Runners over the age of 50 competed in a 5K at Lake Miramar on Sept. 13 at Lake Miramar. This event was part of the countywide San Diego Senior Olympics taking place over the course of the month. This year, eight athletes participated in the 5K run with impressive times and each offered a unique story as to why they competed.
Runners over the age of 50 competed in a 5K at Lake Miramar on Sept. 13 at Lake Miramar. This event was part of the countywide San Diego Senior Olympics taking place over the course of the month. This year, eight athletes participated in the 5K run with impressive times and each offered a unique story as to why they competed.
The first National Senior Games was held in St. Louis in 1987. The next year, Sam Cohen, the physical education director of the East County Community Center organized the San Diego chapter of the Senior Olympics. That year, 143 athletes competed in 9 events. Twenty-five strong years later, there are nearly 2,000 athletes competing in over 33 Olympic-style events.
The mission of the San Diego Senior Games Association, who organizes the events, is to encourage adults over the age of 50 to maintain a healthy lifestyle by participating in physical fitness and educational programs. Most of the participants have joined by “word of mouth” according to Gary McDonald, who hosted Saturday’s 5K. McDonald has been involved for 5 years and is a commissioner of the track and field events. He has witnessed people participating for a variety of reasons, whether it is a social experience, competing in a sport they haven’t attempted in “30 years”, or just to stay active.
Robin Paine (64) finished first with an impressive time of 24 minutes. She started distance running two weeks before her 30th birthday and has not stopped since. For Paine, running has been “really good” for her health and an integral part of her life. The mission of the Senior Olympics is why she ran the 5K. Her belief is that it is important that seniors find an outlet to stay active and fit in order to feel young.
Art Morrow, 50, traveled down from Palm Desert to run in the 5K and 10K the following day. He has been running track since high school and continued on through college primarily as a sprinter. Since his exit from school he has continued to compete against people his age all around the United States, Canada and Japan. He competes in more than 20 events on average throughout the year in multiple track fields. In two years he plans on racing in the world championships in Australia.
He ran today because that competitive spirit still burns inside. The Senior Olympics can be considered that outlet for a vast number of participants who have never lost a love for physical fitness and maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle.
