Huntsman World Senior Games Active Life

Ninety-nine-year-old Dutch-Canadian Betty Brussel is happiest when she is swimming. Setting world records, which she did as recently as a week ago, is just icing on the cake. Betty enjoyed swimming as a child when she wasn’t busy helping raise her 10 younger siblings in the Netherlands. Later in life, after she raised her own children, she decided to resume swimming and even compete, beginning at age 68. Since then, she has earned hundreds of medals and set many world records. She is the only one in her 90s in her swim club who still competes and is an inspiration to many. We are excited to have her compete in our 100+ age group at the Huntsman World Senior Games this year.

Kyle also discusses 4 proteins that you should be eating.

Karen Straw was born in Massachusetts and considers herself geographically challenged, having lived in Colorado, Arizona, Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin, the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific and now calls Utah her home. Karen graduated with her Master’s degree from University of Utah in Speech Language Pathology. She has been working with adults experiencing brain changes her entire career as a Speech Therapist. Karen is a Certified Independent Consultant and Trainer with Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care® and a Certified Trainer with the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners®. In addition to these credentials, she is also a caregiver for her father who recently received a diagnosis of dementia. Karen is passionate about the topic of dementia and provides consulting and education for individuals and families impacted with this disease.

Kyle also discusses an article on how to maintain and gain muscle after 60: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/how-to-maintain-and-even-gain-muscle-after-60/ar-BB1iHUag?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=fdafe4b3b45d427a8f54cd68a8b83ef3&ei=22

At the age of 60, Steve Ault faced a Parkinson's diagnosis and the option of Levodopa for symptom management. Rejecting only temporary relief, he spiraled into depression until a chance meeting with Bahram in August 2017 offered hope for a healthy life at 120. Encouraged by his family, Steve underwent a radical transformation, altering his diet, practicing extended fasting, and engaging in rigorous mountain biking. Within a year, he completed the challenging Leadville Trail 100 MTB Race, conquering a 100-mile course with 12,000 feet of climb at over 10,000 feet elevation in under 12 hours, earning a coveted buckle. Now 70, Steve has triumphed in multiple Leadville races, accumulating biking miles and effectively reversing his Parkinson's symptoms in a truly miraculous journey of resilience and transformation.

Kyle also reveals a new sport for this years Games: climbing.

Pickleball pioneer Barbara Wintroub brought the sport to Santa Monica, CA fifteen years ago and Palm Desert, CA the next year. As one of the best senior players the sport has to offer, Barbara is nationally ranked in pickleball and a tournament tennis player for 63 years. Beyond coaching and teaching pickleball, she is an active aging expert with a degree in kinesiology who has written a book that encourages “Fighting Gravity.” This book can be purchased on Amazon. She also is a master trainer Pilates instructor, one of the first women certified as a USPTA tennis teacher, former competitive bowler as a child, an IRONMAN triathlete, and is one of the first 40 women worldwide to have run a marathon on all seven continents.

Additionally, Kyle introduced one of the new sports for the Huntsman World Senior Games this year: Disc Golf. 

Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Frank Powers are nationally recognized relationship therapists in their early 80s who met through a dating app called SilverSingles and later wrote a book together called “Open to Love: The Secrets of Senior Dating.” In “Open to Love,” the two therapists share their personal and professional stories of love and romance in their later years. Inspirational, and most of all, relatable, Gloria and Frank show readers how to face their fears about dating, identify what they want in a partner, and learn how to find love in the golden years.

"Open to Love" will be released on Amazon on 2/14/2024 and is available for pre-order prior to that date. You can learn more about our guests at goldendatingdoctors.com and opentohope.com . 

Eighty-year-old table tennis player Charlie Slater loves the fact that age isn’t a major factor in who will win a match. As a senior player, he has been beaten by an 8-year-old when he was 72 and an 84-year-old when he was 62. Charlie currently resides in Decatur, Georgia, where he plays weekly, runs an annual table tennis camp for youth, and also runs a newsletter and website for the Decatur Table Tennis club. This year will be Charlie’s 18th year playing the sport at the Huntsman World Senior Games.

Living healthy includes several factors, and one of the most important is exercising the right way for our age. Take a look at this article by Matt Roberts on the "Dos and Don'ts of Exercising Over 50": https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/the-dos-and-don-ts-of-exercising-over-50/ar-AA1mFSQ3?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=9a8d063004f34011b2563b00a9a61873&ei=9

Originally from Spain, Alfredo Aliaga lives in Berlin, Germany and has always enjoyed hiking. He has held a variety of jobs, including as a sheep herder, serving in the military, working for a telephone company, and as a pharmaceutical representative. He has hiked in Spain, the Alps, Nepal, and in many national parks in the United States. Alfredo set a Guinness World Record at the end of October 2023 as the oldest person to have hiked the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim. This feat took him 21 hours over the period of 2 days. 

Dr. Kelly Starrett is a coach; physical therapist; speaker; and three-time New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling co-author of "Becoming a Supple Leopard," "Ready to Run," and "Built to Move." He is also the co-founder of The Ready State, the world's most comprehensive collection of guided movement, mechanics, and mobility instructional videos. He was listed on Greatest’s 2017 list of the 100 most influential people in health and fitness. Dr. Starrett’s clients include professional athletes in the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB. He also works with Olympic gold-medalists, Tour de France cyclists, world-and national-record-holding Olympic lifting and power athletes, CrossFit Games medalists, ballet dancers, military personnel, and competitive age-division athletes.

To learn more, visit BuiltToMove.com or TheReadyState.com .

Today’s guest is Damien Leake, a master of the performing arts as an actor, singer, dancer, and more! Damien was born in the Bronx, New York and is a graduate of New York’s High School of Performing Arts. He also is a world-class Masters track and field athlete who is a multi-national champion in the 50m, 60m, and long jump and has competed at the Huntsman World Senior Games multiple times. Most recently, Damien was named the USATF Masters Male Overall Athlete of the Year for 2023 and Male Sprints Runner of the Year.

Dr. Barbara Nelson is a retired OB/Gyn and public health physician, and she also is a former exercise physiology professor at Brigham Young University-Idaho with a Master's in public health. Her extensive athletic achievements include completing 31 full Ironman triathlons, 54 half Iron distance triathlons, marathons, half-marathons, trail runs, road cycling, gravel, and mountain biking. Barbara has participated in a variety of sports at the Huntsman World Senior Games, such as road cycling, mountain biking, running road races, swimming, track and field, and triathlon. Additionally, she is the proud mother of twins who faced the challenge of developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy. 

Fifty-seven-year-old Jon St. Arnaud started playing soccer in his youth and still loves it, though he retired from the game in his thirties to prioritize family. Facing health concerns in his mid-forties, he was motivated for change, and he embraced Spartan racing after a personal trainer's suggestion, reviving his competitive spirit. Two years of rigorous training and a shift in diet and lifestyle habits positioned him on podiums in various races. Despite setbacks during COVID, Jon adapted by shifting his focus to the Tactical Games, a competition originally designed to simulate combat but is much more physically demanding than the Spartan races. Jon's journey is a fantastic example of resilience, the transformative power of embracing new passions, and maintaining an active, adaptive lifestyle.

Today’s guest is our resident volleyball expert, Sue Mailhot. Sue played high school volleyball up until 2010 when her knees told her she should stop. However, when she played college recreational co-ed volleyball, she got the opportunity to referee and a new love was born! She liked refereeing so much (and especially the fact that she could get paid doing it), that she began refereeing high school volleyball. Sue went on to referee, keep score, and be a commissioner at all levels, including NCAA, club volleyball, and Senior tournaments. She even was a scorekeeper at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics! We are proud to note that among all of her vast experience, she has also run volleyball at the Huntsman World Senior Games since 2004.

Our guest today has been a swimmer since she was 6 years old. Jeanne Smith was born in Southern California and spent an hour a day, 5 days a week, nearly every week at the pool until she graduated from high school. Swimming has always been a respite from stress for her, yet it was too inconvenient for many years as a working college student and young mom. Jeanne dove back into swimming many years later when she moved near a pool and has also coached adult-onset swimmers for 15 years. She started competing in triathlons in her 30s, got more serious in her 40s, and as she neared 50, she was inspired by her training team to consider an IRONMAN race. As of last month, Jeanne is now an IRONMAN.

Willie Spruill, a 64-year-old Army veteran from St. Pauls, North Carolina, has overcome physical and mental challenges to become a celebrated athlete. After serving in the Gulf War and facing post-war struggles, including contemplation of suicide, Willie found solace on the track. Attending a track meet in Virginia, he was inspired to participate in the 2017 Lumber River Senior Games, winning multiple events within three weeks of preparation. Since then, Willie has excelled in over 100 meets, earning numerous medals and the title of Humana Game Changer at the National Senior Games. Willie also has excelled at the Huntsman World Senior Games as a sprinter and won several medals at our event. His journey, marked by resilience and determination, serves as an inspiration for others facing adversity.

Misti Miller grew up near Lake Tahoe, where she loved the exhilaration of bridge jumping, cliff jumping, and rock climbing (with ropes and free soloing). One of her favorite experiences was participating in a Guinness Book of World Records event bridge jump off the Foresthill Bridge in Auburn, CA, free-falling 1200 feet before rope tension transitioned her into a huge swing. Professionally, Misti spent over a decade in the veterinary field, where she developed a passion for a wide variety of biological sciences. In 2014, she moved to Saint George as a single mom with her 3 young children and decided to transition to medical massage for humans. After obtaining multiple certifications in various massage modalities, Misti now has a private practice where she performs body work including both therapeutic and medical massage. Outside of work, Misti enjoys trail running, rock climbing, and cycling. 

To contact Misti, visit: https://www.facebook.com/builditbetterbody/

Thanksgiving is a day to remember all of our blessings. Our staff followed our annual tradition to each express our thanks.

Raelene Elam is a mother of 6 kids. After graduating high school in California, she accepted a full ride scholarship to University of Arizona for volleyball where she was a 3 year starter. Following college, she coached at the University of Arizona summer camps for 6 years and has coached high school varsity and club teams for almost 2 decades. Following a severe car accident in 2017, Raelene now has a prosthetic leg and 2 daughters in wheelchairs. This past summer, Raelene made the National Team for Women’s Sitting Volleyball and is excited to play competitively again!

Lisa Lander, a mother to four physicians, grandmother, and wife of 42 years, is a certified life coach and owner of Lander’s River Trips, an adventure company. She's also known for her brand "Adventures of Lolly." Lisa is a passionate athlete who advocates evidence-based changes to enhance health, happiness, and longevity. She focuses on optimizing nutrition, exercise, mindset, and sleep through discipline and lifelong learning. Exercise, particularly strength training, core stability, and cardiovascular fitness, holds a central role in her well-being philosophy. Lisa, at 62, recognizes the difference between her chronological and biological age and actively makes lifestyle choices to slow her biological clock. She wants to be an inspirational example for women in their 60s embarking on the second half of their lives, showcasing the possibilities of this stage.

May Tom is a registered dietitian and functional medicine practitioner. Formerly as the nutrition director of one of Conde Nast’s ranked best wellness retreats in the world, May has given talks and held workshops for groups such as Young President's Organization and Junior League and has contributed to publications such as Shape and Women’s Health Magazine. She currently works in private practice with individuals and families to optimize health and uncover root causes of illness that so often remain unaddressed by conventional medicine. May is passionate about optimizing metabolism, hormones, and healthspan through discovery, education, strategy and behavior modification. She is a first generation Chinese American and is one of the few API dietitians who have ever been certified by the Institute of Functional Medicine.

Two helpful sources she discusses are a toxin guide, available at www.toxinfreeguide.com , and an opportunity where you can schedule time with her to help interpret your labs www.toxinfreeguide.com .

Bruce McBarnette is a man with a wide variety of talents. He has excelled in both sports and professional endeavors and enjoys being a philanthropist and coach. As a high jumper, he boasts an impressive record of 15 world championships and 43 USA national masters championships for his age group, along with numerous US and world records. His most recent achievement occurred this month as he broke our Huntsman World Senior Games meet record for the second consecutive time in 2 years! His athletic achievements have earned him a place in the USA Track and Field Masters Hall of Fame, and he has been consistently recognized as Masters Athlete of the Year for his age group by the organization. Beyond sports, Bruce is the president of Summit Connection LLC, a real estate investment firm, and he has held prominent roles in the legal field, including serving as legal counsel to the US Senate and working with Fannie Mae. You likely have seen Bruce on TV or on the big screen as well, as he has acted in numerous shows. He's a Princeton University graduate and NYU School of Law alumnus, known for teaching various classes from real estate investing to standardized exam preparation. His accomplishments also landed him in the pages of Sports Illustrated.