Defying Expectations: 61-Year-Old Michigan Weightlifter Breaks Records

What do you do when you're just not feeling up to snuff? Eat something? Drink something? Go for a walk? Work out?

Terri VandeVegte of Lowell said that 10-years ago she knew she wasn't in a good place and needed to do something about it. But what? She was going to the gym, but still, uh, something was missing. And that's when she got into lifting weights. Say that again, weight lifting? That's right, and boy did she blossom.

Ten years later, she is a world record holder for deadlifting 413 pounds at the age of 61!

Hey, I lifted a bag of bird seed the other day! I'm close, right? NOT!

Terri is amazing, as Fox17 reported her story, and her love of lifting weights.

She's super competitive and that competitiveness drover her into entering competition. And, boy did she compete, traveling to 3 or 4 meets a year and building long-lasting friendships along the way.

But, hey, she's now a world record holder. And, that's not all. Terry holds 21 national records as well, breaking down stereotypes along the way. What are those?

She said:  “there seems to be this prevalent idea that once you hit 35 or 40, you're out to pasture. You're not an athlete anymore... I started this at 52 and discovered a hidden passion I never knew I had, and you never know you might find something like that.”

Holy cow. I'm just working on being upright, and mobile, and she's doing full body work, stretching, and whatever to make sure she continues to be ready for competition. Remember, she's 61!

But, what about the fact that she's a woman? Has that bothered her or even held her back? Nope, as she puts it,

 "once there were just a handful of women participants - today a third or even half are women."

Terri, you are amazing!