Being fit and old can be great

wjpetesutton
4 minutes ago
3 min read

I’ve taken a little time away from writing and in the interval, I’ve come to realize a couple of things. I’m 92 and there are hardly any of my old friends still around so to find I have some new friends here on this site who have asked about me gave me an especially nice feeling. I continue to do my regular exercise routine and all is well with me. I meant to reply to a reader who asked if my 25 pushups were ‘real’ pushups and I’ll answer it like this. They are not full straight arm. They are partly bent and I do them quickly. I actually do 27. I like to do an extra bit, I don’t know why. I can do at least 12 straight slow pushups -- I’ve never tried to do more than that. As I’ve said I’m not out to break records, I only exercise to stay fit and healthy.

Murray in 1952 in a track event in Hamilton ON, he set a new record!

There are things about being old and fit that are really great. I’ve hinted several times that I have this ‘project’ that I’ve been working on for over fifteen years. It’s the thing that keeps me busy and it’s the thing that when I wake up in the morning, I have something to do. Over the years I’ve been working away and there has always been something that goes wrong. Then I make progress, then more failure. Finally, I’ve found a really good company that will build it and an oil company that can use it. If I wasn’t around to get the job done and didn’t reach age 92 then it most likely would not have happened. My favorite motto is “Don’t Quit!” So don’t quit!

I know very few people here in Wilmington NC and none of them are even close to my age. But I found a couple of really old friends recently. We met in our teens, I was a bit older, and we were on the same track club in Toronto. Of all the kids on the club we are the only ones left that I know of; me, Charles Tobias in Florida and Murray Cockburn in Ontario.

Murray celebrating early this year in Kingston ON.

Very early Thursday May 29, I drove non-stop to see Charles, about 10 hours, spent half a day with him and his charming wife, got caught up a bit, saw souvenirs of his fabulous life, had dinner at a fancy yacht club, then next day drove to a nearby town to meet with my oil company friend. Then I drove to see an old friend from here who had been moved to a nursing home in Palm Beach Gardens. Then I drove straight home in about 11 hours, arriving at 3:00 am. Three meetings in two days in Florida. I couldn’t have done that if I wasn’t fit. So, keep fit!

Chuck Tobias has led an amazing life; after USC he became a Marine pilot in Vietnam then founder of Pussers Rum and restaurants, had been friends with the British Admiralty and with Queen Elizabeth. Murray Cockburn was on the Canadian Olympic Team in 1956 while at USC, then joined Torstar Corp., a huge Canadian newspaper conglomerate, became CFO and a director. Both sharp as a tack and great guys.

A simple, regular routine that doesn’t take too long is my way to stay fit and healthy. I want to maintain my level of fitness and keep my high quality of life as I get older. We may encounter obstacles, unforeseen medical issues and so on. We will get past these and continue on. I always look forward to doing my exercises and I always feel good when I’m done!