Fitness: How aging athletes stay active into their 80s (2024)

When Keijo Taivassalo crossed the finish line at this year’s Boston marathon, it was the second consecutive time he’d finished the race at the top of his age group, ahead by more than 38 minutes.

Not bad for an 82-year-old.

Taivassalo, who hails from Thornhill, Ont., was pretty happy with his pace, averaging nine minutes and 33 seconds per mile (about 6:30 per kilometre). He even managed a finishing kick in the last mile, clocking in at four hours, 10 minutes and 23 seconds — despite tripping and falling four miles before the end of the race.

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“A fellow runner helped me up and offered to walk with me, but I told him, ‘Sorry, I don’t have time to walk’,” he said.

Taivassalo has always been active. He cross-country skied in his native Finland before taking up distance running in his 40s when he moved to Canada. And he’s been running ever since: marathons, half marathons and the occasional 10K. Taivassalo’s latest Boston run was his 57th marathon.

He typically runs a few times a week, increasing that to six days in the three months leading up to a marathon. He’s also been training with the University of Toronto Track Club for the past six years as well as with members of a recreational running club closer to home, a combination he credits with improving both his running and motivation.

“It’s fun to train in a group,” he said. “And it pushes me harder.”

Taivassalo avoids doing speed work, which has been the cause of a few nagging injuries, but he admits that track workouts have helped him stay competitive. And although he’s slowed since his first marathon more than 20 years ago (finished in three hours and 22 minutes), he’s still routinely the fastest octogenarian on the course.

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At least one of Taivassalo’s two children is always there, running with him or proudly cheering him on from the sidelines. His daughter, Tanja, was in Boston in October to witness his latest effort. An associate professor at the University of Florida, she offers more than just encouragement. In fact, she’s an exercise physiologist who, along with her husband, Russ Hepple (a muscle biologist at the University of Florida), studied the unique physiology of competitive master athletes in their 80s.

“Most of the aged athletes we studied have a long history of physical activity; so they started moving early and never stopped,” Hepple said.

Physical activity patterns ebb and flow throughout a person’s life, with some better than others at resetting their commitment to exercise after life-changing events like starting a new job, raising a family or moving to a new city. According to Hepple, the most successful master athletes don’t let life’s challenges get in the way of their exercise routine. But there’s more than just an unwavering commitment to being physically active that makes athletes like Taivassalo so exceptional.

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Hepple and Tanja conducted a variety of tests on their sample of elite octogenarians, including obtaining samples of muscle tissue, in the hopes of finding out if there’s anything particular about their physiology that predisposed athletic success later in life. After all, there are plenty of older adults who have remained active over the decades but can’t compete with the likes of Taivassalo and his cohorts. The results are currently being reviewed for publication, but Hepple said his research group found nearly 150 muscle proteins that were unique to older master athletes when compared to their sedentary peers. These proteins, known to diminish with age and not thought to be affected by exercise, may be key to the resilience of these active agers.

“There’s something different about these folks,” Hepple said.

Does that mean these remarkable aging athletes could have been Olympians back in the day, had life taken them in that direction? Hepple said it’s doubtful that this cohort of 80-year-olds have previously undiscovered athletic potential that could have made them Olympians. It’s more likely that their physiology slows part of the aging process responsible for the decline in athletic performance.

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So how can others get in on the action? Hepple suggested older adults can optimize the age-retarding benefits of exercise by diversifying their workout routine.

“Mix it up. Incorporate strength-based movements as well as endurance-based movements,” Hepple said, adding that it’s still too soon to pinpoint the optimal anti-aging exercise regimen.

As for the old adage that it’s never too late to reap the benefits of regular physical activity, that still holds true. Just be aware that how the body adapts to exercise changes with age — especially after 75. So if your idea of a life well-lived is standing at the starting line of the Boston marathon at the age of 82, you best get at it and keep at it. But for anyone looking at 75 in the rear-view mirror, don’t be so quick to pull up the rocking chair.

“When it comes to healthy aging, any movement is better than no movement,” Hepple said.

As for Taivassalo, he claims aging has improved his running career. He’s gotten smarter and more serious about his training with each passing decade. But he also attributes his success to “Sisu,” a Finnish expression for resilience and strength of will.

“I don’t give up,” said the 82-year-old, who intends to run the Boston marathon again next year.

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