Senior Honor Roll of Walkers 80 and over

Walking

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Walking

Senior Honor Roll
Walkers Age 80 and Over

We celebrate the following honored walkers who will inspire us to stay on the trail.

USA Honored Senior Walkers

George Conway, Massachussetts. George took up exercise after retirement and is a competitive racewalker at age 95. He holds the American age group record M85-89 for the 10K distance and is an outspoken athlete.

Lois Hooker, Oregon. Completed her first marathon at age 75. Active in volkssport walking in Oregon as a walker and club member.

Boyd Decker, Oregon. The Pink Panther, he is highly visible on the trail at volkssport walking events in Oregon and Washington dressed in fluorescent pink, often with his wife in their "Double Decker" shirts.

Emma Franke, Texas. A member of many local clubs, but in particular the Fredericksburg, Texas club. She is 87 years old and still a very active walker. She has attended all the volkssport conventions and helped with AVA Specialities at Austin, Portland and Winston-Salem, and worked a checkpoint in Winston Salem. She was in a nasty car accident on her way back from a workers walk for the Comfort, Texas, club, and ended up in hospital. Within a couple of weeks as soon as she got out of hospital she showed up at the event to work. She said she wasn't going to miss getting event credit when she had already walked it!!

John Thomas, Texas. He traveled to Wanderweek in Monterey about seven years ago, and was the lone male in a group of six. They called themselves John's harem. He did all the walks and swims with them, and patiently waited ourside while we shopped. Still walking, working events mostly as parking director, and making many of the organized volksmarching tours, both here and overseas. Belongs to at least two clubs in the local area.

Dr. Bill Cochran, Texas, about 85 years old. He does all the sanctioned events. When a local club president didn't want him to borrow her bike because she felt it wasn't safe for him to ride, he went out and bought his own. He belongs to the Selma Pathfinders and works every event. He can still do two 10km walks in a day, in less than 2 hours.

Orville Brooks, East Texas. 94 year old walks every day on his rural East Texas road. With the cooler weather in November, he has reduced his walk from two miles to one mile. Walking keeps him active, alert, and in contact with nature. He lives alone, reads, and writes essays and poetry. Everyone in his family aspires to be as active in body and mind as he is, well into their own later years.

Bill Kisch Ohio. He is 81, will be 82 in March. He was employed by the U.S. Post Office for 28 years "That's where I learned to walk." Seen often at Columbus area walks. He's a friendly, jovial little man.

Henry Arnett, Mid-Florida Milers, Florida

Jane and George Finneran, both 81, Worthington, Ohio. Jane walked the first walk in Worthington. According to George: "I said 'You mean to tell me you're going to start here and walk six miles and end up back where you started from? Not for me!" That didn't last long. George soon joined her on the trail. George provides the wit in the Buckeye Wander Freunde's newsletter.

Leomia Harrell - 82 years old
Anthony Harrell - 80 years old

Netherlands Honored Senior Walkers

Members of the FLAL, the Frisian Long Distance Walkers in the northern part of the Netherlands: Mr. E hopes to become 82 early next spring and became a member of our club just two years ago. When he became 80 his friends asked if he would take it easy now, but his wife said: 'I don't think so, he just started walking 40 km. walks'. His wife is 76 and they both entered last Saturday's 25 km. walk. The weather was quite cold, there was a nasty 6 to 7 Beaufort wind and cruel wind. Nevertheless, they both made it and enjoyed enough to come again next week.

Mr. M. celebrated his 80th birthday this year. His knee is a bit of a trouble, but more often than not he is with us, walking 25 km. in his own pace, enjoying being out, meeting people.

Mr. Z. is 82 by now but can't be frightened by any distance, it seems. On a good day he will finish a 50 km. walk in a good time and will walk 40 km well within 6 and a half hours.

Mrs. B., also 82, became a 'good weather walker' after she had had several accidents (falling, breaking bones etc.). She walks 10, 15, 20 and sometimes a 25 km.

Last summer during the Hearvejsvandring in Denmark the oldest participant was a 80 year old walker. Please note this is 7 days and 300 km.! There are a few over 80's who walk the Four Days of Nijmegen, 30 km. People who walk or cycle at an relatively old age, generally look very good, youngish even. For some it is like: Keep walking and you will look at least ten years younger than your passport says.