'Nothing stops me,' says 77-year old St. John's runner
Florence Barron has set several provincial records for runners over 70
Florence Barron, my 77-year-old running buddy, says the secret to good health and an energetic approach to life is to keep running as long as you can.
"I say it's like taking a pill, it just gives you a nice feeling," said Florence, as we run up a steep hill near Long Pond.
"I'm always happy on a run. When I feel a bit stressed or not feeling so great, I just grab my shoes and go for a nice long run."
I'm always happy on a run.- Florence Barron
"And it's addicting. I have to have it. So nothing stops me."
I recently saw Florence cross the finish line at the top of Signal Hill for the gruelling Cape to Cabot 20-kilometre race in two hours and seven minutes. That was after running from Cape Spear over a series of long rolling hills, and going straight up a very steep hill for the last 1.6 kilometres.
That's a run many younger athletes wouldn't even consider attempting.
Took up running in retirement
Florence spent most of her adult life in Wabush, Labrador, where she raised five children, worked as a nursing assistant, and stayed active with swimming, aerobics, and cross-country skiing.
She took up running when she and her husband retired to St. John's, and, on a whim, she ran the Tely 10 10-mile road race in 1997.
"I got a gold medal, and I thought, 'Oh my God, this is a piece of cake, sure, there's nothing to this,'" recalled Florence.
"But, needless to say, the next day, my legs were so sore I couldn't hardly get downstairs."
Soon after that, she joined a running training course, and the rest, as Florence put it, is history.
'Not all written in stone'
"She's one of the best runners for her age not just in Newfoundland, but in North America," said Florence's running coach, Art Meaney.
Art, who at 71, is quick to point out that he's much younger than Florence, is a longtime runner and coach who holds several provincial records.
He told me he's seen a growing number of middle-aged people and retirees taking up the sport.
"Cardiovascular activities like running, you can start at any time. You can get healthier, fitter in a fairly short time as long as you are consistent, keep doing it," he said.
"While there are no guarantees in this world, you are more likely to avoid sickness and illnesses that perhaps plague people that are not as fit and don't take care of their health as much."
Ted Cadigan, a graduate student in kinesiology at Memorial who is young enough to be Florence's grandson, designs Florence's gym workouts. He said Florence, for her age, has surpassed much younger athletes in terms of her strength and conditioning.
"I think her longevity in the sport comes from extracurricular activities like swimming and strength training. And understanding that it's a complete package, not just beating away at the track," Ted told me.
"It's not all written in stone the way people's abilities regress as they age."
Running as therapy
Florence, like others I know, finds that running is more than just a way for her to stay in shape. Several years after the Barrons moved to St. John's, Florence's husband began showing symptoms of Alzheimer's.
"The only way I think I got through it was going out for a run or going for a swim," said Florence.
"When it got so bad that he couldn't stay by himself, I would get home care to come in so I could go out. I could sit him in the window, [and he could] watch me run up and down Larkhall Street doing my hill training."
"And I think it was therapy for me to be able to get out and do that."
Barron's husband passed away three years ago, and since then, she has stepped up her training, adding gym workouts with Cadigan and yoga to her regime.
Future goals
Florence is proud to say that she takes no medications, and she feels as healthy as a horse. When she's not running, Florence volunteers with several organizations, including Canadian Blood Services.
However, Florence has assured me and her younger running buddies that even if she doesn`t feel like she`s 77 years old, she doesn`t forget her age. To avoid the risk of slipping and falling on ice, she doesn't run outdoors in the winter. Instead, she switches to swimming, skating and cross-country skiing.
And at post-race receptions, when free massage therapy is offered, she'll often sweetly mention her age and skip ahead in the lineup.
It's always an inspiration to work out with Florence. When we run and talk, we're not aware of each others ages; we're just runners, talking about the scenery, future races we're planning on running, and goals we're aiming for.
Florence has already set a number of provincial age records, and she's aiming for another. She would like to run the Tely 10 in 90 minutes when she turns 80 years old.
"I want to make it [breaking my record] difficult for the next person."
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