Whether it is running, hiking, cycling, swimming, aerobics or hitting the gym, it is not hard to find people on the North Shore being physically active.

And when it comes to being in shape, local residents are proving that age is not a factor. Here is a look at just a handful of locals who are fit and over 50.

For Jim Cuthbert’s family summer vacation this year, the 57-year-old did not go on the classic road trip, nor did he embark on a more extravagant getaway. instead, he and his 21-year-old daughter packed up their hiking gear, readied their running legs, warmed up their swimming arms, grabbed their bikes and kayaks, and headed over to Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island for a 30-kilometre Mind over Mountain Adventure Race.

The exacting race involved all sorts of physical challenges, from kayaking on the lake, to mountain biking through the surrounding woods, to running along a river ravine and swimming. It took just under six hours for Cuthbert and his daughter to complete the event. It was exactly the type of recreational activity that Cuthbert enjoys undertaking in his free time.

“By being fit it opens all sorts of doors for fun things,” said Cuthbert, who is a senior project officer with the Land Conservancy of British Columbia for his day job and is an outdoor fitness enthusiast when he is not working.

“There are all kinds of events you can do every weekend,” he said, going on to explain that in may he completed the ALS Adventure Challenge, which was a 20-km run, bike and kayak race across North Vancouver. He also takes part in regular running events like the Sun run and is currently training for a marathon in San Francisco which is a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Cuthbert says he keeps fit so that he can enjoy life to the fullest. if he were not fit, he could not enjoy activities like surfing or even whale watching, he said. As people age it becomes easier to hurt oneself and being in shape prevents injury, he added. being active also makes people feel younger and so they do not look at aging negatively, he said.

If seniors want to avoid lethargic lifestyles, then fitness can give them the energy they need, he said.

“I can enjoy life through being happy and healthy,” said Cuthbert, noting that he truly does enjoy life to the maximum.

When Stella Dodge gets off work in the afternoon from the bus depot on third Street where she works as a fleet maintenance assistant, she does not head home to relax for the evening — instead the 55-year-old heads out to do something active. Some days it is running, others it is hiking, often it is ballet class at the Harbour Dance Centre in downtown Vancouver, and just as often it is strength training at the Fitness World on Marine Drive in North Vancouver. Not a day goes by that she does not exercise.

“It’s just a part of my day. I make sure I get out there and do it,” she said, adding that the only way she would miss a workout were if she were ill.

In her late teens, Dodge started being active by taking up yoga. then in her 20s she discovered ballet — a love she continues to enjoy today because of its artistry, poise and strength, she explained.

A desire to add cardiovascular work to her routine persuaded Dodge to start running and visiting the gym as well. Having variety in a workout routine is crucial to obtaining success because it helps prevent boredom, said Dodge.

“It shouldn’t be something you don’t look forward to. It should be something you do look forward to, otherwise it won’t be sustainable,” she said.

Switching-up workouts is also what makes it possible to exercise every day, she explains. As long as different muscle groups are targeted from day to day, then the muscles also have time to rest. For older women it is essential to do upper body weight training, said Dodge. Women often lose upper body tone as they age; weights will not only prevent saggy arms, a flabby back and a hunched back, they also help to maintain bone mass and can help to ease the symptoms of muscular dystrophy, she said.

“It’s not just about how you look, it’s about living longer and living healthier,” she said.

Roughly 30 years ago, when Peter Chapman was in his 20s, he was driving back to the lower Mainland from Seattle when a button popped off his shirt because his stomach was rolling over his pants. It was at that point that Chapman decided it was time for him to get fit — and he has worked out regularly ever since.

“Mens sana in corpore sano — a sound body and a sound mind,” Chapman explains is his motto with regards to staying fit. Research proves that the body and mind are connected, he said.

After his button popped, Chapman was too embarrassed to work-out in public so he started getting in shape by doing exercises at home. Now, at the age of 58, he works out daily at the Genesis gym near Capilano Mall. He makes fitness a priority — setting a time to exercise and sticking to it without question, he said. He even incorporates activity into his daily routine by walking to and from his work at Golder Associates Ltd. where he is a senior environmental scientist, he said.

Now that he is fit, working out means much more to Chapman than simply getting in shape. He works out with two other men of similar age to himself and says exercise is also an important social activity.

“A workout isn’t just to stay fit. Men are bad at keeping friends, so it’s also social. It’s not just pulling on the weights, it’s a social activity,” he said.

As compared to turning 30 or 40, David Spears realized a noticeable decline in physical and mental abilities when he turned 50.

“It kind of struck me that things go downhill pretty quick when you hit 50,” said the 54-year-old mechanical engineer.

Seeing the physical strain his 80-year-old parents were experiencing, Spears was determined to enter his elder years with the best chance of longevity in his mental and physical attributes, he said.

He started reading a lot about personal growth and now keeps a quote on his office wall that says people should “sharpen the saw” — meaning there is a continual need to hone mental, physical, spiritual and emotional elements, said Spears.

To stay fit, Spears runs and cycles at least three times per week. His runs are typically a series of stairs and vertical inclines through Lynn Canyon totalling six to seven kilometres and his cycling includes milder mountain bike trails in the Upper Lonsdale area. He also incorporates cycling into his daily routine by using his bike to run errands.

“It has become a utility vehicle as opposed to my car,” said Spears, referring to his bike.

As he has aged, stretching has become a fundamental element of his workouts. once he hit 50, the aches and pains hit an elevated level, said Spears, adding that he can really feel it when he does not stretch.

To complement his fitness training, Spears sticks to a healthy eating plan and practises meditation. He views working out as one aspect of overall personal maintenance.

NORM AND MARIANNE BINION

Growing up on the North Shore, Marianne Binion did not often see a lot of elderly people getting out and being active. Barely any seniors used to workout, but now the gyms are full of seniors doing really tough exercises, she said.

“It’s incredible to see seniors nowadays,” said Binion, explaining that many local seniors do workouts that are just as challenging as activities done by younger people.

Binion herself has recently decided, at the age of 51, that she wants to turn her passion for fitness into a career.

Having worked at a desk job in the dental industry for years, she realized that it was time for her to do something she loves for a living: exercising. over the past year, she has been taking courses to become a fitness instructor and will begin her practicum this fall.

One aspect of her instructing is going to be teaching “fitness over 50″ classes. Local recreation centres, she says, are great places for seniors to work out because staff can tailor exercise routines accordingly.

Fitness should be fun and should make people feel good, she said. “You just feel so wonderful after. It just seems to get everything going and pumping,” she said.

Binion’s husband Norm agrees that exercising is invigorating.

“You just feel driven by that endorphin kick,” said the 52-year-old investment adviser.

Like his wife, Norm has always been active and has not slowed down with age. Two years ago, when he was 50 years old, he and a friend decided that it would be fun to climb Grouse Mountain as many ways as possible in as short a time as possible. So, they did what they have termed “seven ways in three days.” within 72 hours they climbed Grouse via seven different routes, including a bike ride up the back of the mountain and a 6*- hour hike up the back.

“You can surpass your best, regardless of your age, by setting goals you’ve never done before,” he said, adding that he challenges himself with activities like the Grouse Grind that he would have not done when he was younger because he used to focus on team sports like football.

With age, the type of exercise one does may change, but as long as it is fun then it is easy to stay active, said Norm. A great way to keep fitness fun and challenging is to tie it in with other areas of interest, he said. By helping out with Rotary projects like the Terry Fox run, Norm says he is able to incorporate his love of fitness with his enjoyment of helping out the community.

Together, Marianne and Norm incorporate exercise into much of what they do. their summer vacation this year included a week’s worth of hiking, biking and climbing in the Rockies with their two sons, aged 22 and 25.

So what is the secret to staying fit over 50? “Just have fun,” said Marianne.

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