Tom Murray

The Butler Eagle asked me to write an essay about how athletics has impacted my life. I am happy to do this because I have personally benefited in many ways.

If others can be encouraged from my story, that would be rewarding to me.

So, here is the story of how a regular guy got off the couch to take control of his health, and along the way, really enjoyed a newly found way of life.

I did not become seriously involved in sports until much later in life. In the late 1950s at Zelienople High School, I went out for the three sports available, but I was always on the second team. In college, I competed on inter-fraternity teams.

In those days, only football, basketball and track were offered to boys and nothing was available to young women.

Throughout my late 20s and early 30s, I played golf with my business associates and skied with my family. I thought I was getting exercise, but looking back, neither sport provided the necessary health benefits of strength maintenance or cardiovascular development.

Physical activity was not considered to be very important. Middle aged people played for fun, not for good health.

If someone over 35 years old played full court basketball, they were thought to be "super human." And, you would never see anyone jogging on the streets until 1972 when a young American, Frank Shorter, won the Olympic Marathon and started the running boom.

At age 36 in 1978, I faced a crisis in my life. I was 30 pounds overweight, smoked and drank more beer than recommended. Four years earlier, my father died at age 52 of congestive heart failure.

Thankfully, I woke up and decided that I needed a new direction, or my life span could be prematurely shortened.

At this point, I chose jogging as a way to lose weight and to get some exercise. Initially, I could not jog around the block; but in just three or four months, the distance increased to five miles. Soon, I was running, not jogging, and I was entering 5K and 10K races.

A friend and I challenged each other to do a marathon. Within one year of training, two middle aged, lethargic golfers completed our first marathon in under four hours.

Running is a wonderful sport. I soon had a new group of friends, all who were interested in eating the right foods and taking care of their bodies. It goes without saying that I quit smoking, lost weight and had a new attitude about health and fitness.

One of the great concepts of running is that you are constantly competing against yourself. Winning a trophy was not important; personal improvement was the goal.

How fast can I run the 10K or marathon? Having a competitive personality, I was always working to achieve a personal record. Within several years, my friend and I both qualified to run the Boston Marathon at age 40 at a time of under 3 hours 10 minutes. We were elated.

Around this time in 1982 a new sport of the Ironman Triathlon was televised for the first time on ABC from Hawaii. I was mesmerized. This was something I had to do. I was always looking for ways to reach new levels; this was a huge challenge.I found I had the endurance from running, but I could not swim much at all and I didn't own a bike. Soon, I hooked up with other "Tri Geeks" and we all began to train and improve in the sport. I hired a swim coach and bought a racing bike.One of the problems was finding the time to train and still provide time for my three children and run a business. We all worked together, and, I think I did a reasonably good job of balancing these important activities.Since I was not outstanding in any of the three disciplines of the triathlon, I did not expect to do very well. I just wanted to complete the event.Cycling became my favorite sport, and I did achieve a medium level in swimming and my running was always consistent. Because of this balance, to my surprise, I was able to be competitive in my age division. Sometimes, I actually finished ahead of many of the younger guys.Since the onset of the area's first triathlon at Moraine State Park in 1983, I have now competed in more than 250 multi sport events throughout the United States and five foreign countries. If you add up cycling races, adventure races, running and cross country skiing events, the list totals more than 600!Am I compulsive? Maybe. But, I'm really loving it.

Now, let's talk about the benefits. Remember that mid-life crises I mentioned earlier? I am now thankful that I realized that it was not only important to get off the couch to exercise, it was also important to maintain the correct diet, get rest and keep up with the medical examinations that were recommended for men my age.As a result of this disciplined program, my weight has dropped 30 pounds, my strength has been maintained, my cholesterol has dropped from 250 to 135, my blood pressure is 110/70 and my heart rate dropped from 85 to 38 resting. I am rarely ill, and stress is not a factor in my life.All of this points to a continued healthy life. I feel great. Now, if I can just keep from getting run over by a truck.We all know that we can benefit by adopting standards for a healthy lifestyle. It is not important to do as much training as I do, but it is important to "get out there almost everyday." I find that it sometimes helps to motivate yourself by establishing a goal, such as to decide to run a 5K race this summer.My wife, Chris, and my daughter, Anne, have both been an inspiration to me and to others. Chris has run more than 40 marathons, many since she turned the age of 50. She also does a good job keeping me focused. Anne is a competitive age grouper in local and regional triathlons.I mentioned earlier that 30 years ago it was uncommon for older people to be seen running or competing in any sport. Now, it is common to see 50-, 60- and 70-year-olds at various races. There is a new attitude toward activities for many older people.This summer, at age 65, I will be competing in my 10th Ironman distance triathlon at Lake Placid, N.Y. There will be 30 to 35 others in my 65 to 69 age group. And yes, there will be a few over 70 who toe the line.In conclusion, sports have had a huge impact on my health and the lifestyle of my family and myself. I look forward to a continued full life as a senior citizen.Along the way I hope I have been instrumental in motivating others to join my passion and to reach beyond their expectations.

Tom Murray trains for the Senior Olympics in 2005.