Age is just a number

With utmost respect, I congratulate all the athletes from 18-35 years old, but today I want to write about the Masters (35+, 40+, 50+, 60+, 70+) and mention three of them:

1. Eddie - whose family name I have absolutely no idea.

2. Sabine Dejaeghere. (Did I spell it correctly? I hope so).

3. Koen Penninckx

                                                                Age is just a number

Eddie entered the café Koen and I were in: a man that anyone could think was an spectator, but no... He was a runner in his best shape: 70 years old, motivated, with a big smile on his face and a beautiful pair of blue eyes, like most Belgians.

The other great personality was Sabine (50+): as short as me (probably doesn't reach 1.60m), with a beautiful pair of blue eyes, a shy smile, curly blond hair like a doll, but an outstanding resilience, with a great shape and a family name which is self-explanatory... no introductions needed.

Last but not the least, Koen Penninckx (45): with a beautiful pair of blue eyes (Gosh, I think I'll write this about every Belgian I know?), straight blond hair, a beautiful pair of runner legs and owner of enviable bravery, discipline and a great sense of justice.

Mixing Dutch and English and engaging in fun small talks with them, I was actually impressed with their skills, mostly because of their ages... Not because I think like this, but because Belgium is, indeed, an ageist country. 

Let me elaborate: in Belgium you have to start everything at an early age (sports, studying, hobbies, etc), otherwise you're a loser. If you don't get a diploma at 22, get married at 28, have your children at 30 and a great salary at 40, you're cut out. Although common citizens don't express this prejudice themselves, the job market, the society in general, and even some sport communities work like this, operating on a certain age basis... But this not at all the case of athletics... Well, at least not at this level.

Opportunities given, results came: Eddie was the golden medal on his category at the age of 70, Sabine was also the golden medal on her category at 50-something-years old, Koen got the bronze on his category at 45, on a competition in the field: 5.6 km, lots of turnings, an energy-drainer carousel in the middle of the race, where the runners had to - literaly - run in circles... By witnessing all that, I took a deep breath and said to myself: age is just a number!

The athletics community is a community that embraces everyone. What I saw today was an example of diversity in unity, a friendly environment, and competition only in the field. Out of the fields, I saw honest hugs and back taps wishing each other all the best, genuine compliments, people smiling just for being there, doing what they actually love to. 

When not on their own race running, they were outside the track encouraging others saying motivational words... I saw the first and the last one being equally applauded, because in the end, everyone there has the same purpose: going beyond their limits.

Even though high-impact sports like soccer, volleyball, gymnastics and basketball retire their competitors at 35 mostly, runners all ages keep shining, keep occupying places in the podium, getting medals, beating records, running, sweating, and putting their best effort. 

During these three particular races, specially the one where Koen was participating, tears came to my eyes an uncountable number of times. I applauded all of them honestly. It was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.

I saw today podiums occupied by mature people, living their best shape. I saw a part of society that values the gray hair, and the experience of their people while the companies detract them, underestimate them, reducing them to obsolete employees in nonsense jobs, feeding them with the leftovers of the job market, thinking that nursery homes are their next step in life, or the only thing which is left for them.

They are the reminiscents, a role-model of resilience and discipline in a immediatist society. They are people who understood that results are cultivated with time. These athletes are people fighting for their lives every day, refusing to end their lives on wheelchairs or being treated like babies. They are bravely resisting. They are the protagonists of their own lives and of the podiums... and maybe society could learn a lot from them. 

For the ageist people, and this ageist and hypocrite society that demeanor people or value them based on how much collagen they still have, I have really bad news: the Masters will keep winning. The Masters will keep shining... 

Because age is just a number.