Superseniors!

Individually, I've written about them here before.  Some of them more than once. 

Dr. Ted Flickinger calls them Superseniors.  I like that term; Senior citizens that are doing super things.   They are mostly folks that aren't letting the calendar dictate their activity level.  

Like George "Rat" Long.   Rat posted such good times winning his age division in Tennessee Senior Olympics bicycling that he would have done well in the youngest age category.   By conservative estimates, he biked over 8000 miles in 2011 and plans on doing more in 2012.

He regularly rides with folks decades younger than he is--and drops many of them off on the side of the road.   Rat will be 72 this year.

Or Caroline Haynes.  I wrote about her recently but she never ceases to amaze.   Playing through an injury, she and her doubles partner recently battled back from an early loss to win the consolation bracket championship at a tournament in Fort Lauderdale.

I think she gets tired of me printing this but she plays like she's 30 and looks like she's 50.  Oh, and she's 74. 

Or Bill Proffitt.  Another frequent competitor at the Senior Olympics, Bill has stayed fit for many years by staying committed to being physically active.   He exercises regularly and rides his bike every day (weather permitting).    He's 87.

Or Dr. Charlie Raper, who is still running marathons at 74.   Having driven up Pikes Peak, I'm still in awe of the days when Dr. Raper ran marathons up that mountain.  He plans to run his umpteenth Boston Marathon this year.

Many of you will remember Margaret Steverson, hiker extraordinaire, who made such a routine of hiking Mount LeConte that they were usually looking for her arrival.  

It was my pleasure to hike with her on one occasion.  At the time, I was probably 50 years her junior yet she sprinted up Alum Cave Bluff Trail as I plodded along.  Along the way, she hiked every trail in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  Her 718th and last trip on LeConte was at age 83.  

So what do these folks have that most others don't have?  I think a big part of it is that they just refuse to accept that at a certain age you have to slow down.  They don't allow birthdays determine how they pursue the activities that they love.   

Each has found a formula to add quality to their senior years.  Fitness, good health, and proper nutrition seem important to them as well.   You've heard it here before:  you can't put garbage in a high performance engine. 

They  have all obviously found an activity that they just happen to be good at but which also brings them great happiness.    I can tell you that Rat rides a bicycle with a smile on his face.

And maybe that's the most important ingredient:  The pursuit of happiness.   For what greater reward can we have on this earth than to remain happy for as long as our body lets us? 

Superseniors?  Yeah, I like that term a lot.