Championing the Right to Age Well

Take it one step at a time. Allow time to adjust to a new routine. Start small and build on your efforts in small intervals. Listen to your body and be proud of your progress.

Two is better than one. To help you stay motivated, get a buddy who has similar fitness goals. If a buddy is waiting for you, you won’t worry about being embarrassed or feeling slow; it’ll just be the two of you. There are few things greater than sharing victories and accomplishments with someone close.

Make time for rest. Equally as important as staying active is ensuring that your body recovers from the stress endured from physical activity. Not only will your body thank you, but you will grow to love your active lifestyle more without aches and pains holding you back.

Switzer recently took her message to the National Senior Games presented by Humana, one example of how the company is committed to championing seniors and breaking barriers — namely, the stereotypes associated with seniors in today’s society — and proving that with a healthy body and mind, age is truly just a number. While at the Games, she participated in the 10K Road Race in a celebratory role and presented an inspiring and encouraging speech at the Celebration of Athletes.

In addition to being a fierce advocate for seniors and optimistic aging, Switzer has been a lifelong advocate for women runners in general.

In 1972, she co-founded the first women’s-only road race; in 1984, she led the drive to get the women’s marathon into the Olympic Games; and in 2015, she founded 261 Fearless, a global non-profit that empowers and connects women through the transformative action of running, and encouraging them to overcome life obstacles and embrace healthy living.