Starting at 66, breaking records at 82: The grandpa who outsprints time
While most octogenarians might struggle to open a jar or remember where they left their reading glasses, López García is setting world records for running 31 miles at a pace that would leave many 20-year-olds wheezing in his dust
Meet Juan López García, 82, retired car mechanic, former tinkerer of engines, and now, apparently, a defier of biology.
While most octogenarians might struggle to open a jar or remember where they left their reading glasses, López García is setting world records for running 31 miles at a pace that would leave many 20-year-olds wheezing in his dust, says the NYPost.
Here's the twist: Juan didn't even start running until he retired at 66. Back then, a single mile left him gasping. Fast-forward 16 years, and he now boasts a 3:39:10 marathon finish at the 2024 World Championship for his age group and holds the world record in the 80–84 ultramarathon category.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Scientists across Europe are now scratching their heads—and running alongside him in labs—because his physiology reads like a cheat sheet for immortality:
-
VO₂ Max That Defies Decades: While most people lose 10% of oxygen-processing capacity per decade after 30, Juan's has increased since he first laced up his shoes.
-
Fat-Burning Dynamo: He taps into fat for fuel at a rate that most athletes half his age can only dream of. His body hits peak fat oxidation at 77% of VO₂ max—compared to 45–65% in the typical crowd.
-
Oxygen Extraction Wizardry: His muscles are oxygen vacuums, hemoglobin levels high, and lean mass impressive—basically, his cells are in top form for an endurance party.
Yet, in a nod to reality, scientists remind us that he's not Superman. His lactate threshold and running efficiency are merely "strong for his age"—meaning, he's extraordinary, but still human.
Juan's secret? A strict training routine of 40 miles per week (nearly double before races), sprinkled with sprints and intervals, combined with strength training and a Mediterranean-style diet. He laughs off the idea of "aging gracefully" as he reminisces: "My grandparents at 82 seemed like little old people. Me? I don't feel old at all."
Researchers say López García's journey is more than inspirational—it's a case study in how starting endurance training later in life can counteract aging, boost exercise capacity, and maybe, just maybe, make 80 the new 40.
In short: retire, run, and defy your expectations. And maybe, keep a mechanic's wrench handy—just in case.
