NEW YORK – May McDaniel expects to live to be 100. That's always been the plan. But when the Manchester, Georgia, resident was growing up, the idea of women's physical fitness and exercise wasn't often a priority.
"I'm old enough that when I was quite young, women didn't sweat," the 80-year-old tells USA TODAY, "so I was not encouraged – particularly by my family." But one voice cheered her on in her goal to be fit: her great aunt Hilda, who stood 4 feet, 9 inches and lived to be 106 years old.
McDaniel is one of several 80-somethings who participated in the inaugural longevity competition the Super Age Games, which tested everything from balance to agility to functional strength in a Hyrox-style environment.
Another participant in her age range
was Richard Graham.
"The science tells me I can live a long time now," said Graham, his black hat, white T-shirt and black Under Armour sweatpants clinging to his fit, also 80-year-old body, "but my past history says I can't."
The Santa Barbara, California, resident and former automobile dealer used to be very out of shape. He retired 20 years ago, then his late wife was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. He scrambled to find answers: Is there anything you can do for Parkinson's disease to extend health longer? Just to give his wife a few more years? Then, he thought of himself, and what he could do to better his own health and be there for her.
"I said 'maybe I better get in shape and see if I can stay healthy to help her.' And my gosh, I just – it takes a long time. It's hard, if you don't work out for 60 years," he said. "But I did. I got in very good shape over 10 years, and now with the science, the Buck Institute, Super Age Games. I've got another – I don't want to say, but I got a long time."
He added, "at 80 it is a blessing to be alive, fit and agile."
A 'fun' but 'grueling' experience at the Super Age Games
McDaniel's aunt Hilda never learned to drive, but she lived in town and walked from her house to town. Twice a day, rain or shine, and picked up a crisp Coca-Cola at the pharmacy uptown in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. She filled up a basket at the farmer's market every weekend and grew grapes and flowers and figs in her garden.
"I grew up with that example, and I didn't understand at that point in time how important that was," McDaniel said, a sentiment that sends smiles across longevity experts' faces. The simple things (and lucky genetics) keep us young.
McDaniel stayed fit throughout her life. She played tennis, she ran, she scuba dived, she sailed, she hunted, she hiked the Appalachian Trail solo at 71. She's done it all. But once her husband went into assisted living some years ago – and died about two years ago – her activity waned. Then came the Super Age Games. "That would be something to kind of force my hand to try to get back in better shape," she thought. She trained some, including weightlifting, but not as much as she would have liked.
"It became fun, even though it was grueling," she said, "and I'm not nearly in the shape I was five years ago ... but if I come back next year, I'll be in a better shape."
Graham found out about the competition on Facebook. "It sounded like one of those things that I should not be in," he said. "But then they said any age you can start, and I know that now. I can prove it, with me."
His wife died two years ago, but that hasn't stopped him from keeping up with his healthy lifestyle.
"I want to show people, my friends, my family. I got 20 members of my family flew in from all over the United States, to inspire them that that there really is hope that we can live healthier longer," he added.
'I want to be you'
A 56-year-old woman came up to her early in the event and told McDaniel how glad she was she was there. "You are why I'm here," the woman told her. Tears snuck up on her. Why? "Because I want to be you," she said.
"Well," McDaniel told her, "you're doing the right things. You'll be here."
McDaniel's next goal? A trip to New Zealand in March.
"I haven't been to the gym today," she said, "but I've walked two miles, so I'm ahead of the game, and I will probably do yoga."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: These 80-year-olds are more in shape than you. Here's how
