We recently featured Orville Rogers in our 6 Inspiring People Who #DisruptAging roundup. Rogers is anAmerican and World Track record holder. Now it’s time to learn more about the 100-year-old’s accomplishments!
His list of accomplishments is long. Rogers had a successful aviation career, as he trained bomber pilots in World War II. Later, he served as a captain for Braniff Airways. He took up running in 1968 ,at the age of 50, after reading Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper’s book “Aerobics.” It wasn’t until several years into retirement that he ran his first marathon. At 91 years old, he attended his first national meet in Boston. He he broke two world track records in the 800-meter and 1-mile, respectively.
Rogers has been in the national media on many occasions. His appearances include: ABC World News Tonight, CBS Sunday Morning, Fox & Friends, Fox News, ESPN, PARADE, and The Dallas Morning News. Now it’s our turn to shine the spotlight on him. We reached out to Rogers to discover more about his world travels and wellness advice.
Top left: Rogers and his wife’s first formal portrait, taken soon after their wedding day.
Top right: Ready for a 72-hour ferry flight to Indonesia. A special navigation device is mounted on top of the instrument panel.
Bottom left: Flight training in 1941 at Lindbergh Field in the Ryan PT22.
Bottom right: Sixty years later, Orville and his wife were still devoted to one another and celebrating their anniversary.
We’ve heard you take vacation with your family every summer. Where do you like to travel? I’ve been to Canada, China, Australia, Central America, South America, Antarctica, North Atlantic (Spitzbergen), and numerous U.S. locations.
What are your favorite travel memories? I have many, but Antarctica and Africa (Kenya and Tanzania) stand out.
With your love for aviation and travel, it is no doubt you’ve watched both industries evolve. What is one of your favorite memories while in the sky? I’ve enjoyed all the flying as a military, airline, civilian, missionary, and missionary ferry pilot. I delivered 46 missionary planes in the U.S. and to the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Brazil, Peru, Tanzania, Liberia, and Burkina Faso—all but one at my personal and the flight expenses.
Courtesy of the USATF.
Orville wins gold at the USA Track and Field Masters National Championships, Spokane, WA – July 26-29, 2018
You hold a big collection of records. What’s next? I have set 18 world records. I do not track national records. At 100, there are only two possible—mile indoor and 80 meters outdoor—but I am slowing down very fast.
What other activities are still on your to-do list? Enjoying family and friends for the few days or years I have left. I also have sights on participating in a tandem air jump at next year’s EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Courtesy of the USATF
What senior wellness tips do you have for athletes? Perseverance is a quality that is often overlooked in life’s activities and achievements.
What advice would you give others for how to stay active in retirement? Enjoy life and participate in it to the fullest!
Want to learn more about Orville Rogers? In honor of his upcoming 101st birthday, you can watch a documentary about his life, which they’ll be screening at the First Baptist Dallas Church and The Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas, Texas. To learn more, visit orvillerogers.com.
Feeling inspired? Take your own adventure in one of these top destinations!
1. Las Vegas, Nevada
2. Orlando, Florida
3. San Diego, California
4. New York, New York
5. San Antonio, Texas
