How an 81-year-old chases a world record - Sports Life - video Dailymotion

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How do you stay fit in old age? Friedhelm Adorf has an answer. The 81-year-old exercises every morning, eats a healthy diet and trains for a world record: the 200m sprint in his age group. Unfortunately, his knee is giving him problems. Will he still succeed?

Transcript

00:00This is Friedhelm Adolf.

00:11He's one of the fastest over 80 year olds in the world and still chasing records.

00:18He finally hopes to break the world record for 200 meters for his age group.

00:23But knee pain derails his plans.

00:31Friedhelm went for an x-ray and was given some bad news.

00:37So this is the issue we need to tackle.

00:42I have all the sporting accolades there are, but I'm still missing a world record.

00:48Will the 81 year old with a dodgy knee manage one final triumph?

01:08This is the morning routine of a pro athlete.

01:1250 minutes of exercise.

01:18You have to be thankful.

01:21I slept well and it's going to be a beautiful day.

01:24I check in with my body and say great that everything works.

01:39One leg at a time I kick up and then hit my bottom.

01:42I increase the speed going faster and faster.

01:48Every day.

01:50Now it's time for breakfast.

01:52Friedhelm's favourite fuel is muesli with oats, nuts and dried fruits.

01:59Usually his wife joins him, but she recently underwent surgery on her right knee.

02:03She's in rehab right now after getting a new knee joint.

02:08Arthritis in knee joints is a typical sign of wear and tear in old age.

02:14Friedhelm hopes he won't be affected, as running and sprinting is his greatest passion.

02:20He's won countless races all over the world.

02:24Those are my 13th and 14th world championship titles.

02:34In Florida, over 200 and 400 metres.

02:39I'll put them back here.

02:40That's Australia.

02:46Here is Turkey.

02:49I've got European records, German records, but I'm still missing a world record.

02:55Friedhelm is meeting a training partner, his 15-year-old neighbour Finlay.

03:01Hi, lad. I've already called Dieter.

03:15Come on, get your things in the car and let's go.

03:18You alright?

03:20We're off to work out, 200 metres.

03:25It's a dream, right?

03:28Yes.

03:30The pensioner and the teenager training together.

03:34Friedhelm is mentoring the talented Finlay to qualify for the German Youth Championships.

03:39In turn, he has a young and fast partner who can run ahead and motivate him.

03:45The next competition is on Saturday in eight days in Edenkoben.

03:50You do the 60 metres, then you take a break and prepare for the 200 metres, and then you go for it.

03:56Full throttle.

04:00All in.

04:02As they say, go all in.

04:04Yeah.

04:06Coach Dieter Loesch knows Friedhelm has big dreams.

04:10Friedhelm keeps on surprising me.

04:13He's got an opportunity.

04:15He's very close to the 200 metre world record.

04:18He's only off it by one second.

04:20On your marks.

04:22Get set.

04:24Go.

04:26His 15-year-old training partner is faster, but he's trying to use the pacemaker to hit new heights.

04:39New heights.

04:43You need to straighten up, then you'll be more relaxed.

04:47You're a bit beat over, and when you're tired, you lean further forward.

04:52Then you won't get your legs high enough.

04:55They'll go back rather than forwards.

04:58Come on, let's do one more run, lad.

05:05Okay.

05:07But Friedhelm is worried.

05:09He's feeling pain in his right knee.

05:11So, he's off to see his doctor, hoping he won't have the same diagnosis as his wife.

05:16When I sit in my motorhome and don't move for a while, then I feel something beneath my kneecap that shouldn't be there.

05:27It drove me crazy.

05:33I didn't know how to move it anymore.

05:36Was the pain during or after you got up?

05:40During.

05:41During.

05:42During.

05:43So, raise your leg, extend it upwards.

05:46Okay, now.

05:50Exactly.

05:51That was the sign for cartilage behind the kneecap.

05:55That's what it feels like.

05:58The distance between the kneecap and the thigh bone is almost non-existent.

06:03So, this is arthritis behind the kneecap.

06:06That's very common.

06:08It's very pronounced here.

06:09I didn't expect that when I looked at your running performance.

06:14So, that's the problem that needs to be tackled.

06:21Well, I don't have to tackle anything.

06:23I don't feel anything now.

06:25I go up and down the stairs and feel nothing.

06:28Okay.

06:30But Friedhelm knows that at 81, he can't outrun aging forever.

06:33I believe that everything has its time.

06:38And when it's over, it's over.

06:42Until then, I have to make sure that I'm happy with myself and my surroundings and can go confidently towards the end.

06:51It doesn't exactly look like the end.

06:52The doctor's visit knocked him off schedule, but the three-kilometer jog to the Raiffeisen-Turm was still on his training program today.

07:10This observation tower is 34 meters tall. Scaling it is no mean feat for an 81-year-old.

07:21Running up 177 steps at pace isn't easy, but if you're crazy, you just do it.

07:29You just do it.

07:37Here we go.

07:41He takes two steps at a time and makes sure to use his arms too.

07:45At the bottom, his heart rate was 60. Now it's up to 175 beats per minute.

08:02Incredible, especially as Friedhelm didn't exercise at all for the first half of his life.

08:07I basically only started to exercise when I was 40. I was always driving until that age.

08:16I'd even drive to the post office 500 meters away.

08:20Or with my motorbike or scooter. I'd never walk or run there.

08:26Now in his 80s, Friedhelm always wants to be active.

08:31Scaling the roof to unclog the rain gutter is no problem.

08:38There you see it.

08:42I need work. I need exercise.

08:46With no work, oh dear.

08:49When I see other pensioners, I think, that is no life for me.

08:53He's always on the move.

08:57He drives his motor home 200 kilometers to take part in the senior national championships in Eden Corbyn.

09:04Friedhelm wants to break the world record here. Now or never.

09:08Right now, his knee doesn't bother him. But there's another issue. It's very windy.

09:15Headwind could slow him down. Tailwind would invalidate a potential record-breaking time.

09:22There are over 250 participants here. The number rises every year.

09:29Can you check if I've got the 66 the right way up?

09:35Along with a balanced diet, exercise is the key to a long and healthy life.

09:42If senior citizens have no incentive to take part in competitions, they will stop exercising over time and then do nothing at all.

09:54That's the most absurd thing because people have to keep moving until they're in the coffin.

09:58Now I've got to warm my body up.

10:10It's almost time. Is Friedhelm having doubts? Is he worried about his bad knee?

10:19Typical Friedhelm. He's fully focused on his race. But it bothers him that in his age group he has no real rivals.

10:33When you lead the pack, you can't get a good time. You need to have that battle.

10:41Yes, we talked about that on the phone already. So he can start in another age group where there are closer rivals.

10:48And so Friedhelm competes against athletes like Robert Wagner from Kaiserslautern, who is 18 years younger.

10:58That's good, but his biggest opponent is still the wind. Because it's picking up.

11:04No matter, it's time to give everything now. All in.

11:08Friedhelm runs into a headwind with the 60 to 65 year olds.

11:31It's not enough. He's a good 2.5 seconds too slow for the record.

11:35There was nothing left in the tank at the end.

11:43Another fastest time for his age group on the day. Just no world record.

11:52If only the wind had carried me on the last few metres.

11:57Then rain is added to the mix.

12:01But ever the optimist, Friedhelm keeps looking ahead.

12:06I'll keep going. After the rain, there'll be sunshine again.

12:12It's still my goal to break the world record somewhere.

12:18That is what's still missing.

12:20I have the start that we're not filled.

12:21It is what's still missing.

12:22I have to start that we're not filled.

12:23I will start that we're not filled.

How an 81-year-old chases a world record - Sports Life

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