What happens when an 85-year-old sets a goal not just to ride his bike—but to virtually cycle 8,500 miles from Fort Myers to Hong Kong? Meet Marv Gibbs, a man whose journey is about so much more than physical endurance. It’s about purpose, passion, and the power of a dream that spans decades. From running like Forrest Gump in his younger years to tackling grueling mountain rides in Costa Rica, Marv’s story is a testament to what happens when you embrace both pain and possibility. This isn’t just a story about biking—it’s a spiritual journey, a connection to nature, and a bold plan to “ride around the world” by his 90th birthday. Along the way, Marv reflects on overcoming depression, the importance of staying physically and mentally sharp, and his work mentoring young leaders. If you’ve ever wondered how to keep your spirit vibrant at any age—or how to set goals so big they scare you—this episode is for you. Get ready to be inspired by Marv’s unstoppable mindset and his extraordinary ride through life.
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Riding Beyond Limits: A Cycling Journey Of Purpose, Passion, And Possibility At 85 With Marv Gibbs
Welcome to the show. We are unlocking the secrets to your longer, healthier, and happier life. I have the amazing privilege of interviewing one of my dear friends and mentors, Mr. Marv Gibbs. Marv is 86 years old, and he is the definition of fully alive. He has an amazing goal that you’re going to hear about, which he’s trying to accomplish by his 90th birthday. One of the things that he did on his 85th birthday was that he set out to ride his bike 8,500 miles from Fort Myers to Hong Kong or that equivalent over the course of his 85th year.
We’re going to talk about that. We’re going to talk about all kinds of things in our conversation around how to live a meaningful life, how to have purpose, and how to continue to live out your calling, as he talks about, even in your fourth quarter of your life. There’s amazing wisdom, amazing advice, and a whole lot of inspiration in our conversation. Let’s jump into it and I’ll be back with some thoughts later.
Marv, it’s such a gift to be here with you. You are somebody who is so inspiring to me. I’m excited for people to hear your story. You live out and inspire me. I want to be like you when I’m in 80s. Health is important to you. You rode your bike 8,500 miles for your 85th birthday. That was your goal, your vision and your dream that you accomplished.
Most 85-year-olds that I know don’t wake up and think, “I want to ride my bike to Hong Kong and back,” but you did somehow. I would love for you to tell us about that journey. I know it started when you were 30 and not when you were 85. This has been a lifelong passion of yours with a bigger purpose. I’d love to just dive into that. Tell us about that.
The Start Of A Fitness Journey
Thanks, Zach, for allowing me to share it. It’s a privilege. It’s fun to have to reflect back on those years that led up to this 85th-year experience. It all started when I landed in Brazil. That was back in 1967. I had an eight-month-old son and a wife, and we were ready to go. We were ready to charge into what we felt God had called us to. At that point, I was unaware of my need for physical care, for help. I was way overweight.
That’s been a lifetime struggle. It’s a challenge. I began to realize some friends of mine said, “Physical health is important to your calling.” I started a job. I started to run. For the next twenty years, I just ran. Everywhere I went, I ran. My job was working with Young Life in Latin America. Latin American development coordinator and I traveled a million miles during my time in that section of life. I’d get off a plane, I’d go where I was going to stay, put on my running clothes, and I had a goal. I’d run out half an hour and I’d run home. The next day, I’d do the same thing.
I started to run and like Forrest Gump. For the 20 years, I just ran everywhere I went. Share on X
I kept at it no matter where I was. When I got to be about 50 years of age, wanting to celebrate my 50th birthday with something special, my friend told me, you’re having trouble with your ankles. You need to switch to a bike. That’s what got me started. I started off riding and my first long-distance experience was biking across Costa Rica, which requires that you climb up to 5,000 feet 2 or 3 times. The road was without a degree of consideration. It was one spot where we had to stand up for an hour just to get to the top. It was so gruesome. That was the first of my long-distance experiences in biking.
Do you do an anniversary birthday-long bike ride?
The 8,500-Mile Ride For His 85th Birthday
Yes, but it wasn’t consistent. I didn’t do it every year. I got into it more. I got beyond my retirement age. My last assignment was in Hong Kong. That’s why my goal for my 85th birthday was to ride from Fort Myers to Hong Kong virtual. That was my last assignment and that was issued to me when I was 78 years of age. I went as a senior Pastor to a congregation with about twenty people on staff. We had a fabulous time, but I was available for that because I had taken care of myself physically through those years.
8,500 miles then is what you set out from Fort Myers to Hong Kong that would get you there. How did you break that up?
It took me 62 weeks. I didn’t make it in a year. It was something that morphed as I began riding with some goal. That’s when I arrived at 8,500 miles for my 85th birthday. I rode out from Shell Point. I loved my route over to Sanibel. That was a 30-mile round trip and that would usually be a routine ride for me. My longest day, I did do a century, 100 miles in one day, but that was my longest day.
Most 85-year-olds don’t wake up and ride their bike 100 miles. How do you recover from a 100-mile bike ride? How long would it take you after? Even after a 30-mile bike ride, what things are you doing to recover?
To the therapist doing some stretches, I’m realizing that my structure doesn’t stretch the same as it used to. The fact is, one of the things I learned through that 8,500-mile ride was you have to ride through pain. You cannot have an experience like that without pain. Maybe that’s a lesson for life.
I was just going to say. I probably learned a lot of other life lessons along the ride.
In fact, Zach, I’ve now set a new goal. I want to ride the distance that would be equal to riding around the world by the time I’m 90. I’m working on that. I’m on the leg that takes me from Sydney, Australia down to the South Pole. That’s what I’m working on. 2025 is a little bit lighter. I only need to ride about 105-miles a week to get there. That’s a little lighter, then we’ll see where it goes from there.
You’ve broken it up into different chunks.
I’ll go from the South Pole, the distance over to Rio, then from Rio back to Fort Myers, and then my capstone. What I want to do at the end of it all is surface ride from Fort Myers to Los Angeles. That’s going to finish it off. That’s my goal. We’ll see if I can get there.
That would be in your 90th year probably?
That’s right.
Maybe I can join you for part of that ride.
I’d love that. That would be great. I’m talking it up with the hope I can recruit some people. I’m not sure I’ll be able to ride the whole distance by that age, but I’m open to the possibility of a combination where we ride some, get in the car, and go away is that that’s a possibility, too.
Take it as it comes. Learning to ride through pain. What was that like for you? Maybe talk a little bit more about that. I’m just curious.
Riding As A Spiritual Journey
It goes back to a realization that I’m in an experience that is more than just physical exercise. It became a spiritual journey. I found myself excited about writing and it wasn’t just the physical part. It was the reality that I entered into when I was on my bike. One of the greatest things was feeling connected to nature. Here I am pedaling away. This is one experience. I’m going across the causeway out to Sanibel.
It became a spiritual journey. I found myself genuinely excited about riding—not just for the physical aspect, but for the reality I stepped into whenever I was on my bike. One of the greatest parts of the experience was feeling deeply connected to… Share on X
I’m pedaling away. I look off my right shoulder and here is a pelican flying along right beside me. He’s taking advantage of the updraft off the causeway and I talked to him. He was crazy. It was such a connection and that grew into a connection with who I call, my friend says my Abba or my father. I just looked forward to those times of physical connection with nature. Anybody could hear me when I ride, they think I’m crazy. Sometimes I shout but the incredible power that’s there in the universe and to feel a part of that is just overwhelming joy.
Sometimes I sing. I used to sing, but I croak now. It’s amazing how old hymns. Some of the songs I probably haven’t heard or sung since I was much younger, at least, come back to my mind. Sometimes, a song will be a theme song for several days. It’s just a part of my life as I celebrate the spiritual side of things. I enjoy intercession. I use the alphabet and I take, “Let’s see. I’m going to pray for Alan.” I take a distance and I pray for that person. I go, “I’m going to for Bill.” I go down in the alphabet as I ride so that I have an organized way of thinking about who I’m praying for.
Physically connecting to nature and connecting to God. Caring for your friends along the way. It’s a spiritual experience. I’ve also enjoyed running and cycling, and had those experiences along the way of when your body’s tired, your brain gets out of the way. You can be open to what’s there for you. I love that.
That probably keeps your mindset young and healthy and vibrant as well. I’d love to hear a little bit about your mindset. I love that you’re thinking, “Over the next four years, I’m going to ride around the planet.” It’s amazing. It’s so inspiring. I love it. Tell us a little bit more about your mindset.
Finding Purpose Through Connection And Prayer
The truth of it is that transitions have always been very difficult for me. Before I got into this phase of biking years ago. I went through a couple of years of serious depression. To be honest with you, my response to that was to be angry. Some people get anxious and depressed. I was just angry. Unfortunately, my very precious wife, the one who I love the most of all in this world, was oftentimes the object of that anger. I think I needed something to help me. As you’re suggesting, that was not the end of it.
What I discovered was deep down inside, I needed purpose. I needed something where I could invest my gifts and my past experiences. Somebody said, “I know a guy in the Dominican Republic. His name is Fernando. Why don’t you guys just meet on Zoom calls and pray together?” That’s what we did. We started praying together and we did that for a year. We never met each other physically. We prayed together. He happened to like the bike, too.
We chatted sometimes but he was going through a tough phase of his life. I had the privilege of walking with him. As we walked together, it was a healing for both of us. Plus, out of that, grew a real opportunity to invest in young leaders. Carol and I have gone to the Bahamas a couple of times to speak at leadership conferences. I’m just excited. We had our first Zoom call with eighteen young leaders. We’re starting a two-year journey where we’re developing young leaders, not so much in methodology as it is in character.
We’re working on the development of character. These experiences are intertwined in my thinking. I was needing something. A channel was open where I could invest in prayer initially. I got into intensive biking and they all meet together. I don’t know about your experience, Zach, but I found and find some of my most productive thinking is while I’m biking. I have ideas that I want to develop. I’m trudging along and on and a new element will come into place. It’s a very productive time.
I’ve heard it said before that depression sometimes, maybe not always, can often be a lack of expression or caused by a lack of expression. It sounds like you were in your early 80s, you’re looking for purpose. You were able to continue to use your gifts and continue to live out your calling.
That’s something that’s still you’re doing. As you said, you’re still at age 86 and you have this physical expression of biking where you’re able to connect with nature and keep your physical self active and your mental self alive there as well and this expression of calling and passion. I know that you’ve been developing something around the lines of moving from work to wonder. How’s that all tied together with this?
From Work To Wonder
I’m trying to understand life in the fourth quarter. That’s what I call it. It’s like a good basketball game. “You’re just a football game.” You’re down to the last quarter. The game is going to be won or lost right here. I’m trying to take that quarter of life seriously. Not to just say, “It’s over. I’m going to go do my biking and just eat.” I’m trying to understand, how did I move from work a day?
I was a pastor and I preached my last sermon, then I moved to Shell Point. It was just that abrupt. For the next two and a half years, I never spoke publicly. Not once. I’ve been used to speaking every week. I think that’s what drove me to this search for purpose and to approach it as wonder. I have a couple of guys, one in Hong Kong and one in England, and we text back and forth. We get on Zoom once in a while. These guys are my pondering buddies. We call it pondering. Anything goes.
You can find an idea and I love to find ideas through what I’m reading, then I pull that idea out and I illustrate a little bit of what I’m thinking. I’ll send a text off to one of my friends then he’ll chip in. Interestingly, it’s quite different. I’m older and one guy’s just a young fella just starting out. I was referred to him because he was on the verge of committing suicide when someone shared with him that he could have hope in Christ. He clung to that. Someone said, “Marv, I think it would be good as an older person, if you would join with him and help him as he grows.” We’ve been together now for almost three years.
You’ve been mentoring him?
Yes. He’s grown. My other friend in Hong Kong is a pondering expert. He’s got training. He keeps us on course in terms and great man who loves the Lord and loves scripture.
That’s another way that you’re expressing your calling and your passion and maintaining your purpose as you’re mentoring these other people. You’re pondering ideas. You’re still making an impact. You’re impacting my life whenever we get to talk. I always leave feeling inspired and hopeful, like I have a bright future to look forward to. You have a way of doing that with people that you’re around. I appreciate that about you. I hope that our readers are picking that up through this interview and this time together that we’re sharing. Moving from work to wonder.
Zach, I think we make a mistake if we think it’s only giving that gives us purpose. It’s what I receive as well. I’m not dead yet. I’m a living being and I need to continue to grow. My goal is to have a purpose and to contribute. The fact is, it’s very reflective. It comes back to me in energizing ways.
I think we make a mistake if we believe that only giving gives us purpose. It’s actually about what we receive as well. Share on X
The Importance Of Lifelong Growth And Learning
You’re still growing. There’s a saying, if you don’t grow, you die. You’re still looking for ways to expand your mind, thinking, and interests, and to learn new things. Maybe that’s one of the keys, the secrets of staying vital and vibrant as you age. I love that about you, Marv, that you’re constantly learning. I love that you’re still learning, still have these amazing goals, and still living out your calling and investing yourself in young people and young leaders. You’ve given a lot of inspiration. What advice would you give to people who hope to be like you someday?
When you say that, Zach, I cannot even imagine it. I often look at my work life and I could not tell the difference between when I was working and playing. It was just so exciting. It was so full of good stuff. With challenges and pain? I lost my first wife when Elaine went home. Why? I literally could not put one foot ahead to walk. I just had to stand so I could shuffle around the block. I took a lot of time. I thought I had a vision for my life to be a monk in some hermitage somewhere but wasn’t it at all. The Lord had something far more abundant for me.
Zach, I sat at my breakfast table, on the second floor of where we live. I looked out on the channel and it was crystal clear. The sun wasn’t up yet. The water was dark, and birds came flying in. The beauty and the quiet, I just reveled in life. It’s just so abundant and so full. If we have eyes to see it, and if I were to say anything to anyone to capsulize all of this, keep engaged. Don’t allow yourself to give in to the urge to head for the sidelines. Keep personally involved.
Stay in the game.
There’s a lot that we can do. The fact is, with the abundance we have, biking, working in the wood shop, talking with people, or Zoom calls is a great resource, but we need to find a way to contribute purposefully to what’s going on around us and be engaged with people in that way.
Beautiful, Marv. You are someone who has truly lived and continues to truly live in a deep and meaningful way. I appreciate you. As I said, you’re an inspiration to me. I hope that when I’m 86, I’m setting goals to ride my bike around the world like you are. I have a goal to do an Ironman each decade of my life. That means if I live into my 90s, I’m going to have to be able to be healthy enough to do an Ironman in my 90s. When I live to 100, I’m going to have to do an Ironman when I’m 100. It’s just something to keep me focused and keep me going. It’s fun to have a big goal out there. One of my goals is to be like you when I’m 86.
One last thought. I meet with a Franciscan priest. He resigned his priesthood over the same issue that I often feel. We never felt comfortable being identified as clergy. We wanted to be with people. We just wanted to be among those that God called us to live with without the status that often comes. The reason he left the priesthood was because he wanted to be with the people. He went on to study and has focused for many years now as a counselor. During those angry years, someone referred him to me and we began a conversation that has extended over the years.
He said, “I want you to do something, Marv. I want you to imagine when you were at your prime, choose a time.” I probably would have chosen it when I was 29 and I went to Brazil. Before I faced the reality of what was ahead, I felt like, “I’m at the pinnacle.” He urged me to go back into my teens. He said, “Now, position yourself there and imagine yourself there. Speak to yourself as your older self. What would you say?”
It took me a while to get into it. After a while, he said, “Now switch roles. What would you say as your older self to your younger self?” He listened. When we finished that exchange, he said, “Now let me tell you what I heard.” I sat there and I was just overwhelmed. He said, “What do you feel?” I said, “I don’t want to leave. This is such a great place. Only to know that I had that abundant life and years yet to come.”
Good stuff. I’m grateful for role models like you. Life show is what that looks like. Thank you.
Glad to be here. It’s a great place. Thank you for the opportunity to share. That’s meaningful to us as we get to this place in life. It’s encouraging to reflect. Thank you.
Thank you, Marv.
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What an amazing conversation that we just got to have with Mr. Marv Gibbs. I hope that you felt the palpable presence he has an amazing presence of and spirit and he truly is someone who is fully alive. When we think about even the name of this show being Fully Alive, Marv is someone who embodies that. I hope you read some of the things that I read where it’s important to keep growing at every stage of our life and to stay fully engaged. There is this amazing abundance of life that’s available to us if we have eyes to see it.
We have to stay fully engaged in order to have those eyes to see it, both with our health and also with our spiritual lives, and staying connected to one another. That’s another important thing that he brought out in our conversation. I’ve heard Peter Diamandis say often, “Mindset is so important for longevity and for us to have a future that’s bigger than our past.” I love how Marv ties together that he finished his bike ride of 8,500 miles in his 85th year. It took him 62 weeks instead of 52 weeks, but that’s pretty good.
Now, he has this goal that’s bigger than that, to ride all the way around the world. In his 90th year, he’s going to finish that off by riding from Florida to California, from Fort Myers to Los Angeles. That will be an amazing vision that is bigger than his past. More importantly, he continues to pour himself out by investing in younger people, mentoring younger people, and leading leadership conferences. He continues to live out his calling and his passion for life. I hope that you are inspired as much as I am. Thanks for reading. We cannot wait to be back with a new episode on the show, where we are unlocking the secrets to your longer, healthier, and happier life.
