Gabriel Ganme on Mountain Running and Longevity at 66
Physician and ultrarunner details an 800 km race goal, quitting alcohol, and cardiac monitoring in endurance sports.
At age 66, physician Gabriel Ganme shares his routine for ultra-distance mountain races, the tangible benefits of giving up alcohol, and essential heart care for aging endurance athletes.
Turning 66 served as the catalyst for physician Gabriel Ganme to set an ambitious trail running goal: racing 660 kilometers exclusively in competitions across the season. With the addition of new events to his schedule, such as El Cruce and UTMB Bariloche, his target expanded to nearly 800 kilometers. In a conversation with Shubi Guimarães on XTREMMA Sports, Ganme shared how he structures his routine to maintain high mileage in his mature years, prioritizing joint health, rest, and enjoyment on the trails.
For the doctor, the central objective of these races is not chasing fast finish times, but rather encouraging active longevity and experiencing new natural landscapes, such as Serra da Estrela in Portugal. Even with a hip replacement and previous shoulder surgery, he maintains consistency by managing expectations and respecting his physical capacity on technical terrain.
Cutting alcohol and making sleep an absolute priority
Among the lifestyle changes that delivered noticeable gains in performance and recovery, Ganme highlights his decision to cut out alcohol completely. Host Shubi Guimarães shared a similar experience upon turning 50 to prepare for an extreme Ironman in Sweden. Both emphasized how alcohol negatively impacts the body, especially when consumed immediately after strenuous efforts when the cardiovascular system is still in deep recovery.
Another non-negotiable pillar in Ganme's routine is restorative rest. Getting at least seven hours of sleep per night, paired with adequate protein intake and strict hydration, has become essential to sustain training and racing volumes without accumulating severe muscle injuries over the year.
Heart care and monitoring in aging athletes
Prolonged endurance training causes significant physiological adaptations, such as resting bradycardia and cardiac chamber dilation, requiring regular medical supervision. Ganme discussed the predisposition of master athletes to arrhythmias and recalled the ablation procedure he underwent after premature ventricular contractions were detected during a stress test. Guimarães also shared her own history of undergoing cardiac ablation at age 20 to treat Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.
Beyond mandatory annual cardiology check-ups with stress testing, Ganme uses continuous glucose monitors to manage energy crashes during long training sessions, preventing hypoglycemia triggered by blood glucose fluctuations.
Knowing when to step back to keep running
Longevity in endurance sports requires clinical judgment and respect for physical limits. During a race in Portugal, Ganme chose to drop out at kilometer 30 after suffering a cracked rib, avoiding severe risks such as a punctured lung. Looking ahead, his plan is to gradually reduce race distances to events under 50 km while incorporating more hiking and trekking into his routine.
Closing the conversation, Ganme encouraged participation in events that celebrate the community spirit of mountain running, such as the Araçari Trail Festival in Votorantim, reaffirming that the true heart of the sport is the joy of staying active alongside friends.