Master's Track & Field

A few years back my mother was in her mid 50's and realized she didn't feel as strong as she used to. Starting with sit-ups, she has progressed over the last several years to now being a world competitor in Track and Field in her 60's. Since then she has competed all across the United States, held records, and has been to 3 different countries because of the love of this sport. Her story is one of many. These men and women come from all across the world, ages ranging anywhere from 35 to over 100. They train for years, devote so much of their time into this. I've been lucky enough to travel along with my mom on these adventures and have not only been able to travel the world but I've also

been able to visit with so many of these competitors. I love watching the pure joy on their faces when they achieve their goals. The pure athleticism of these athletes is the exact definition that age is just a number; I cannot tell you how many times I hear stories like "I started running in my 50's" or "I decided to do this after beating cancer". But my absolute favorite thing about this is the incredible expression of sportsmanship. In the years I've been coming to this I've never seen angry words between athletes, never have I seen fights or arguments. They are each other's biggest advocates, cheering on their opponents just like they were the best of friends. It's truly a magnificent experience for all.