How This 77-Year-Old Woman Has A Body As Fit As That Of A 25-Year-Old

A 77-year-old woman has secured the first position in the 75-79 age group at the 2025 Boston Marathon. Jeannie Rice completed the marathon, her 134th, in 4 hours, 27 minutes, and 17 seconds.

Ms Rice's aerobic fitness and endurance capacity are on the same level as a 25-year-old woman, according to a report published in the Journal of Applied Physiology. What her body tells us about ageing is that age doesn't have to limit physical abilities. 

Asked how she managed to train consistently over 30 years, she said, "I love running and being an example for younger athletes," adding, "I feel as young as when I was 50, and I'd like to be doing this well into my 80s. That's my personal goal."

She added that she has a rich social life and enjoys going out to dance. She said, "A lot of runners are so serious they don't do anything socially. But I like to have fun. I'm the last one to go home."

Ms Rice is considered a "medical marvel." She has often turned heads not only for breaking world women's records in her age group but also for outperforming the fastest men in that category. Not only this, she has the highest VO2max (maximum oxygen uptake), a measure of aerobic fitness, ever recorded for women over 75. 

High VO2max was probably the primary physiological characteristic explaining her success across an array of running distances, the study said.

Ms Rice, for her age, showed a very high cardiorespiratory fitness, as indicated by a VO2max of 47.9 mLkg-1min-1, the study added. Untrained women of this age group typically have a VO2max of 17.5-27.4 mL kg 1 min-1, it added.

Bas Van Hooren, an assistant professor of nutrition and movement sciences at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, said that researchers are examining Ms Rice to learn how people can maintain their fitness as they age, despite lower levels of physical activity frequently observed in the elderly.

Mr Hoorens said that researchers study Ms Rice's body fat, muscle structure, and how well her body uses energy while running at her marathon pace.

He said Ms Rice proves it's never too late to start exercising.