MESA — When David Keaggy turned 100 on a recent Friday morning, he did not start the day with candles and coffee. He began with the routine he has kept for decades: a workout at Mountainside Fitness where he holds the distinction of being the club’s oldest member.
Keaggy spent the first part of his centennial morning on a stationary recumbent bike and then moved through a circuit of weight machines and free weights, maintaining a regimen he follows five days a week. "I gotta keep working out because it keeps me alive," he said, explaining why he refused to cut the session short even on his birthday.
A 100-year-old Mesa resident pedals a recumbent exercise bike at a local gym as part of his birthday workout before cake.
Staff at the Mountainside Fitness location said Keaggy is one of the facility’s most recognizable members and that he has become an inspiration to newcomers and long-time regulars alike. "We are celebrating one of our members' 100th birthday, which is so special," said Michaela Raner. "He's been a staple to this facility. We love seeing his smiling face on a daily basis. He's a true inspiration."
Raner recounted that Keaggy was determined to finish his workout before the birthday celebration could begin. He had joked about riding the bike for an hour, she said, and then followed through on the plan. "We couldn't even sing 'Happy Birthday' until he finished that bike ride," Raner added, describing how the staff and fellow members waited while he completed his warm-up and weights routine.
Keaggy, a retired master archer and World War II Air Corps veteran, said the disciplines he follows now mirror habits he has kept throughout his life. He attributes his century of life to daily activity and a conservative approach to diet and habits: exercise every day, avoid alcohol and caffeine, maintain a healthy weight and eat well. "Every part you have that moves should be exercised one way or another, every day," he said.
The workout ended with the ritual Keaggy allowed himself to postpone: birthday cake. Family, friends and fellow gym members gathered to sing and celebrate after he completed his hour on the bike and his lift session. Keaggy smiled as he accepted a piece of cake, saying plainly, "I've got to have a piece of cake."
Even in celebration, Keaggy kept his goals modest and focused on the routine that has carried him this far. He joked about aiming even higher for longevity, recalling a story he'd heard the day before about a woman who lived to 132. "I heard yesterday that there was a woman who was 132 years old, so that's my goal," he said, later adding another quiet wish as people sang: "I'm gonna make a wish that I can do 10 more years."
Officials and fellow gym members said his presence at Mountainside Fitness is more than symbolic. Keaggy's consistent attendance and visible daily effort have made him a familiar and motivating figure inside the gym, where his smiling face greets many who pass through the doors. On his 100th birthday, those gestures of support and recognition were joined by family and friends to mark the milestone after he completed the workout he said keeps him going.
Keaggy is also a noted figure in archery history, having developed and promoted "Power Archery" as a technique. He authored a book and wrote articles on the topic in the 1960s, as referenced in publications like Archery World magazine and discussions on archery forums. His dedication to physical discipline spans from those days as a master archer through his military service and into his centenarian years.
Local reports list Keaggy's birth year as 1926 and say he is a father of five with seven grandchildren, five great‑grandchildren and one great‑great‑grandson.
Keaggy is credited with publishing a short book titled "Power Archery" in 1964 and with running a regular Power Archery column in Archery World during the 1960s.
Previous birthday feats reported by local media include jumping from an airplane at age 70, bench‑pressing 225 pounds at 82, completing 83 consecutive pushups at 90, and finishing a weighted carry/walk challenge at age 97.