2023 Penn Relays: Final day with senior runners young at heart
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Thousands of people braved the wet weather Saturday for the final day of the Penn Relays. Since 1895 UPenn has hosted the annual track and field competition.
Fans cheered on the young athletes at the relays as well as those who are young at heart.
"I'm Ed Cox. I'm 95," he says. "I'm the oldest."
Cox says this was his 14th time running the 100-meter dash but his fitness journey began when he was a child.
"I grew up in the Depression so you did a lot of feet, feet," Cox said. "You walked where you were going unless you had money to ride a bus or street car or something."
He says fitness is important for his health but he admits running at age 95 is a lot different than running at 25.
"The stride gets shorter and shorter year after year," Cox said. "It's quite a task but I enjoy it."
The crowd at the @pennrelays went wild for the senior citizens who ran the 100-meter dash at Franklin Field. All the athletes in this race were between 85 and 95 years old. pic.twitter.com/ywkIO5wAIg
— Madeleine Wright (@MWrightReports) April 29, 2023
The wet weather didn't hold the athletes back.
Eighty-six-year-old Jim Dunleavey says he's used to the rain, having grown up in Ireland.
"My grandson is also competing for Villanova and I'm a Villanova graduate, so he wanted me to run," Dunleavey said.
The Penn Relays gave seniors a chance to compete in front of a large crowd but many of them say they weren't worried about their time. For them, it was important just to be here.
"I thank god for everything, that I can still run at 86," Larry Colbert said.
Among those cheering the seniors on was Villanova athlete Maggie Smith.
"I think all of us hope we can still be running since we love it so much," Smith said. "It's really nice to see that and see there is a love for running at that age, that we all have now."
The seniors gave it their best and they say they'll keep running as long as they're able.