Living Longer, living better The saying “you are never too old to do anything” rings true, whether it’s learning to salsa, exploring your creative side through drawing and painting, mastering a new language, trying out a new recipe, starting a hobby, embarking on a travel adventure, or enjoying your favourite sport. To inspire you, I came across a wonderful article on Dr. Peter Attia’s website that beautifully captures this sentiment.
Personally, I’ve always believed that age is just a number—it doesn’t define what you can achieve or who you can become. Pursue your dreams and live life on your own terms. Research supports the idea of following your passions, revealing that individuals deeply engaged in activities they love—like artists passionately devoted to their craft—often live vibrant, fulfilling lives well into their nineties. Many of these artists continued to paint daily, proving that when you’re fully immersed in something you love, age becomes irrelevant. At The Drive, we focus on extending life through healthy habits, disease prevention, and breakthroughs in geroscience. But the true value of a longer life diminishes if physical and mental fitness are compromised in those critical final years—what I call the “marginal decade.” Enjoyment during this time is deeply personal. For some, it may mean staying fit enough to travel the world, while for others, it might be as simple as playing on the floor with grandchildren.
This week, we spotlight remarkable individuals in their 80s, 90s, and beyond who embody the potential of thriving in the later decades of life.
The Late-in-Life Marathoner
In December 2022, Mathea Allansmith became the oldest woman to complete a marathon at 92 years and 194 days. Finishing the Honolulu Marathon in 11 hours, 19 minutes, and 49 seconds, her achievement is even more impressive considering she started running at 46. The retired ophthalmologist built her endurance over time, eventually running the Boston Marathon just six years later. Her advice? Find an activity you love, stay consistent, eat well, and take life one step at a time
The Adventurer of Living Longer, Living Better
Climbing the world’s tallest mountains demands both physical strength and mental resilience. Yuichiro Miura exemplifies this, becoming the oldest person to summit Mount Everest at 70 in 2003. Not stopping there, he broke his own record twice—first at 75 in 2008, and again in 2013 at age 80. While health challenges prevented him from returning to Everest at 90, Miura climbed Japan’s Mount Fuji that same year with assistance. For Miura, every summit is a chance to marvel at nature’s beauty.
The Legend
Gloria Tramontin Struck is a trailblazer in motorcycling, riding for over 83 years and
covering more than 700,000 miles. Learning to ride at 16 in 1941, she faced societal
stigmas but never wavered. Now 99, Gloria continues to plan adventures, including a cross-country ride from New Jersey to California for her 100th birthday. Her lifelong love of riding and travel continues to inspire.
The 90-Year-Old Astronaut
On May 19, 2024, Ed Dwight became the oldest person to travel to space at 90 years, 8 months, and 10 days. A former U.S. Air Force captain and artist, Dwight was the first African American admitted to NASA’s astronaut training program in the 1960s but never flew. Decades later, Blue Origin offered him the chance to fulfill his dream through a suborbital spaceflight. Reflecting on his experience, Dwight remarked, “I thought I didn’t need this, but I lied—I really did.” His journey underscores the idea that dreams can be realized at any age.
The Surf Betty
New Zealand’s Nancy Meherne lived her philosophy of “You gotta have fun!” until her final days. At 91, she surfed independently, tended her vegetable garden, taught music, danced, biked, and relished life’s simple pleasures. Though she passed away at 93 in 2022, Nancy remains an enduring example of how staying active and joyful creates a meaningful life in the marginal decade.
The Takeaway
You don’t need to summit Everest or run a marathon to live an extraordinary life in your marginal decade. These inspiring individuals share common threads: staying active, pursuing goals, connecting with nature, eating well, and embracing new challenges. While no one knows when their marginal decade will begin, envisioning your ideal life at any age can motivate you to lay the foundation for it today
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