To Those of You Looking for the Fountain of Youth

Exercise...It's the only fountain of youth available...and its cost is your commitment.

Introduction

At 86.5 years old, I can confidently say that exercise has been a crucial ingredient in my healthy and joyful life. From running marathons to heliskiing 3 million vertical feet in the Canadian Rockies to pushing a 125-pound sled just yesterday, staying active is a lifelong passion and a necessity.

I found inspiration from both historical and modern figures in this lifestyle. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who both lived into their eighties, were great walkers who credited daily physical activity for their vitality. In more recent times, icons like Ernestine Shepherd and Dick Van Dyke have proven that vigorous exercise into our later decades is not only possible but deeply rewarding.

My Personal Exercise Journey

Earlier in my life, I made it a habit to ride my bike to work year-round. Even in the snow and wind, I found joy and strength in pedaling through each season. From age 65 to 83, biking remained a core part of my daily routine, and although I’ve since cut back a bit, cycling is still part of my life.

Running was another passion. I ran every day for 20 years, completing five marathons and even a fifty-miler. During running, I experienced what’s known as the runner’s high — a profound feeling of euphoria and energy that comes from sustained, vigorous exercise. I’ve learned you can get that same high not just from running, but from any form of challenging, joyful movement.

Today, I work out three days a week with trainers, focusing primarily on strength training. Yesterday’s workout included pushing and pulling a 125-pound sled 280 yards — not bad for a guy closing in on 87! I firmly believe that 7 to 10 hours of exercise per week is the minimum needed for maintaining vitality, with a portion of that exercise raising your heart rate to 75% of your maximum.

Finding the Exercise You Love

A key to sustaining exercise is finding a physical activity you enjoy. For me, it started with sports in early school years, then evolved into skiing, running, cycling, and now centers on walking with my dog

TJ, Jane, and Bill Reynolds getting in some exercise.

and wife, biking, swimming, skiing with grandkids, and strength training.  When you enjoy any activity, it becomes less of a chore and more of a privilege. It’s a firm lifestyle mindset that evolves as we go through life.  The pushback on this is.... it hurts and it's hard...and that's true as well.  The payoff’s worth it.  

Lessons from History and Science

Historical figures understood this payoff well. 

Thomas Jefferson walked miles every day around his Monticello estate, believing that "walking is the best possible exercise." John Adams insisted that daily walks and manual labor kept his mind and body sharp, famously stating, "Move or die." They both lived to be 83 years old with few drugs to help them.

Benjamin Franklin was known for endurance swimming as a young man in London. In later years, he advocated for daily walks for "good digestion and deep thinking."

Teddy Roosevelt seen chopping wood

Theodore Roosevelt, perhaps the most famous of the historical fitness advocates, was a frail child.  Through rigorous exercise, he built himself into a fitness fanatic.  Chopping wood was one of his favorite forms of exercise. It's said that when he was president, he "forced" guests to climb fences and ford streams in Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C.

Winston Churchill, better known by many for drinking early in the day and smoking cigars, walked daily around his gardens at Chartwell, living to the age of 90.

Leonardo da Vinci, back in the 15th century, practiced stretching and described early forms of calisthenics. He wrote long ago that "inactivity leads to disease." Even Plato wrote, "lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being."

Modern science now confirms their wisdom. In his book Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity, 

Dr. Peter Attia emphasizes that exercise is "the most potent longevity drug" available. According to Attia, maintaining muscle mass and cardiovascular fitness greatly reduces mortality risk and dramatically improves health span, or the years we live with energy, independence, and meaning.

Attia encourages training not just for looks or athletic performance, but for functional strength: the ability to lift your suitcase in the airliner overhead rack, climb stairs, or get up off the floor in your eighties and nineties. It's about preparing for the "Centenarian Olympics" or the everyday tasks we often take for granted today, but must preserve if we want to live well later.

Inspiration from Modern Icons

Today, look to Ernestine Shepherd, the world's oldest female bodybuilder, who lifts weights and runs at 88. Or Dick Van Dyke, who at 99 years old still dances, stretches, and lifts weights three times a week. Here's a link highlighting his workout routine, which is not for the weak. Their energy and optimism prove that age is just a number when it comes to vitality.

Conclusion: A Life in Motion

 I’ve lived this simple truth: you don't stop moving because you get old; you get old because you stop moving. Whether it was biking to work in the dead of winter, finishing a marathon, or pushing/ pulling a sled, each step, pedal stroke, and lift has added life to my years.

Exercise isn’t just about muscles or miles; it’s about joy, resilience, freedom, and spirit. Find the movements you love. Do it often. Push yourself more than you think you can. Your future self—decades down the line—will thank you.