Photo: Sports Illustrated
Some things, you never forget how to do. Like riding a bike. Even at 105 years old.
Robert Marchand, a 105-year-old French cyclist, set a new world record Wednesday when he rode 14.01 miles (or 22.547 kilometers) in one hour. No other person in the 100-plus age category has ridden further in that amount of time.
“I’m not here to break any record,” Marchard told CyclingWeekly before his ride. “I’m doing it to prove that at 105 years old you can still ride a bike.”
Marchard is a former firefighter and lumberjack, and as a teen, he was told he would never be a good cyclist. So, he gave up on the sport until he was in his 90’s.
He may take some leisurely rides with his local bike club on weekends, but while he’s racing, his goal is to keep his heart rate at about 110 beats per minute.
He’s no stranger to the gym either. That’s where he stretches and rides the stationary bike.
What a champ on the bike, and a great model for aging gracefully.
