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83-year-old Austin runner nabs eight gold medals
Need some inspiration? Meet Austin’s own Lillie Doss.
Doss, who turned 83 on Sept. 11, just won eight gold medals at the Texas State Senior Games in Temple, which wrapped up Sept. 29.
She can probably relate to Michael Phelps. Only instead of swimming, Doss runs.
A lot.
She collected her latest gold medals in the in the females 80-84 age group of the 5k, which she ran in 48 minutes and 32.92 seconds, and the 10k, which she ran in 1 hour 37 minutes 34.16 seconds. She adds those to the golds she nabbed in the 50 meters, 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters and 1,500 meters.
Doss, who is a breast cancer survivor, started running at age 64. She ran off more than 75 pounds and has since raced her way across Europe and the United States. She’s finished four marathons and three 50 K races, a feat for someone half her age.
Running, she says, “is good for your heart, soul and mind.” She says it gives her peace of mind. “If I hadn’t started running, I would have lost my mind when my husband died in 1985,” she says.
She doesn’t let it stress her out, either. “I don’t worry about it. If I don’t feel well, I don’t do it,” she says. And, “You do the best you can. Don’t worry who’s behind you.”
Today, Doss runs on average three times a week. Her favorite local races include the Statesman Capitol 10,000, the Congress Avenue Mile, the Schlotzsky’s Bun Run 5K, the Turkey Trot and the Chuy’s Hot to Trot 5K. During her relatively short running career, she’s put 743 awards in her trophy case, for distances from 50 meters to 50K.
She’s off to the Las Vegas Nevada Senior Games this weekend, then it’s on to St. George Utah for the Huntsman World Senior Games, where she’ll compete in eight events in four days.
“I’m proud of her. She’s something else,” says her son, Timothy Doss.
She’s an inspiration. She doesn’t have much patience for people who think they can’t get fit, either. “I wasn’t in shape when I started, either,” she says.
I think we can all learn something from her philosophy.
“When I finish, I’m a winner,” she says.
No kidding.
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By Timothy
October 1, 2008 8:27 AM | Link to this
Lillie started running at age 64 weighing over 200 pounds. She had arthritis in her knees and one of her doctor back then stated she probably be in a wheelchair in a couple of years.
So you are never too old or young to start.
more info about Lillie is at http://groups.msn.com/2001usamasters
Thanks
Timothy (her proud and prejudice son)