Betty Gaudy knows that getting older doesn’t mean you have to slow down.
Gaudy recently turned 90 and hasn’t stopped competing in track and field events.
Just this month, Gaudy competed at the Senior Olympics in Prescott and brought home two first place medals for her performance in the 50-meter and 100-meter dash.
She used to compete in the 200-meter dash but Gaudy said she hasn’t been involved in that event for a while.
“I felt I was coming in slower than I wanted to,” Gaudy said.
Her secret?
“There’s not a lot of competition in my age group,” Gaudy said.
In fact, there was no competition in her age group at the most recent event.
“They had some young people working there from Grand Canyon University,” Gaudy said. “I asked one of them to run with me because I don’t like running by myself.”
Gaudy said that another race had a woman in it, but she was in the 80-89 age group.
Gaudy also shared her training regimen in advance of a competition.
“I don’t do anything,” Gaudy laughed.
Still, Gaudy said she’s never been one to sit still.
“I don’t sit around watching television during the day,” Gaudy said. “I like to keep moving.”
While her competition may be scarce these days, Gaudy has been competing in these kind of events since she was in her 60s.
To read the full story, see the Wednesday, Aug. 26, edition of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.
