Sir Jim Ratcliffe yesterday proved that age need not be an obstacle to fitness, after a spectacular performance in the London Marathon.
The 71-year-old completed the 42 kilometer race in a time of just four hours, 32 minutes and 52 seconds.
His impressive time in yesterday’s big event marked his personal best over the distance.
And after his career, he still had enough energy to run across London to watch his boyhood club Manchester United (in which he has a 25 per cent stake) play the second half of the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
Sir Jim, who started shortly after 10am, is known as a keen athlete who likes a challenge.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe running in the London Marathon. The 71-year-old managed an impressive time of four hours, 32 minutes and 52 seconds.
However, you don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to stay fit at 60, you just need to make sure you follow the best fitness tips for your age group.
In fact, although most have no ambition to surpass Sir Jim’s impressive performance, according to the NHS, older adults “should do some form of physical activity every day.”
According to the organization, physical activity can “help improve health and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.”
However, he warns, before starting a fitness regime, if you haven’t exercised for a while, it is essential to speak to a family doctor.
This is also the case if you have “medical conditions or concerns,” in which case you should “make sure your activity and its intensity are appropriate for your physical condition.”
Joanna Dase, from international fitness franchise Curves, previously told FEMAIL that there are key workouts and exercises for every decade.
He suggested that people over 60 should “make sure to pay attention to balance and flexibility to stay safe and flexible.”
Joanna explained: ‘At 60, you can still do the same exercises you enjoyed before, but you may need to modify the movement slightly.
The 71-year-old shows off his medal after his impressive performance at the London Marathon – proving that age doesn’t have to stop you from doing everything you love.
“For example, you can still do squats, but you may have to limit the range or duration of the position.”
He added: “As bone and muscle density decreases, it’s critical to continue focusing on strength training, but be sure to pay attention to balance and flexibility to stay safe and flexible.”
According to Joanna, there are several tips to keep in mind when starting a fitness regimen at age 60.
Joanna said: ‘Keep it simple in the ’60s.’
‘Aim for a moderate and balanced daily routine where you do what you love!
“With any exercise, your main goals should be to prevent injury, increase mobility, and maintain quality of life with your movements.”
According to the NHS, people aged 60 should try to do some activity, even light, every day.
List a light activity like getting up to make a cup of tea; move around your house; walk at a slow pace; cleaning and dusting; Vacuuming; Making the bed; and stand up.’
As for moderate activity, which he defines as being able to speak, but not sing, he recommends 150 minutes per week.
This could include walking for health reasons; water aerobics; riding a bike; dancing to stay fit; doubles tennis; pushing a lawnmower; and hiking.’
Alternatively, it suggests that those in that age group get 75 minutes of intense, vigorous activity a week.
According to the NHS: ‘Intense, vigorous activity makes you breathe hard and fast.
“If you’re working at this level, you won’t be able to say more than a few words without pausing to breathe.”
He adds: “In general, 75 minutes of vigorous activity can provide similar health benefits to 150 minutes of moderate activity.”
“Most moderate-intensity activities can become vigorous if you increase your effort.”
The activities he lists include running; aerobics; swim; cycling fast or on hills; singles tennis; football; uphill hiking; dancing to stay fit; and martial arts.’
And it turns out that exercising in old age isn’t just good for your fitness: A 2023 study found that exercising just once a month at any age can help prevent dementia in old age, according to one study.
In the first study to look specifically at age, exercise and brain health during retirement, researchers at University College London wanted to see if the timing of active lifestyles had an impact.
Staying active throughout adulthood was found to be the best option for good brain health in retirement, but even exercising at age 60 is beneficial, the research suggested.
They found that those who exercise regularly as they age are more likely to have good brain health than those who exercise for periods and then stop.
But any level of exercise — from brisk walking to gym workouts — increased participants’ brain power compared to those who did none, they said.
Lead author Dr Sarah-Naomi James said: “Our study suggests that engaging in any physical activity during leisure time, at any time in adult life, has a positive effect on cognition.
“This appears to be the case even with light activity levels, between one and four times a month.
“What’s more, people who have never been active before and who start doing so at age 60 also appear to have better cognitive function than those who have never been active.
‘The greatest cognitive effect was seen in those who remained physically active throughout their lives.
“The effect is cumulative, so the longer an individual is active, the more likely they are to have greater cognitive function in the future.”