Ida Keeling set the world record for running a 100-meter dash, then dropped to the ground and started doing push-ups. Not bad for a 104-year-old woman.
Ida Keeling ran the 100-meter dash in 1 minute and 17.33 seconds to set the world record for women ages 100 to 104 in 2016 at Penn Relays.
Granted, she was only 100 years old at the time she set the record, but it’s beyond impressive and nothing short of miraculous.
She’s set multiple world running records since 2016 and traveled the world, but things didn’t start out so great for the 4 foot 6 inch running miracle.
But it’s not how you start the race, it’s how you finish it and Miss Ida knows how to finish well.
Ida Keeling – Racing All Her Life
Miss Ida is the name she is known by in her Bronx, New York neighborhood, and she has been running all her life to meet the demands of life.
She had written a book, titled ‘Can’t Nothing Bring Me Down: Chasing Myself in the Race against Time.’
In the book, she details the difficulties of her early life and the tragedy which occurred when she was in her late 60’s, which led to the beginning of her running career.
This running miracle woman didn’t start running until the age of 67, an age when most other runners would have been long retired.
Ida’s daughter, Shelly, took her to a 5K run to be a spectator, but sitting on the sidelines of life had never appealed to Miss Ida.
She quickly went from being a spectator to becoming a participant in running events when she was nearing age 70.
Miss Ida’s daughter Shelley is a track-and-field and cross-country coach and was attempting to cheer her mother up by taking her to the 5K running event.
That fateful trip Shelly took her mother on led to an entirely new life for Miss Ida.
One that has been filled with awards, accolades, new records, travel, and joy.
The race of life didn’t start well for her, but it looks like Miss Ida will be finishing well because she wouldn’t let anything bring her down and she just kept moving forward.
Born and raised in a poor family in Harlem, Miss Ida is quoted as saying, ‘the past is sometimes kind, sometimes horrible and miserable.
Feeling miserable is a bad thing; it slows you down. I don’t like to slow down. I want to be ready to move.’
And she has never stopped moving since that trip with her daughter to a 5K.
Miss Ida was a single parent to four children and she supported them by working in factories during the Great Depression.
Working women of that era were not valued as much as male workers and the lower pay reflected that.
Her meager pay, combined with her determination to keep moving forward, was enough for her to raise her children to adulthood in spite of whatever difficulties life threw her way.
Two of her adult sons lost their lives to drug-related violence; neither of the cases has been solved.
Losing one son was devastating enough, but losing the second one was almost more than Miss Ida could bear.
She sank into a deep depression after his death and that is what prompted her daughter Shelly to take her to the 5K run.
She wanted to help her mother overcome the depression, and she did in ways that she never expected.
Miss Ida put on her first pair of running shoes at age 67 and has been able to run past all the grief and sorrow in her life.
While the loss and unsolved murders of her two sons will never be far from her heart and mind, moving forward with running and exercise helps her to cope and move forward with her life.
She has been running for over 35 years and there is no stopping place in sight.
Miss Ida has set her sights on future goals, future races to run and more records to break.
She is an inspiration to everyone who is facing obstacles in life – keep moving forward and don’t let anything hold you back.
How Does She Do It?
67 is the age of retirement, not the age to begin a second career that is physically demanding.
It’s the time in life when you can finally sit down, rest and take up an easy hobby to occupy your time.
Miss Ida didn’t see it that way and still doesn’t.
At age 104, she is still exercising and running, engaging in more physical activity than most people one-third of her age.
But how does she do it?
How did she manage to live to be over 100, let along be so healthy and physically active?
Miss Ida adheres to a healthy diet and exercise routine, plus a shot of cognac a few times every week, to keep herself fit and strong.
To keep in good physical shape, Miss Ida starts exercising before she gets out of bed every morning with leg circles to improve circulation.
She goes to the gym three or four days a week for strength training classes that also include dance steps to help promote agility and flexibility.
When she doesn’t go to the gym, Miss Ida uses a stationary bike at home, squats while holding three-pound weights and runs.
If a race is approaching, she expands her exercise routine to include going to the track with her daughter for warm-up sessions and practice runs.
She incorporates squats into her daily routine of cleaning and cooking to help keep her leg muscles strong, flexible and increase circulation.
She advises people not to push themselves when tired and to be aware that balance changes as we age.
After falling at home and suffering a broken bone a few years ago, she cautions people to think before stepping and to stay alert.
The Daniel Diet Plan
Her regular diet is called the Daniel Plan and it’s a Bible-based food diet that focuses primarily on vegetables and fruits.
She also takes cod liver oil and blackstrap molasses for joint health, a doctor-recommended shot of Hennessey cognac a few times every week to improve circulation.
This healthy eating plan is a modified version of the Daniel Fast.
Its roots are found in the Bible in the Book of Daniel.
The Biblical account was a purified vegan fast in which Daniel speaks of eating only vegetables and water, no wine, meat, or delicacies and was followed for 21 days.
This is still successfully used short-term for weight loss but is not a healthful eating plan to follow long-term.
When it’s adhered to as a life-long healthy eating plan, as Miss Ida does, the food list includes animal protein, pasta and bread.
The Daniel Plan consists of 50 percent of daily food from non-starchy vegetables, 25 percent healthy animal or vegetable protein, and 25 percent starch or whole grains.
Fruits are allowed as a side dish.
This healthy eating plan does allow meat, coffee, tea, butter, and sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, and stevia extract.
This healthy eating plan follows this motto: If it’s made IN a plant, don’t eat it, if it grows ON a plant, eat it.
This takes all the guesswork out of what you should or should not eat.
It’s a simple, straightforward plan that does not require measuring or weighing food, no meetings to attend and no support group needed.
If it grows on a plant, just eat it.
Miss Ida is a living testimony of how well the Daniel Plan works as a long-term healthy eating plan.
This 104-year-old running miracle has been eating foods from the Daniel Plan food list for years.
The top six foods to build your daily menu around include:
- Omega-3 eggs (organic)
- Legumes such as lentils and chickpeas for plant protein
- Slow-burning, low-glycemic vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and spinach
- Berries, cherries, peaches, plums, pears, and apples for energy from natural sugar
- Organic poultry
- Organic, grass-fed beef or lamb
The vegetable list goes from A to Z, from asparagus to zucchini with celery, ginger, garlic, potatoes, mushrooms, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and much more in-between.
There is no limit on the amount of vegetables that can be eaten and no certain way that food must be prepared.
Fried foods are not off-limits, but should be consumed in moderation and cooked in a healthy oil like olive oil.
Fruits are plentiful on the Daniel Plan too and have all the predictable ones like apples and blueberries.
You can also enjoy grapes, mangos, papaya, pineapple, pears and peaches on this long-term healthy eating plan.
Many more fruits are also included on the list too.
Herbs enhance food flavors and there is no shortage of them on the eating plan.
Herbs are plants and can be enjoyed fresh or dried.
A multitude of spices, seasonings, and condiments can also be used to enhance food flavor.
Certain types of bread and packaged grains are a part of Miss Ida’s healthy eating plan.
Ezekiel bread, which is made from a Bible-based recipe, includes sandwich bread, pita bread, and tortillas.
Whole wheat, sugar-free bread, multi-grain sugar-free bread, gluten-free bread, low-sugar cereals, rice, couscous, farro, oats, pearl barley, and quinoa grace the list of the Daniel Plan.
Pre-packaged foods that come in cans and jars and make meal preparation easy can also be a part of healthy, long-term eating.
Tomato products, like crushed, paste, sauces and stewed are fine, as long as they are organic and contain no added sugar.
Canned beans, artichoke hearts, and broths add quick and healthy nutrition to meals also.
Whole wheat pasta products, like penne, risotto, spaghetti, and fettucini, can be combined with canned and jarred products for a quick, wholesome meal.
Nuts, seeds, sugar-free cookies and organic baked chips can be enjoyed as a between-meal nutritional snack.
The Daniel Plan is not designed to make you feel deprived or hungry but to promote good health, longevity and increased energy.
Organic poultry, beef, lamb, wild-caught salmon, halibut can be eaten a few times every week.
The beverage of choice should be water, but coffee, green tea, herbal tea, plant-based milk products, and of course, a shot of Hennessey is permissible too.
The complete list of foods for the Daniel Plan is easy to find with a web search and it’s also easy to follow.
As you research Miss Ida and the Daniel Plan, you will be inspired by her words, but by the testimony of others who are following this long-term eating plan.
Chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and arthritis, have disappeared as people began to eat healthier and exercise.
Sticking with a healthy diet and exercise plan and keeping the faith that you can do it just may enable you to reduce the number of medications you take, improve your quality of life and increase your lifespan.
Ida Keeling’s book shares her life story and will inspire others to keep moving forward and dare to dream a new dream, even at retirement age.
