Pole Vaulting Grandma

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Added: Wed. Apr 14, 2010 2:23pm
Posted in: Track & Field

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Nobody has to tell me that I should be more active. Every study ever done confirms that if you hope to live longer and live better you simply need to keep moving. So why do I spend so many evenings riding the sofa?

Sometimes I wonder if these amazing people we all meet here on Growing Bolder make things worse! I mean, I'm NEVER going to be anything like the amazing 70-year-old Sandy Scott! My knees could never take living like Joe and Carol Neal. And I KNOW I won't be anywhere near as brave as 94-year-old Banana George trying to barefoot ski once again. I mean, compared to these folks and so many others, what's the point in getting up? It's just not going to happen for me...

Well, that's just not true! Kay Glynn is a great example. Oh, sure. She was a high school track star. But that's as far as her career went.

Then, 30 years later, at the age of 48, watching her daughter work out she started to think she should too. Today, in her late 50s, Kay Glynn holds the world record in indoor pole vaulting! She's a champ at high jump, long jump and hurdles. And she's having the time of her life!

"The key is putting those shoes on. Once you put them on, you realize how much better you feel. The next thing you know, you don't feel like sitting on the couch, you don't feel like eating that cruddy food. You just feel better!"

And it's not as if she hasn't had to overcome any challenges. Kay is just getting over shoulder surgery. She's not exactly central casting's version of a grandmother, is she? Oh, and by the way, she just welcomed her 4th grandchild into the world.

"Being around young people just keeps you young. The young pole vaulters I work out with at the college don't think of my age at all. And when I'm at masters events, everyone is so energetic and friendly, I'm really enjoying it."

She's enjoying it so much that she's just won the Masters National Indoor Championships in Boston in the pole vault, high jump, long jump, hurdles and who knows what else! And can you believe how young she looks? So what advice can she share?

"Start slow. Take baby steps. Just make exercise a priority. If you do something every day, soon you'll want to do more. The more you do, the better you feel. And when you feel that much better you just have more fun! You can't help it. It's a snowball effect."

Maybe somebody like Kay Glynn is all the motivation I need.