Ain't Nothing Gonna Slow Them Down

Second Wind: The Rise of the Ageless Athlete

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According to the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. is approaching a "longevity revolution." People are living longer, and by the year 2030, the elderly population is expected to surpass 70 million. Sure, longevity is generally considered a good thing, so long as quantity of life is matched by quality. In his new book Second Wind: Rise of the Ageless Ahlete ($17.95; Human Kinetics), award winning journalist Lee Bergquist profiles a group of adults who, despite aging bodies, continue to find and improve their quality of life through sports. Among those profiled is Barbara Klippel, who last spring became the oldest woman to compete in the 33.5-mile American Birkebeiner ski race at the age of 76. Sure, you could write her and the other subjects off as having exceptional genes and determination, but according to Bergquist, they're exceptional because they "simply find that an athletic act, executed with old bones and muscles, can give meaning to life in ways that love and religion cannot."

Amen to that!

Second Wind: The Rise of the Ageless Athlete

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