you're aging wellby Sally Young
It seems that peoples' lives take different paths as they age. For some, either by chance or by choice, it's an extreme sport just to make it to the mailbox. For others, it's pine needles all the way. What makes the difference? Is it genetic? Should we choose better parents? The truth is that there are some things you just can't help. Life will beat you up as you go along. Mistakes are fewer, but they are much more costly. Physically, aging takes its' toll. I can visualize a rusty old wagon as a metaphor for the passing of time. We've carried our loads of all types and sizes. Some of us have had children on board¾and now bits and pieces are missing, joints are squeaking and creaking, vital parts are being replaced with space-age plastics and chrome. What do you do when you suddenly discover that you've become a vintage model? "You do what you can," says Vera Coker. "There's always something you can try." Vera is 83 and lives in Kennedale, Texas, where she and her husband owned and operated a farm for 48 years. When Vera was 67, her husband died. The loss made her feel tired and drained. Everything hurt. Her doctors told her that there was nothing physically wrong with her, and advised Vera to find something to do that was different; something that she had not done with her husband. Anyone who runs knows that running will redefine who you are. Running gives you confidence, strength, and endurance. It opens up a whole new world of contact with other runners and broadens your social circle about as much as you want it to. Most importantly, runners, by nature, are very accepting and encouraging. So when Vera saw a runner on television and thought the sport looked like fun, she decided to give it a try. She was making a wise decision. Vera would follow her doctor's orders and do something different, something very healthy. At the age of 68, Vera Coker became a runner. Usually people slow down as they age. Vera was just starting up. She saw a newspaper ad about a road race, and entered her first 5K. She finished the race, and at the end, fell in with Jan Richards and Metta Bratten, two younger women with marathon experience. "They took me under their wings," remembers Vera. They told Vera that she might feel better with lighter clothing--something more designed for running. So at her next 5K, Vera took their advice. She wore racing clothes, ran a better race, and on that day, the lady went home with the hardware. Vera Coker was awarded a second place trophy. The fire was lit. In her fifteen years of running competitively, Vera has been presented with more than 250 trophies. They fill the corner of a room in her house at the farm. She is a member of the Arlington Runners Club, which also makes her a member of the national organization, the Road Runners Club of America. In addition to receiving the newsletter from her local running club, Vera also receives FootNotes magazine from the RRCA. "I enjoy reading magazines. I don't have time for books," Vera pointed out. "I especially like FootNotes." During Vera's years of racing and running, her family would often join her at races. Sometimes four generations, including daughter Carolyn Williamson, grandson Sam Chambers, and great-grandson Steven Chambers, would cross the same finish line. There's a real richness in Vera Coker's life. She has surrounded herself with people that she loves. She's active and shares her contagious enthusiasm with others. She has many interests and is generous with her wisdom on aging. "You can always find a way to contribute something," advises Vera. She has woven herself into the fabric of her community. Every year Vera makes about 400 jars of jelly from the wild grapes and plums she finds in her backyard, and donates them or gives them as gifts. She also volunteers at the Kennedale Senior Citizen Center. Vera is now 83 and has become a little gentler with herself. She walks two miles every day instead of running. "People say to me 'I wish I could do like you do,'" says the 83-year-old Coker. "I tell them you can! |