For some, life begins at 67. Shelly Keeling’s mother had both of her son’s murdered and she appeared to be fading fast, so she decided to do something about. She told her mother, Ida Keeling, that she was going running with her and she bought her a pair of running shoes. That same year, she entered her mother in a 5k race. This week, she set a record at the prestigious Penn Relays. She won the 80 and over class in record time.
From KYW-TV:
On Saturday, Keeling broke the world record for the 100-yard dash for her age group (80 years and older
).
“It was wonderful.” Keeling said. “It’s the best exercise I know.”
Her trainer was her daughter, Shelly Keeling.
She has a mat. She does squats, push-ups,” Shelly said. “She can do a lot of calisthenic movements where she can use her own body weight.”
But she says her mother didn’t start running until she was much older — after a family tragedy.
“I put her in a 5K race when she was 67 years old. Prior to that she had not run,” Shelly said. “Both my brothers had been murdered, so she was sinking very quickly, and I just picked her up one morning and said, ‘you’re coming with me,’ and I bought her an extra pair of sneakers and the rest is history.”
So what’s Keeling’s secret to longevity?
“Eat for nutrition, not for taste,” she said. “Do what you need to do, not what you want to do, and make sure you exercise at least once every day.
She may not run very fast, but then again, how many 100 year old women could beat her? Even the 80 year old youngsters can’t do what she does. She does calisthenics on a mat at home and seems to be pretty spry, especially at her age.