I started living healthy back in the 1970s, after reading an inspirational book titled, "Food is Your Best Medicine," by Dr. Henry Bieler. Back in those days many of my friends thought I was a bit crazy and called me “Health Nut.” Over the years, I have continued to eat wisely and exercise regularly.
Although I never competed in track and field in high school or college, at the age of 63 I started competing in the North Carolina Senior Games. My first challenge was to learn how to throw a discus, and one of the local high school athletes taught me. In my first year of competition, in 2004, I won first place in four events at the local games. Then came the State Finals. There the competition was much tougher, and I didn’t medal. But I did watch the sprint races and said to my wife: “I can run faster than those guys.” In the following years I worked with a personal trainer and got some instruction from a local track coach.
Then in the 2007 State Finals I won the gold medal for my age group in the 100 meter dash! At the 2009 State Finals, at the age of 68, I won the 100 meter dash again – with a better time than in 2007! (Guess I haven’t peaked yet.) My sister sent me a T-shirt with the letters FOF on the front: Fastest Old Fart. All the years of wise eating and exercise have paid off for this FOF!