Photo by Kelli S. Hewett.
Hoover resident Nancy Kamm maintains her fitness with daily walks of 5 to 10 miles on the trails at Galleria Woods Senior Living. That commitment prepared her for her 80th birthday goal of walking the 84-mile Hadrian’s Wall in England.
Whether you want to hike an 84-mile ancient fortress or simply cruise into your adult years with more confidence and joy, Nancy Kamm's approach to adventuring in her 80s is a blueprint for all ages.
Her strategy?
- Choose a goal or experience that interests you.
- Break down the steps to achieve it.
- Set a deadline and get started.
- Don’t waste time doubting yourself.
“Life is about learning new things, doing new things, exploring,” said Kamm, a resident of Galleria Woods Senior Living community in Hoover. “It propels you to keep going ahead and testing yourself.”
In May, Kamm hiked the ancient ruins of England’s 84-mile Hadrian’s Wall — which is 80 Roman miles — to celebrate her 80th birthday.
Experts agree that there’s no expiration date on leveling up your life.
“It’s never too late,” said Sang-Rok Lee, an exercise scientist at Samford University who focuses on healthy aging research. “Exercise is a lifetime intervention.”
Be sure to start small to avoid discouragement, Lee advised.
Stacey Davis, fitness manager at Galleria Woods, agreed. She marvelled as Kamm trained months in advance for her British adventure with daily 5- and 10-mile power walks through the halls of the retirement community. “It’s such a cool thing.”
Davis said not to let overwhelm become an obstacle. She said you can simply start tonight by alternating standing on each foot as you brush your teeth. It will help balance and leg strength and create an easy-to-remember habit that will soon show results.
“Once you get moving, you’re going to want to move more,” Davis said.
