Owning it at 58: Andy Black's marathon journey towards a better healthspan

When our Chair first said, "I'm more or less certain I'm going to do the Valencia Marathon now...", we had the same reaction many of you might; equal parts inspiration and is this a masterpiece in the making?

From occasional runs to intentional change

Unlike the ultra-athletes of the world, Andy’s running origin story was humble. After graduating from university, exercise meant the occasional short run; something functional, on-and-off and strictly in the name of “staying vaguely healthy.”

A resurgence of motivation came in his 40s, when he completed three half marathons, including a personal best of 1 hour 46 minutes at the Achill Island Half Marathon back in 2013. But like many of us juggling responsibilities, physical activity tapered off in his 50s. Today, at 58, he jokes that he is running more than ever precisely because he once believed he wasn’t built for it.

Reading that sparked a rewrite

Everything shifted in 2023 after reading the book that many have called life-changing: “Outlive” by Dr. Peter Attia.

The message that resonated most deeply was the science linking higher cardio fitness, particularly improved VO2 Max, with:

• Reduced all-cause mortality

• Lower dementia risk

• Expanded healthspan, not just lifespan

For someone who carried a strong family history of dementia and had expected to let fate decide his future, this insight was a powerful pivot point. “Outlive” activated a decision to take ownership of his health trajectory and give himself the best chance of living to 100 strong, healthy and cognitively thriving.

Accountability + commitment = progress

With renewed clarity, he sat down with close friends of a similar age to talk honestly about aspirations for life’s next chapter. The conclusion? He would commit to running at least twice a week to deliberately boost his cardio fitness.

To help own it publicly, he joined Strava. From there, consistency became the core strategy. Beyond running, he also began improving habits across:

• Nutrition

• Alcohol moderation

• Sleep quality

• Supplement choices

• Social wellbeing and connection

A reminder that preventative health is multi-dimensional, and most successful when your lifestyle is working alongside you.

The Bluecrest turning point

Six months into his healthspan mission, the role to Chair Bluecrest emerged. The alignment was immediate.

As part of his research, he booked his own Bluecrest health assessment. The experience proved transformational. Results flagged a genetic lipid abnormality (raised Lp(a)), prompting him to begin taking a statin under medical guidance to reduce his risk of coronary artery disease. Equally important was the reassurance that his coronary arteries were healthy.

In Andy’s own words:

“It was super helpful to know about this and to be reassured that my heart health was in a good place. It means I can run with confidence and not worry about giving myself a heart attack(!).”

Bluecrest isn’t just a company he Chairs; it’s one from which he has directly benefited. And true to our value of practising what we preach, he plans to complete a Bluecrest health assessment every year, continuing to fuel informed, preventative health decisions with the best possible data.

Breakthrough performance in 2025

Andy’s journey has paid dividends.

This year alone, he achieved new personal records over:

• 5K

• 10K

• Half marathon

His standout moment? Crossing the finish line at the River Thames Half Marathon on 26 October in 1 hour 38 minutes, placing 3rd of 31 men in his age group.

The marathon he never thought possible

Marathons were never on the radar. A half marathon once felt like the upper ceiling. Then came family encouragement, some gentle peer pressure from nieces and a decision to test the limit just a little further. With 3 months to go, he began structured training using Runna.

His progress peaked recently when he completed his longest training run; 34K, with confidence and no setbacks.

Out of respect for the journey (and the DOMS that followed), we will call this what it is: intentional challenge, preventative health in motion and someone showing all of us that it's never too late to take charge… or lace up again.

Next stop: Valencia!

We’re behind you, Andy. And we’re with you, every reader taking charge of their own best healthspan story.