As Olympics start, we find great running stories here

As the Olympics get underway, many of us will marvel at the runners and the swimmers and the gymnasts. When the best athletes in the world assemble every four years, it's always exciting to see what they can do. Who will break world records? Who will win the gold medals? We love the storylines, the comeback kids, the sunsetting veterans, and all the emotion that rides along with every race and every finish.

While we marvel at the athletes who were blessed with wonderful genetics and then were willing to put in all the work to maximize their potential, it's important to remember there's a little bit of athlete in all of us.

We were reminded of this in a recent story in our TBY publication, about the many runners in our community who are running past the age of 50. Like the athletes in Brazil, these runners all have stories, too.

Some of them, like Mike Burnett, 51, have wonderful stories of transformation. Mike started working out three years ago, weighing 270 pounds. He has lost 90 pounds. He can run a mile in less than 6 minutes, and has run a marathon in 3:18:48, which is fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Mike definitely had some athlete in him. By tapping into it, he now no longer has to take blood pressure medication or use a CPAP, and he is no longer considered pre-diabetic.

Mike's wife, Melodie, 52, also began running. She is overcoming asthma and COPD issues (even though she never smoked), and recently finished a half-marathon. She didn't start running until the age of 49. Now Mike and Melodie are fixtures in the local running community.

Shannon Aldridge, 53, started running at the age of 42. His goal was to use running as mental therapy after his daughter Sahara was diagnosed with cancer. He ran 100 miles not long ago. "It gives me a chance to clear out my head," Aldridge told the Southeast Missourian. In the past he has organized 5Ks in honor of his daughter, who was affectionately known as "Hoops."

Other runners over the age of 50 have been running since their teenage years. Some can post seriously fast times, and frequently some of these savvy and tremendously fit veterans like Mark Hahn and Kevin Bramlett can beat runners 30 years their junior in local races. Renee Brown is still impressively running 5Ks at the age of 66. At age 62, she ran a 50-miler, 30 years after she first performed the feat.

There's an interesting dynamic that takes place within the running community in Cape Girardeau. The more experienced runners are typically very welcoming to beginners. The experienced racers are quick to hand out advice and offer encouragement, and they enjoy seeing others' progress.

If you are currently thinking about turning your sedentary life into an active one, running is a simple and inexpensive way to get moving. There are smartphone apps available that can help you get off the couch and ease you into a running routine, building you up to three miles without walking over a number of weeks. There is a step to building up strength and endurance, so seeking out help and advice is an important process to avoiding injury once you get moving. Thankfully, there is a group in Cape Girardeau ready to help you build up gradually and safely.

When asked what he enjoyed most about running, Mike Burnett said, "The friends I have made is No. 1 to me. I started running to get healthier and it for sure has helped, but the runners in our community are the best. Even on a really hard training run, you will not be alone and will always come away with a good story and laugh."

As Mike and Melodie and Shannon and so many others have shown, it's more than possible to take control of your fitness, no matter your age or your current lack of fitness. Once you get going, you can thrive and make many friends along the way.

We hope their stories will inspire others to follow in their many footsteps.