I decided to take a break from my Morocco bicycle tour and run a marathon in the exotic city of Marrakech. To get to Marrakech from the coast, I had to cycle 190 miles from the small surf town of Taghazout, traversing the incredible Atlas Mountain range. Unfortunately, I drastically underestimated the amount of recovery time I would need after that ride.
Not only does losing your mobility put you at an increased risk for depression, but in a recent study, losing it has been shown to decrease your life expectancy by as much as ten years.
Here’s the good news. With training, your balance, and your ability to get around can be improved and extended.
A prevalent aging misconception is that people lose their ability to recover quickly as they age. Whether it’s exercise, injury, hangovers, etc… you will often hear older people whine how they just can’t rebound like they did when they were younger.
There is a biological truth to a diminished ability to recover as you age, but I promise you it’s not nearly as severe as most people think.
A significant motivation that inspired me to get fit was the discovery that I have the late-onset Alzheimer’s gene.
Through genetic testing, I learned I have the Apolipoprotein E gene. Also known as APOE. More specifically, I possess two copies of the E4 variant of the APOE gene.
If you are new to running, understand this, humans are the most proficient long-distance runners nature has ever created. Any inability to run has been eliminated from your genes centuries ago. It wasn’t that far back in history, that if you couldn’t run, you would die. Everyone can run.
First, let’s get past the question of whether or not I am super fit. Like everyone else, I have good days and bad days, but for the most part, I exercise regularly, I maintain a healthy diet, and I feel great. So, for the sake of this article, let’s all agree that I am super fit.
Buffer Boesch
Buffer Boesch
Buffer Boech
Buffer Boesch
Buffer Boesch
Buffer Boesch