Posted on 12/10/2018 8:03:36 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Moon Fahel from San Antonio, Texas, had just gotten home from a martial arts class that he’s been taking for the last 15 years when he answered the phone call from Runner’s World. It wasn’t an anomaly—he stays busy with other classes during rest of the week, too: kickboxing, Zumba, athletic dancing, and BODYPUMP, among others.
Plus, he just ran his fifth marathon this past Sunday at the San Antonio Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon.
Oh, and he’s 85 years of age. (The word “old” doesn’t have a place in his vocabulary.)
“I don’t know what old is,” Fahel said. “If I have to describe it, I’ll say, ‘I’ll get up in the morning, I shuffle my feet to go to the kitchen, I stuff myself with breakfast, I get back to a rocking chair and watch TV, repeat that for lunch, repeat that for dinner. And then when I’m aching, I see my doctor and I’ll pop pills in my mouth.’ I don’t want to live like that.”
And Fahel hasn’t come close to that. He worked as a mechanical engineer for a construction company in San Antonio for 35 years, before retiring in 2002. He stayed very hands-on and active on the job, so going from a jam-packed day to retirement was a jarring transition. Fahel’s wife of 66 years suggested they both try the gym, and there’s been no going back for him ever since.
Considering himself a lifelong learner, Fahel’s curiosity overtook him at the gym. He would peer through the class windows and watch people dance, sweat, and just have fun. If he was interested in something, he would simply ask if he could join. If the answer was yes, then he was in—all in—even for dance classes like Zumba.
(Excerpt) Read more at runnersworld.com ...
I love this guy too. We should all get out and run. Actually, I do a mile a day on the treadmill at the gym, plus some weight lifting. Nothing too heavy. And I’m a girl...a very old girl, but he has me beat by a few years.
A day without the gym is a truly miserable day....
The photo for those who don’t want the snoopy script that it was couched in.
https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/images/830430-1004-0037-1544279657.jpg
So awesome! I keep telling Beau that I’m going to be one of those women that have a mild, ‘heart attack wake-up call’ at age 70...and the next year I will run my first full Marathon, LOL!
P.S. I HATE to run; the Army TOTALLY ruined recreational running for me. But, ‘I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more!’ (Proclaimers)
Your story reminds me of a story an army vet told me. In his basic training he had this tough South Vietnamese Sgt. who was attached to a US unit. Whenever someone would slow down he would say to them “what you no run?” As if running 10 miles in the summer sun with a 40lb pack was easy.
Thank you——I’m 86.:-)
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Admitted peeping Tom- Watch this guy!
Running is a stupid sport. The jury is NOT OUT on this
Walk. Power walk Hike. Bike. Swim. Many other options
Running DESTORYS. KNEES. ANKLES. HIPS
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85 is old. Research shows that our better lifestyles make our sixties at least 10 years yoonger and we are having fantastic seventies. However brains often give out in the eighties and the better bodies keep on ticking.
Me? I exercise moderately and pray that the brain and the body go at the same time.
Yep. Those Field Marches were brutal! It really sucked that we gals had to drag the guys along with us! ;)
Actually I joined the gym because my hip hurt so much I couldn’t even lift my leg to get into an SUV. Then I read “The Arthritis Cure” and started taking Osteo-Biflex and running on the treadmill; within a couple of months I was pain free. Still am, and that was 22 years ago. I do intervals sometimes, three minutes of walking, one of trotting, etc.
Forgot to buy Osteo Biflex last year...and about 5 weeks later, pain returned to my toes and thumb joint but not hip. It subsided again when I got back on it.
Hip is still doing fine, gotta watch those toes and that thumb. Hylands homeopathic remedy “Arthritis Pain Relief” takes care of occasional pain — available at my supermarket. Prescription drugs literally make me sick. All doses are overdoses for me. Don’t need them—my doc prescribes nutritional supplements. They work, take about 8 different things per day.
God gave us miracle bodies to live in. Prayer certainly helps us keep them healthy.
Be aware of what’s going on with your body, stop running if it hurts.
Stay healthy, my FRiend.
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