There is no doubting that Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins is motivated to keep active, even after marking her 105th trip around the sun.
But, after setting a world record in this month in the Louisiana Senior Games, Julia was disappointed when she crossed the finish line for the 100-meter dash with a time of 1:02:95. The 105-year-old athlete wanted to complete the race in less than a minute.
If I were to attempt to compete against her, I suspect it would take me an hour and two minutes to cross the line.
When someone pointed out that 1:02 is less than her age and asked if that made her feel better, Julia answered: “No,” The Guardian reported.
She started competing at the National Senior Games when she was 80, specializing in cycling time trials, and won several gold medals. Julia eventually ended her cycling career saying that “there wasn’t anyone left my age to compete with,” the paper noted.
“I want to keep running as long as I can,” she added. “My message to others is that you have to stay active if you want to be healthy and happy as you age.”
The full story about Julia’s accomplishment can be found at www.theguardian.com.
A video of Julia’s record-breaking achievement can be found at YouTube.com.
After closing his business and enduring several painful years of uncertainty regarding what to do with his life, Greg founded Forward From 50 to help men and women over 50 to live more purposeful lives by pursuing things they are passionate about. A Wisconsin native, Greg currently lives in Arizona.