This morning, a rainy one, I met our running group in the parking lot for our weekly Sunday run. Mike Fremont, nearly 94 now, shared a few tidbits with us: he’s run three ten-milers in the past two weeks, coming back from a minor muscle strain in his hip. If he runs a 5K, a 10K, or almost any length race, he sets a world record. But, that aside, what amazes me most about Mike is his constantly engaged mind and his passion for improving the world … in his own little way. Unlike many his age, he constantly seeks new information and loves to spread the gospel of good health. To me, he’s a walking encyclopedia of how to enjoy life in one’s 90s.
He made me think about an article I read recently in Outside, a magazine oriented towards the adventurers of life. Kurt Searvogel, a formerly obese man from Arkansas (now the state with the highest percentage of obese people in America), is on a mission to break the world record of miles cycled in a year, which stands at 75,065, set in 1939 by Tommy Godwin. Kurt probably won’t break it. On Dec. 24, his mileage stood at just under 73,000 – with only a week to go. But good try, Kurt – and better to try and come up short, rather than not trying at all.
Now, I asked myself whether Kurt could have broken the record if he’d put better fuel in his body. He eats sausage biscuits for breakfast, burgers for lunch, donuts as a snack, pop tarts, Little Debbies, and cans of Mountain Dew to wash it all down. Sort of a modern day Jim Fixx. Yes, he burns enough calories by riding his bike about 200 miles a day to avoid weight gain due to such a diet, but what will his health be like if he keeps this up for the next few decades? In Jim’s case, such a diet cost him his life, even though he ran marathons.
Mike, the legendary LifeNut, reminded me also of good financial management. A September article in Barrons gave viewpoints of several money managers. One said that the greatest gift you, as a parent, can give your children is not a free college ride, but rather it’s not to be a financial burden on them in your own old age, a scenario that happens often. LifeNuts understand their finances and they know how to invest for the future. One lady, mentioned in the article, didn’t. A widow, she inherited $30 million when her husband died, and clueless about investing, she gave power of attorney to her son to manage her finances. Guess what? She’s now living on Social Security. Her son squandered all of it. Sad, but true.
So, a word to the wise readers of this little blog, as another year in our lives ends: watch what you put in your mouth and strive to become a master of financial management, if you aren’t already. See you next year.
He made me think about an article I read recently in Outside, a magazine oriented towards the adventurers of life. Kurt Searvogel, a formerly obese man from Arkansas (now the state with the highest percentage of obese people in America), is on a mission to break the world record of miles cycled in a year, which stands at 75,065, set in 1939 by Tommy Godwin. Kurt probably won’t break it. On Dec. 24, his mileage stood at just under 73,000 – with only a week to go. But good try, Kurt – and better to try and come up short, rather than not trying at all.
Now, I asked myself whether Kurt could have broken the record if he’d put better fuel in his body. He eats sausage biscuits for breakfast, burgers for lunch, donuts as a snack, pop tarts, Little Debbies, and cans of Mountain Dew to wash it all down. Sort of a modern day Jim Fixx. Yes, he burns enough calories by riding his bike about 200 miles a day to avoid weight gain due to such a diet, but what will his health be like if he keeps this up for the next few decades? In Jim’s case, such a diet cost him his life, even though he ran marathons.
Mike, the legendary LifeNut, reminded me also of good financial management. A September article in Barrons gave viewpoints of several money managers. One said that the greatest gift you, as a parent, can give your children is not a free college ride, but rather it’s not to be a financial burden on them in your own old age, a scenario that happens often. LifeNuts understand their finances and they know how to invest for the future. One lady, mentioned in the article, didn’t. A widow, she inherited $30 million when her husband died, and clueless about investing, she gave power of attorney to her son to manage her finances. Guess what? She’s now living on Social Security. Her son squandered all of it. Sad, but true.
So, a word to the wise readers of this little blog, as another year in our lives ends: watch what you put in your mouth and strive to become a master of financial management, if you aren’t already. See you next year.
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