves, research led by the University of Birmingham has discovered.

Researchers found that older adults’ aerobic fitness levels are directly related to the incidence of age-related language failures such as tip-of-the-tongue states.

The study saw a group of 28 healthy adults (20 women with the average age of 70 and 8 men with the average age of 67), being compared in a tip-of-the-tongue language test to 27 young people (19 women with the average age of 23 and 8 men with the average age of 22).

The participants’ underwent a static bike cycling test – a gold standard test which quantified their ability to use oxygen during exercise and their resulting individual aerobic fitness levels.

Lead author Dr. Katrien Segaert, of the University of Birmingham’s  School of Psychology, said “Older adults free from medical diseases still experience age-related cognitive decline.

“Significantly, what we found was that the degree of decline is related to one’s aerobic fitness.”

“In our study, the higher the older adults’ aerobic fitness level, the lower the probability of experiencing a tip-of-the-tongue state.”

“Older adults sometimes worry that tip-of-the-tongue states indicate serious memory problems but this is a misconception: tip-of-the-tongue states are not associated with memory loss,” she added. “In fact, older adults usually have a much larger vocabulary than young adults. Instead, tip-of-the-tongue states occur when the meaning of a word is available in our memory, but the sound form of the word can temporarily not be accessed.”

“Accessing the sound forms of words is essential for successful and fluent language production, and its disruption has very noticeable negative consequences for older adults.”

“Speaking is a skill we all rely on every day. Communication with others helps us maintain social relationships and independence into old age.”

Strength training is critical to our aging processes. In an article published in the American College of Sports Medicine bulletin, Dr. Daren G. Candow, Ph.D. and Philip D. Chilibeck, PhD writes that “Approximately one-in-three older adults experience a fall each year, with many experiencing multiple falls. Falls may lead to physical inactivity and premature morbidity. Therefore, lifestyle interventions that improve properties of muscle and bone may potentially reduce the risk of falls and fractures in older adults. It is well established that resistance training has favorable effects on properties of muscle and bone in older adults.”

It is always important to have a complete physical with your doctor. If there are any injuries or joint problems ask to see a physical therapist to help start a training program for preparation in any exercise activity.