Fit At 75

CHAPTER 26 - Chris Laing - age 76 Geezer Fitness Level 10.2 Chris and I were medical product engineers working together in Irvine, California, back in 1977. He later worked for Mattel Toys in LA. He and wife Linda lived in Palos Verdes for a few decades on horse property in Rancho Palos Verdes. They retired to a much larger horse property in Tehachapi, California. It is a mere 50 foot ride from their stable to lovely horse trails with lots of hills. SUMMARY OF CHRIS'S ANSWERS FROM DOUG'S "FIT AT 75" QUESTIONAIRE Born October 12, 1938. My age today is 76. I am 6', 3" and weigh 150 pounds (BMI = 18.7, very bottom of "normal range"). (Doug note: Ideal BMI is between 18.5 to 24.9. Chris is way taller than me and also 5 pounds lighter, but he is not a string bean - has good muscles! Compels me to think about losing another 5 pounds - OR quickly growing at least 6".) HDL (good cholesterol) 130, My cardiologist tactfully suggested that visiting him was a waste of both of our times. (Doug note: You are in danger for heart problems if below 40. A 60 HDL reading is the number you want to exceed for lowered risk of heart disease. I thought I was doing good with an HDL of 80 at my age. Chris is unreal!! No wonder his cardiologist made that statement to him.) My 2014 Half Marathon time was two hours seven minutes (slower than 2013 by four minutes), 5K time - 26 min, 6 seconds Once a year, I climb Mt. Whitney (14,496 feet elevation) as a round trip day hike of 23 miles. FAMILY - I have a brother who is exactly one year younger (same birthday). He is not athletic. I have a son and a daughter, both are healthy, but not runners. LONGEVITY - My Father died at 88 of a stroke. He smoked for 70 years of his life (age 14 to age 84). My mother lived 100 years (and one month). EXERCISE- I spend an hour at the gym three days a week with a personal trainer. I hired him for motivation as much as training. (Because I pay him, I make sure to show up.) We do "Legs" one day; "core" the next; and "upper body" the third. I can do three sets of 10 push-ups and (on a different day) three sets of 10 chin-ups. I also run two days a week. My running is not disciplined. I find it difficult to get out and run at weather extremes (Tehachapi is at 4,200 feet and gets snow, fog and rain in the winter). My current running schedule is four miles on Tuesday, four miles (interval running, walk for two minutes every half mile, then sprint to the next half mile marker) on Thursday, and six miles on Saturday. I plan to increase these distances as the summer progresses (up to ten miles on Saturdays). EATING - Having been slim all of my life, I basically eat anything I want. More recently, I have been moving away from red meat. I also am adding protein after strenuous exercise sessions to speed recovery. FAVORITE QUOTE - "I don't do all this to come in second." Chris Laing "You aren't old until age becomes your excuse. If you continue to remind yourself of your age and use it as a crutch, no matter what the number is, you'll come to believe that high achievement is impossible." Joe Friel, author of "FAST AFTER 50". COMMENTS FROM OTHERS - When flying (in the US) we all pass through TSA checkpoints where they ask us to empty our pockets, remove our shoes, etc. There are exceptions for travelers over 75, among them is one that allows us to proceed with your shoes on. I now leave my shoes on and invariably am asked to remove them. I show my ID and get the same reaction: "Sorry, you don't look seventy-five!" Many times it is echoed from other travelers. Also several times after finishing a race, I congratulate the younger age division winners and get this response: "I am the one who should be congratulating you!" Some of Chris's Medals RACE HISTORY - Athlinks has me listed as running in 12 races since 2008. This is way low, because I have 27 first place awards. Of the twelve, five were age group firsts, four were seconds, one third, and one fourth. A bit on my early running history: After climbing Mt. Whitney (more in this later) as a day hike in 2007, I concluded that the climb would be easier for me if I developed better cardiovascular skills, so, in 2008 I enrolled in an eight week marathon training class. After completing the class, I signed up for a couple of 5Ks and in 2009, a 10K. I got age group first in all three, and was hooked on competitive running! (Doug note: WOW! Chris didn't start running until he was 70!) The training class was valuable to me as a senior runner (70) because it included input on avoiding "heel strikes". I learned that many runners develop injuries over their running career and that hitting the ground hard with your heel triggers many of them. The training indicated that heel strikes could be avoided if the pace was quite rapid (sort of like running in place). The coach suggested running with a metronome to provide the rapid pace. Mine is now set at 180 beats per minute. To run faster or slower, I have to change my stride length. After five years of running with a metronome, my running style really has become so much a habit that I really do not need it any more. My first Mt. Whitney climb was in 2002. This was a day hike, starting early (before daylight) from the Whitney Portal trailhead at 8,600 feet elevation (just outside and above Lone Pine, California), and returning about fourteen hours later. The elevation gain was about 5,900 feet; a 1 mile plus climb. I have been repeating this hike almost every year since 2002. In 2006, there was heavy snow that slowed the trip to sixteen and a half hours. My fastest trip was in 2007 at twelve hours (plus 45 minutes at the summit). In 2013, I turned back with three miles to go. The wind gusts were estimated at 65 MPH and I did not feel safe. Permits to hike this trail are issued by a lottery process, and I am entered for 2015. Chris at the hut right near the 14,496 foot summit of Mount Whitney (where you can sign the official log book) My planned hike to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa (19,340 feet elevation) is now off of the table as my hiking partner cancelled (for health reasons). I am planning a Grand Canyon North rim to South rim hike for May 2015. PART B - PHYSICAL HEATH QUESTIONS VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS - I take fish oil (3 tablets @ 1360 mg), D3 (4 tablets @ 5000iu), B-12 (1 tablet @ 1000mg), Super K (2 tablets), Ubiquinol (1 tablet @ 200 mg), Acetyl L-Carnitine, and L-Carnosine. PRESCRIPTIONS - I take one prescription, for sub-dermal Testosterone. BLOOD WORK - I just got a new report from my trip to UCLA: Cholesterol 188, Triglycerides 33, HDL 132, and LDL 50. Prior to this report, I had a session with my Cardiologist. After reviewing my blood work-up, he commented that he had never seen anyone with HDL (good Cholesterol) as high as mine. He subsequently suggested that my visits with him were a waste of time for both of us. My internet search on the subject of very high HDL readings suggested that three factors contributed: heredity, exercise, and moderate alcohol consumption. Calcium score is zero. (Doug Note: Chris's Triglycerides to HDL ratio works out to an amazing 0.25! His HDL good cholesterol is 70.2%. of his total Cholesterol. That is off the charts in the GOOD direction!). MORNING STIFFNESS - My morning discomfort is usually a reaction to what part of my body I worked on at the gym the previous day. Sometimes this it lasts a couple of days. I am very comfortable with this as I understand that gym work is designed to tear down the muscles, so that they come back stronger. I have learned that I should not have a training run the day after my gym leg workout. Unless it is a major race, my running does not usually trigger a lot of stiffness. EYESIGHT - I do not have prescription eyeglasses, but do frequently use Costco reading glass. HEARING - My hearing has declined in that past five years. I have not had a hearing test, but may move in that direction. FLEXIBILITY - Seems OK. A few years back I did notice a loss in "range of motion" in my right arm. My Doctor found a bone spur that was rubbing against a tendon, causing discomfort. I subsequently had arthroscopic surgery to remove the spur. The Doctor was concerned that the tendon might be damaged (cut) by it BALANCE AND CONTROL - My balance and control seem normal. Chris & Doug touring Interorbital Sciences at the Mojave Spaceport. Six time Boston Marathon runner, Jon Resnick, with Chris on December 21, 2014. We are just above the famed HOLLYWOOD sign on the Cahuenga trail in Griffith Park. Later the same day on the Bronson trail to the "Bat Cave" The same cave used as the entrance in the 1966 era Adam West Batman TV series. Chris at the summit of Mount Baden Powell 9,399 feet elevation - November 22, 2014 The world below Mount Baden-Powell! Mark Church, Mark Skidmore, Scott Blackburn and Chris Laing Chris also likes horses, LOTS of horses! Chris has been riding dirt bikes off and on since the seventies, mostly in...