Everyone can do it - 83-year-old runner

With the Olympics days away, an 83-year-old man who has joined a gym and a running club is urging people to start exercising.

Derek Osborn, from Broseley, Shropshire, put his mind to running when he retired on his birthday earlier this year.

He was becoming "notorious in the athletic club races... [as] the guy who's always last", he said, adding "but I always manage to finish with a sprint".

Mr Osborn stated the activity was "not about races", though, and "everyone can do it".

He said that while he had suffered from long Covid, gradually his strength and stamina grew.

Speaking at the Nuffield Health gym in Telford, the runner said the distance he started with "was to run 50m up the hill at the back of the gym".

He explained: "That was hard work and I looked at the video... and it looked like an old man shuffling up a hill.

"But I'll sprint up now."

He said he had tried to stay fit most of his life and the first race he did, nearly 7k, took him about one hour and three minutes.

"I did the same race this year and, oh, I'm a year older and it was a warm evening, so I'll give those excuses. But... actually it [only] took four seconds longer.

"I'm not competitive with anyone else. I came in last of... two or three hundred runners, but I made it."

Mr Osborn said his biggest achievement had been tackling the Wrekin.

"My knees felt fine... The ground was soft under foot.

"I dream that maybe next year I might, just might, try for a 10k."

His personal trainer, Dan Connolly, stated the 83-year-old was "probably the most open-minded person I've ever met in my life".

The running coach added: "I think Derek's right in that things can change.

"In the past we've always perceived the fact that maybe we're getting a bit older, that we should stop doing our passion, stop pursuing movement.

"I think if we can look after the body, keep moving... not let people bring you down, there's so much more that we can do."

He said the way to start exercising was "little and often".

"Just get out there, put yourself out," he explained. "Even if you can't necessarily go for a run, start off with a walk."

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