Yes, age is
just a number in endurance sport and you better believe it. If you have even the slightest doubt,
just type out ‘Iron Nun and Nike commercial’ on YouTube and watch a short
commercial on IRONMAN triathlete Sister Madonna Buder of the USA, which will
blow you away.
Sister Madonna Buder, aka the Iron Nun, is 87 years old and up
until last year, was a regular IRONMAN triathlete with a mind boggling 40
IRONMAN finishes under her belt. Sister Buder, who is a Roman Catholic nun
started running marathons at the age of 52 and never looked back. Today, she is
the undisputed Triathlon champion in the USA in the 85-89 age group category.
And she is not resting on her laurels. Sister Buder practises and trains every
day, even as she counsels prisoners in the local jail as a part of her official
duties.
Closer home, you have three septuagenarian athletes, who are
excellent role models. Wing Commander Ajit Guglani (77), a Goa based retired
Indian air force pilot, an active cyclist, Jeyaram Ramasamy (72) of Chennai,
who was the oldest participant in the IRONMAN 70.3 Goa race and Tukaram Anugade
(71), a retired school teacher from Kirloskarwadi in Maharashtra, who is a
regular half marathoner.
Wing Commander Guglani, the enthusiastic Chicalim based cyclist
cycles close to 35 kms on weekdays and increases this distance to 70 kms on
weekends. I met Guglani in June 2016 when I was averaging a mere 10 kms of
cycling a day. A short conversation with the retired pilot was enough to make
me cycle longer distances almost immediately. Recently, a cycling accident
broke Guglani’s collar bone and he was out of action for six months. However,
the accident did not deter him. He was back on the saddle very soon. “I used to
suffer from chronic arthritis. My daily cycling routine has cured me of this
illness and I do not suffer the pain anymore,” says Guglani with a ready smile.
Jeyaram Ramasamy (72) of Chennai is another role model. The
oldest participant at this year’s IRONMAN 70.3 Goa race, Ramasamy has been an
endurance athlete for the last seven years. The retired thermal power plant
engineer used to walk 5-6 kms around his power plants every day and this
physical routine combined with a sensible diet and adequate sleep kept him slim
and fit all his life.
More recently, it was
his two daughters, one a marathoner and the other a triathlete who initiated
him into the respective sports only seven years back. Ramasamy, with half a
dozen Triathlons, covered himself with glory when he became arguably, the
oldest endurance cyclist in the country to achieve the title of ‘Double Super
Randonneur’ in one calendar year in 2017. For this, Ramasamy cycled two sets of
200, 300, 400, 600 and 1,000 kms in one calendar year.
Says the Chennai
based septuagenarian, “To be frank, I feel like a 12-year-old all the time. I
like to train every morning. It keeps me fit, agile and hale and hearty.”
Similarly, Tukaram
Anugade (71), a retired school teacher has been inspiring a whole army of
runners in Southern Maharashtra. Anugade, always a slim and fit man due to
daily walking regimen, started running 5-10 kms about seven years ago. Today,
the septuagenarian is an accomplished half marathoner with a personal best
timing of 1:57 hours for the 21 km distance. Anugade’s daily training includes
a 60-minute run followed by a 30-minute swim every day. Says the affable
retired teacher, “This daily exercise energises me, allows me to eat well,
sleep well and keeps me hale and hearty?!”
On the other hand,
Pune based Dr Suresh Pethe (56) is an interesting example of how a lifestyle or
genetic disease like diabetes can change one’s life. Dr Pethe, a practicing
dermatologist weighed 90 kgs and was hit by diabetes at age 40. A competitive
swimmer in his school days, the doctor got down to work immediately. “I began
running short distances and soon was competing in 10 and 21 km runs. This
helped me cut down ten kgs very soon,” said Dr Pethe.
Having successfully
completed his first, IRONMAN 70.3 race in Goa on Sunday, he plans to continue
to train for many more Triathlons in the future.
Triathlons
are a healthy addiction”, says Swiss champion Triathlete Pablo Erat. And each
of these fifty plus, grey and super hot “iron” men is clearly addicted,
healthily.
