Fifty years ago, a twenty year old student from Syracuse University ran the Boston Marathon. While running a marathon is a great achievement for anyone, it was groundbreaking for this student, Kathrine Switzer, because in 1967 she was the first woman to officially do so. (In 1966, Roberta Bingay Gibb endured the 26 mile race, but she was not an officially registered participant with a bib.) Yesterday, Switzer returned to Boston to complete the competitive run again, at age 70. These momentous marathons are the bookends to an impressive running career that includes dozens of marathons in between.

(Image via CNN Twitter)

Switzer was serious about training and completing the marathon. At age 20, she knew that dropping out of the race would only allow men to dismiss women as serious competitors. If she dropped out, she explained, she knew “that no one would believe women could run distances and deserved to be in the Boston Marathon they would just think that I was a clown, and that women were barging into events where they had no ability.” While she trained hard to run this great distance, she also shattered antiquated gender stereotypes of the 1960s, proving the endurance of all women was a matter of perseverance.

(Image via Boston News Now Twitter)

Yesterday, Switzer completed the Boston Marathon in 4:44:31, a respectable time for a runner of any age. It is clear that Switzer has spent the last fifty years maintaining a healthy body, to be able to run 26.2 miles at the age of 70. This is great motivation for any young adults who are looking for healthy role models; but what if you’re slightly older than Karen Switzer was when she got started? What if you’re twice her starting age, or more, and you need to attain a healthy body first? Is hope lost?

You may not have goals of running a marathon at age 70, your current age, or any age in between, but you are most likely hopeful to live a long, healthy life. Imagine your senior years, free from pain, but also full of vitality. Whether you dream of spending your golden years running after finish lines or running after grandchildren, the activities you choose now will have great influence over your abilities in ten or thirty years. No matter how old you are, the time to start is now.

Anne Arundel County residents in the Millersville and Severna Park areas are lucky to have a personal trainer close to home who is not only going to motivate in the gym, but also has the medical background to help you reach your goals safely. No matter your current weight or health situation, Repke Fitness is ready to help you start living a healthy life now so you can enjoy a healthy you later, too.