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An 80-Year-Old Woman Has an Elite VO2 Max Thanks to Simple Habits ...
Linda Kelly built elite fitness over the years by staying consistent. Nathaniel Wilder for BI She's 80 with the fitness level of a 60-year-old. Her routine is surprisingly simple. Linda Kelly has an elite VO₂ max and doesn't use extreme or complicated methods to achieve it. By Gabby Landsverk You're currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email. 2026-04-18T09:46:01.235Z "I have always seen myself as a very ordinary person with no real athletic ability," said Linda Kelly.Still, at 80, she has completed multiple half-marathons and routinely hikes, bikes, and runs around her part-time home in Anchorage, Alaska.Kelly is as fit as someone decades earlier, with the lab results to prove it. Her son, cardiologist Dr. Jake Kelly, put Kelly to the test on a treadmill and found she had an exceptionally high VO₂ max, the gold standard of cardio fitness. The metric measures your body's ability to use oxygen during exercise, and research links higher levels to a longer life.Kelly told Business Insider she's never followed any extreme exercise plan or strict longevity routine. Instead, it's the result of tiny yet consistent movements that accumulated over her lifetime. Linda Kelly has an active lifestyle outside the gym, doing her own housework. "I never liked sitting still," she said. Nathaniel Wilder for BI Some people think staying fit into old age requires intense training, but research suggests consistency matters more. And Kelly is living proof of how powerful it can be to invest in simple, sustainable habits: walking every day, running when you can, and making time for yourself."It's what every ordinary person can do, and who knew it would turn out to have such great benefits," Kelly said. Exercise over the yearsFrom a young age, Kelly said she loved every opportunity to exercise, from high school gym class and volleyball practice to long runs or bike rides.As she got older, life got busy as she started a career and a family. Still, Kelly found ways to move every day, logging "probably a million miles" by just walking with her twin baby boys in a stroller, or pedaling on a DIY stationary bike. Her husband helped her build it by mounting a bike frame and some cinder blocks. Linda Kelly lives in Anchorage, Alaska, and loves to explore. She's part of a hiking group led by an 89-year-old woman. Nathaniel Wilder for BI She also got plenty of steps in at work as a teacher, preferring to interact with students ra...
Do You Have A Good VO2 Max For Your Age? (And How To Improve It)
9th March 2026 Is your VO2 Max good for your age? And what does that mean for your running? Well we’re diving into what VO2 max ACTUALLY means, how much you should care about it and whether it’s a clear marker of success for runners. How do you improve VO2 Max? VO2 Max scores at the ready – no flexing in the comments! 😉
At 100, 'First Lady of Fitness' Reveals Her Daily Exercise Routine and 1 Food She Loves
She was married to famed fitness pioneer Jack LaLanne and has been exercising most of her life. The centenarian shares the workout and diet routine she credits for her longevity. Published 3 days ago
VO2 Max: The New Fitness Marker Everyone Is Tracking
VO2 max is a strong measure of cardiovascular fitness, though it is best considered in the broader context. Enhancing it will increase stamina and overall health; however, long-term fitness requires a well-rounded strategy that incorporates strength, rest, nutrition, and routine.
