The scene at Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida was familiar, not unlike any high school athletics competition. There was a training area where athletes ran and stretched. There were eager runners circling the track and tents that provided shade from the hot Florida sun.
But the athletes competing in the National Seniors Games track and field event had slightly more gray hair than their teenage counterparts. And they also saw their grandchildren cheering in the stands.
Many runners were between 75 and 99 years old and didn’t start running until they were 60. Some needed a little help putting on their shoes before they reached the starting line. But they all shared his determination to compete – and complete each race.
They have plenty of advice for younger runners hoping to follow in their footsteps around a 400 meter oval.
Stay consistent, persistent and on the go, they said.
Walter Lancaster, 82, Charleston, South Carolina.
“I try to be an inspiration,” said Walter Lancaster. “A lot of people get lazy or something, you know. And I say, ‘Look. You’ve got to keep moving. That’s the secret. Just keep moving.’
As a passionate competitor, Lancaster taught himself to compete in track and field events – both throwing and jumping – to complement his runs. “If you hate running, you’ll find plenty of reasons not to run,” he said.
Lancaster does not anticipate slowing down anytime soon. “I just like it,” she added. “I will continue as long as my joints hold.”
Lilian Atchley, 93, Cleveland, Tennessee.
Lillian Atchley said she didn’t have much advice for new runners. “I think you just have to have a love of running, the determination to run,” she said.
Atchley has entered every available running event at Miramar: 50 meters, 100, 400, 800 and 1,500 in the women’s 90-95 category.
The 50 meters race was fierce: Patricia Fujii and Yvonne Aasen tied for first place with a time of 20.43 seconds, and Atchley finished third with 20.53 seconds. She placed second in the 100 meters with 44.28 seconds, behind Fujii, who won with 43.25.
“The people in the running community are wonderful,” she said.
Roy Englert, 99, Springfield, Virginia.
Roy Englert was one of the oldest participants in the Senior National Games. He competed in the 400 meters, finishing in 3:35:47.
Englert credits his success to a simple equation. “My constant advice is keep moving, keep moving, keep moving,” he said. “And have a little luck.”
Yvonne Aasen, 90, Westminster, Maryland.
Many have called Yvonne Aasen an inspiration. But running is “just what I do,” she said. “I feel good when I run, and when I don’t run it feels like I’m missing something.”
As a member of two running clubs – the Annapolis Striders and the Westminster Road Runners Club – she embraces the opportunity to compete. As her rival friend Lillian Atchley, Aasen entered the 50 meters, the 100, 400, 800 and 1,500. In some races, she was one of only two runners. But he didn’t care. “I feel competitive even when I have no competition,” she said.
And for runners looking to keep pace? “Run every day, even if it’s a short distance,” he said. “I can’t run very far now, but when I can’t run anymore I’ll still walk.”
Chad-98Weaver, a distinguished author at NewsBulletin247, excels in the craft of article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a penchant for storytelling, Chad delivers informative and engaging content that resonates with readers across various subjects. His contributions are a testament to his dedication and expertise in the field of journalism.
