As a kid, I despised playing sports but fell deeply in love with them as an adult.

Juana Summers of NPR presents at Baltimore 10-Miler. To see her running this marathon event click on this image! In total Juana finished first place! To read about Juana Summer’s experience please see: juana Summers/NPR
My mom signed me up for soccer and basketball teams when I was young; though my focus mainly lay with bench-warming rather than participation. Gym class brought out my allergies; fitness tests left me cold; this trend continued into early adulthood; when working out voluntarily wasn’t enjoyable at first. Over time however, as my body adjusted I gradually started enjoying participating more voluntarily — taking group fitness classes, trying new types of workouts while meeting people along the way; ultimately finding what worked for my body! As well as this I began lifting weights again while honing good techniques — always delighted in lifting just another few pounds or reps than before! As my body adjusted so did my motivation levels rise for physical exertions!
Running was something else I discovered through running; first on my own and later finding community with a local running group. Although running is wonderful exercise for any age, and especially as we age, my own journey made me reflect upon how people of any age can find fitness or movement at any point – not just active children – so long as it continues being part of one’s routine. For that reason I made sure to spend as much time possible speaking with active older people to understand their experience exercising for health as I got into my 30s; they taught me a great deal about being physically active throughout life while living well while living well!
NPR host Juana Summers didn’t grow up as an athlete, but found joy in movement as an adult. W. B. Eadley/NPR for photo.
As part of our series on older athletes, we interviewed more than a dozen individuals over 50 on their fitness journeys and asked each of them the same question: If someone were thinking about starting an activity like swimming for example, DeEtte Sauer (83 years old and competitive swimmer in her 50s post sobriety) recommended her advice would be simple – don’t be scared!
“Fear shouldn’t stop anyone from accomplishing what they desire,” Sauer noted, suggesting to use your discomfort as motivation and energy to take calculated risks. She advised those beginning their venture to start small. For anyone just getting started out: take small steps. “On my first day, it would have been impossible. I couldn’t even reach halfway across the pool! However, my swim coach encouraged me and told me: ‘You are strong and can do this’ instead of listening to that voice saying: ‘Get out now girl; this place doesn’t belong to you.'” Exercise can create and strengthen social tiesWe spent an early morning at a mall in Annapolis, Md. with a group of women who’ve spent years walking alongside one another five days each week for exercise – getting outside but then coming back together as one community through fitness walking. Anita Snyder, aged 81 years old, has been walking at her local mall for 20 years now. According to Anita and other women she frequents for exercise purposes, their motivation comes from knowing there will always be someone there waiting for them – “Knowing we have someone waiting here is what keeps us coming,” Snyder explained to me. “When it’s hard for me to get up, they are there waiting.” And this community goes beyond Annapolis Mall; Snyder and two elderly friends of Evelyn Boock and Annette Smith from her late 70s are connected via group text message. “Walkers will often send text or Facebook messages when they don’t see another walker on their daily route, just making sure everyone’s okay,” Snyder explained. She called mall-walking community an extended family.
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Mona Noyes, 86, exercises at Fivex3 Training in Baltimore with trainer Emily Socolinksy at Fivex3. Photo credit Kyna Uwaeme for NPR
Mona Noyes, an 86-year-old we met at Fivex3 Training gym in Baltimore. Her advice for beginners: it is never too late to begin working out!
Noyes worked at a large school district until she retired at age 72, after which time her daily tasks became less easy and her confidence and independence took a dramatic dive. So her daughter suggested working out with a trainer. “Now I am doing things I never would have even considered doing before,” she stated. Emily Socolinsky, her trainer and Fivex3 owner emphasized the many quality-of-life advantages associated with maintaining physical activity throughout life: “So many retirees simply stop being active after retiring. But staying active offers so many quality-of-life advantages.” Socolinsky stressed to me the danger of inactivity: People stop engaging socially or exercising regularly and becoming physically fitter as time goes on, she stated. Strength training was particularly vital as a form of confidence building for Noyes; she has gained strength as a result. Simple tasks once considered difficult are becoming simpler again, according to my interviewee, who described herself as struggling “just carrying regular grocery bags – carrying four quarts of milk now is like an act of God!” Matt Ozug and Sarah Handel contributed significantly to this report.