Meeting A Centenarian Athlete

This past week I had the opportunity to meet someone who is a local celebrity, Diane Friedman. She is 100-years-old and has gained notoriety as a multiple world-record holder in Track & Field. A story ran on our local Cleveland news about her this past Friday.

I have a client in his early 90s who I train at his apartment building’s fitness room. While we were there for his weekly session, Diane and her trainer, Bruce Sherman, were also in making use of the facility. I knew immediately who they were and was happy to make her acquaintance.

Diane sends an important message to older adults–even if she might be too modest to says so. Fitness is not just for the younger generations. We are all capable of living healthier lives, but it requires making a commitment to do so. That commitment does not necessarily mean competing in the Senior Olympics or breaking world records. We can have goals as simple as being able to go for a hike in a national or state park, keeping up with our grandchildren at the playground, or having the stamina and strength to keep working at jobs that we find enjoyable and fulfilling.

The decisions we make today about our health and fitness will affect what our tomorrows look like. I do not know all of Diane’s history but I can guess that her passion did not arise in just the last few years. Building life-long good habits can lead to all kinds of wonderful outcomes later on. Of course, there are no guarantees in life, but taking better care of ourselves can help us fight the challenges that may come our way.

It was an honor to meet Diane and I know I will be rooting for her in the future! Keep strong and keep on inspiring us “youngsters!”