How “Alternative Medicine” Saved Ray Jancso
By Ray Glier GeezerJockNews.com
The close calls for Ray Jancso in Vietnam were like an echo. They kept coming.
He was shot and brought that bullet home with him still lodged in his right leg. He was caught in the blast of a booby trap, which blew a hole in his left calf. Calamity had a third crack at him when Ray had a gun shot out of his hands. He was saved only because the bullet went through the handguard of his M16 and flattened against the barrel.
Then there was the time the armored vehicle he was riding on hit a mine and he was blown into the air. When he came down and hit his head on the side of the vehicle the laceration looked like somebody had tried to peel back his scalp with a saw.
Jancso (Jan-so) was lucky to be draped in three Purple Heart medals, not a flag on a casket, when he came home.
In 2018, Ray had another close call and survived, but this time luck had nothing to do with it.
He had a heart issue and would have died, he said, except he was in excellent physical shape. Jancso had built up a health bank, a rainy day fund, something his body/mind could use to combat rude health when he got older. Jancso, 80, had practiced fitness for years, and my friend Dr. Bob Schwab calls this the basis for “alternative medicine.”
We will talk more about this practice of alternative medicine in a moment. But keep reading about Ray, please.
Ray keeps running faster
Jancso’s lifelong fitness regimen not only kept him alive – he collected some track medals to go with the war-time medals. Last May, Ray won gold in the 50, 100, and 200 in M80 at the National Senior Games in Fort Lauderdale.
It seems a little tardy to be writing about Ray, seeing as he won those medals four months ago, except that he said this week he is ready to retire from competitive racing in the national games…
…only he is not going to retire from being fit.
Ray still plans on meeting his track buddies every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at the track in The Villages in central Florida and go through with his workout. He doesn't think he wants to continue to put all the training required for the big meets, but he is not done with the exercise required to beat the next episode of rude health and he will never tire of his pals.
“You have a bunch of people to train with,” he said, “so you don’t have to train by yourself. If I were to have to train by myself, I would have never been able to do what I did (medals).
“Having those other people out there and knowing that Monday, Wednesday and Friday, they’re going to be there, you gotta show up. You don't have to, but you know, you feel like you have to. So you got a lot of camaraderie there.”
Jancso said the endocarditis in 2018 ambushed his speed and his endurance, but not his willpower. A guy that had won two gold medals (50, 100) and a bronze (200) in the 2017 National Senior Games could no longer walk the track, much less run on it after the heart ailment that kept him in the hospital 14 days and on an IV drip for two months (three bags a day). But he kept grinding to regain his physical dependability.
Persistence pays off
In the end, Jancso just overwhelmed a persistent infection with a persistent attitude.
“I never thought about quitting,” he said. “I didn’t know how far back I could get as far as fitness level. I had no clue, but I kept at it.”
It wasn’t until late in 2021 that Jancso started to feel like a sprinter again. By May 2022, he was a national champion.
Ray had a role model when it came to perseverance. His father, James, a steel worker in Pennsylvania, had the same makeup. “If he could stand up he was going to work,” Jancso said. “He could be sick as a dog and he was still going to work.”
Now you can see the layers of “alternative medicine” Dr. Schwab was talking about. The mental fortitude to go with the physical strength.
“Healthy habits (mental and physical) strengthen you for whatever illness or injury might come,” Dr. Schwab said. “These habits affect your immune system as well as your mood, strength, resiliency, etc., so I think these people do better.
“This is the basis of alternative medicine to a large degree, and is the explanation for medical miracles, in my view. The immune system is the key.”
Jancso was a borderline medical miracle. “I don’t know how close I was, but Rick Riddle (his coach) came to see me and told me later, ‘Jeez, I didn’t think you were going to make it,’ ” Ray said.
“Howdy, neighbor!”
The science is pretty clear that the heart and immune system do a lot of cross-talking, like neighbors across the fence. Ray was very neighborly in that regard and that is why—with the help of antibiotics—he defeated the inflammation in his heart. This alternative medicine is not the late-night voodoo you see on the TV. This is the authentic stuff.
We all need it, but it is challenging to try on a new lifestyle of running and vigorous exercise. It is all about re-cultivating a mindset, said Michael Sachs, Phd., professor emeritus at Temple University with expertise in exercise and sports psychology. Older people are reheating fitness regimens they learned decades ago.
“Aerobics with Ken Cooper took off in 1968 and then there was the running boom of the ‘70s, and what you are seeing is people that were physically active in the 1970s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, who maybe let their conditioning slide, are getting back into it,” Sachs said. “They are listening to the science and remembering what they learned way back.”
Sachs, 70, said another factor in the rise of the older jock are initiatives such as Exercise is Medicine from the American College of Sports Medicine, which urges doctors to give physical activity assessment and counseling to older patients. That is alternative medicine.
In this era of lotions and potions, and where Detox IVs are really a thing, Geezer Jocks are not trying to decode old age. Their experience simply tells them what makes them feel better, and what makes them feel better is... exercise.
So whether you jog, walk, bike, swim, or chase the dog around the yard, you are practicing “alternative medicine.” It is OK to use the term loosely, but also remember the mental side of exercise, too, not just the cardio.
Mental toughness
Mentally, Jancso could deal with the despair of possibly lying on his death bed with the heart issue because of so many close calls in combat.
In Vietnam, the gun was shot out of his hands five seconds after he stood up to lead a charge on an enemy position. An eighth of an inch either way and the bullet deflects to his chest and he is gone. As it was, he was still blown backwards. He heard someone say as he flew through the air, “The lieutenant’s dead.” Ray was the lieutenant.
There was the bullet he took to the leg and the blast from the booby trap and you wonder how many close calls with Agent Orange Jancso’s immune system has fought off. Ray figures as many soldiers were killed by the enemy in Vietnam as died from exposure to Agent Orange, the toxic death the U.S. used to kill vegetation the Viet Cong used for cover in the jungle.
The use of the defoliant in Operation Hades was chemical warfare and Jancso figures an odd rash and some acne that showed up on his body in later life could have something to do with that rainbow herbicide Agent Orange.
So, of course, he is not going quit on his exercise regimen. Ray might not train four or five days a week in 2023 to get ready for nationals, but he will stick with that one day where he runs three 300s to build endurance for the last 50 meters of the 200. He still sounds eager to carve another day into a fast/slow combination of running 400, walking 400, running 400, walking 400. (Ray's exercise regimens will be posted on the Geezer Jock Facebook group page this weekend.)
As always, Ray’s workouts start with 30 minutes of dutiful stretching. “You can’t ever do too much stretching,” he said.
Jancso also declared in 2017 he was going to hang up his running shoes after the National Senior Games that year, but he rallied the competitor inside him. He might change his mind again after competing in the Florida Senior Games this December. Ray just has to overcome that ego thing that torments competitors.
“Some guys just want to participate,” Jancso said. “If they get any place, or just make the final, they’re happy and they should be. Unfortunately, the way I am, if I’m not on a podium, I’m not happy."
He showed a shameful smirk and said, “That’s kind of not good, I know that.”
Ray might not be happy without the podium, but he will never abandon his joy in the practice of alternative medicine.
Copyright © 2022 Ray Glier. Originally published in www.geezerjocknews.com Used with permission.
The close calls for Ray Jancso in Vietnam were like an echo. They kept coming.
He was shot and brought that bullet home with him still lodged in his right leg. He was caught in the blast of a booby trap, which blew a hole in his left calf. Calamity had a third crack at him when Ray had a gun shot out of his hands. He was saved only because the bullet went through the handguard of his M16 and flattened against the barrel.
Then there was the time the armored vehicle he was riding on hit a mine and he was blown into the air. When he came down and hit his head on the side of the vehicle the laceration looked like somebody had tried to peel back his scalp with a saw.
Jancso (Jan-so) was lucky to be draped in three Purple Heart medals, not a flag on a casket, when he came home.
In 2018, Ray had another close call and survived, but this time luck had nothing to do with it.
He had a heart issue and would have died, he said, except he was in excellent physical shape. Jancso had built up a health bank, a rainy day fund, something his body/mind could use to combat rude health when he got older. Jancso, 80, had practiced fitness for years, and my friend Dr. Bob Schwab calls this the basis for “alternative medicine.”
We will talk more about this practice of alternative medicine in a moment. But keep reading about Ray, please.
Ray keeps running faster
Jancso’s lifelong fitness regimen not only kept him alive – he collected some track medals to go with the war-time medals. Last May, Ray won gold in the 50, 100, and 200 in M80 at the National Senior Games in Fort Lauderdale.
It seems a little tardy to be writing about Ray, seeing as he won those medals four months ago, except that he said this week he is ready to retire from competitive racing in the national games…
…only he is not going to retire from being fit.
Ray still plans on meeting his track buddies every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at the track in The Villages in central Florida and go through with his workout. He doesn't think he wants to continue to put all the training required for the big meets, but he is not done with the exercise required to beat the next episode of rude health and he will never tire of his pals.
“You have a bunch of people to train with,” he said, “so you don’t have to train by yourself. If I were to have to train by myself, I would have never been able to do what I did (medals).
“Having those other people out there and knowing that Monday, Wednesday and Friday, they’re going to be there, you gotta show up. You don't have to, but you know, you feel like you have to. So you got a lot of camaraderie there.”
Jancso said the endocarditis in 2018 ambushed his speed and his endurance, but not his willpower. A guy that had won two gold medals (50, 100) and a bronze (200) in the 2017 National Senior Games could no longer walk the track, much less run on it after the heart ailment that kept him in the hospital 14 days and on an IV drip for two months (three bags a day). But he kept grinding to regain his physical dependability.
Persistence pays off
In the end, Jancso just overwhelmed a persistent infection with a persistent attitude.
“I never thought about quitting,” he said. “I didn’t know how far back I could get as far as fitness level. I had no clue, but I kept at it.”
It wasn’t until late in 2021 that Jancso started to feel like a sprinter again. By May 2022, he was a national champion.
Ray had a role model when it came to perseverance. His father, James, a steel worker in Pennsylvania, had the same makeup. “If he could stand up he was going to work,” Jancso said. “He could be sick as a dog and he was still going to work.”
Now you can see the layers of “alternative medicine” Dr. Schwab was talking about. The mental fortitude to go with the physical strength.
“Healthy habits (mental and physical) strengthen you for whatever illness or injury might come,” Dr. Schwab said. “These habits affect your immune system as well as your mood, strength, resiliency, etc., so I think these people do better.
“This is the basis of alternative medicine to a large degree, and is the explanation for medical miracles, in my view. The immune system is the key.”
Jancso was a borderline medical miracle. “I don’t know how close I was, but Rick Riddle (his coach) came to see me and told me later, ‘Jeez, I didn’t think you were going to make it,’ ” Ray said.
“Howdy, neighbor!”
The science is pretty clear that the heart and immune system do a lot of cross-talking, like neighbors across the fence. Ray was very neighborly in that regard and that is why—with the help of antibiotics—he defeated the inflammation in his heart. This alternative medicine is not the late-night voodoo you see on the TV. This is the authentic stuff.
We all need it, but it is challenging to try on a new lifestyle of running and vigorous exercise. It is all about re-cultivating a mindset, said Michael Sachs, Phd., professor emeritus at Temple University with expertise in exercise and sports psychology. Older people are reheating fitness regimens they learned decades ago.
“Aerobics with Ken Cooper took off in 1968 and then there was the running boom of the ‘70s, and what you are seeing is people that were physically active in the 1970s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, who maybe let their conditioning slide, are getting back into it,” Sachs said. “They are listening to the science and remembering what they learned way back.”
Sachs, 70, said another factor in the rise of the older jock are initiatives such as Exercise is Medicine from the American College of Sports Medicine, which urges doctors to give physical activity assessment and counseling to older patients. That is alternative medicine.
In this era of lotions and potions, and where Detox IVs are really a thing, Geezer Jocks are not trying to decode old age. Their experience simply tells them what makes them feel better, and what makes them feel better is... exercise.
So whether you jog, walk, bike, swim, or chase the dog around the yard, you are practicing “alternative medicine.” It is OK to use the term loosely, but also remember the mental side of exercise, too, not just the cardio.
Mental toughness
Mentally, Jancso could deal with the despair of possibly lying on his death bed with the heart issue because of so many close calls in combat.
In Vietnam, the gun was shot out of his hands five seconds after he stood up to lead a charge on an enemy position. An eighth of an inch either way and the bullet deflects to his chest and he is gone. As it was, he was still blown backwards. He heard someone say as he flew through the air, “The lieutenant’s dead.” Ray was the lieutenant.
There was the bullet he took to the leg and the blast from the booby trap and you wonder how many close calls with Agent Orange Jancso’s immune system has fought off. Ray figures as many soldiers were killed by the enemy in Vietnam as died from exposure to Agent Orange, the toxic death the U.S. used to kill vegetation the Viet Cong used for cover in the jungle.
The use of the defoliant in Operation Hades was chemical warfare and Jancso figures an odd rash and some acne that showed up on his body in later life could have something to do with that rainbow herbicide Agent Orange.
So, of course, he is not going quit on his exercise regimen. Ray might not train four or five days a week in 2023 to get ready for nationals, but he will stick with that one day where he runs three 300s to build endurance for the last 50 meters of the 200. He still sounds eager to carve another day into a fast/slow combination of running 400, walking 400, running 400, walking 400. (Ray's exercise regimens will be posted on the Geezer Jock Facebook group page this weekend.)
As always, Ray’s workouts start with 30 minutes of dutiful stretching. “You can’t ever do too much stretching,” he said.
Jancso also declared in 2017 he was going to hang up his running shoes after the National Senior Games that year, but he rallied the competitor inside him. He might change his mind again after competing in the Florida Senior Games this December. Ray just has to overcome that ego thing that torments competitors.
“Some guys just want to participate,” Jancso said. “If they get any place, or just make the final, they’re happy and they should be. Unfortunately, the way I am, if I’m not on a podium, I’m not happy."
He showed a shameful smirk and said, “That’s kind of not good, I know that.”
Ray might not be happy without the podium, but he will never abandon his joy in the practice of alternative medicine.
Copyright © 2022 Ray Glier. Originally published in www.geezerjocknews.com Used with permission.
Villages track club members make impressive showing at Gainesville meet 9/18/2022
Members of The Villages Track and Field Club made their mark on the Gainesville Senior Games, held September 18 at the Percy Beard Track. The following athletes set new records for residents of The Villages (age group indicated in parentheses):
100 meter dash: Tiny Cazel 23.42 (W85-89) and Barb Horvat 15.60 (W65-69)
Discus: Tiny Cazel 59 ft 4 in and Lisa Godin 86 ft 11 in (W60-64)
Softball throw: Avis Vaught 80ft 11-1/4 in (W75-79) and Anthony Wyatt 150 ft 8-1/2 in (M75-79)
Long jump: Avis Vaught 6ft 5-3/4in
In addition, new member Randy Smith (M50-54) racked up four records:
50 meter dash 6.92 (Villages inaugural record)
100m 12.66
200m 26.08
400m 65.46
“Our athletes opened up huge gaps in the competition,” said Coach Rick Riddle. “The day was overcast and humid. A helpful wind aided times run on the straightaway.”
100 meter dash: Tiny Cazel 23.42 (W85-89) and Barb Horvat 15.60 (W65-69)
Discus: Tiny Cazel 59 ft 4 in and Lisa Godin 86 ft 11 in (W60-64)
Softball throw: Avis Vaught 80ft 11-1/4 in (W75-79) and Anthony Wyatt 150 ft 8-1/2 in (M75-79)
Long jump: Avis Vaught 6ft 5-3/4in
In addition, new member Randy Smith (M50-54) racked up four records:
50 meter dash 6.92 (Villages inaugural record)
100m 12.66
200m 26.08
400m 65.46
“Our athletes opened up huge gaps in the competition,” said Coach Rick Riddle. “The day was overcast and humid. A helpful wind aided times run on the straightaway.”
Villages Track and Field Club members at the Gainesville meet, including Anthony Wyatt (front and center), who set a Villages record.
Roger Vergin makes terrific national debut in M85 age bracket
Roger Vergin, of the Village of Pennecamp, had a terrific performance in his first men’s age-85 division in the decathlon. He competed in the USATF Masters Combined Events National Championship at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO, August 27-28.
Roger, a member of The Villages Track and Field Club, won the decathlon gold in the M85 division with a total of 6021 points, which broke the previous USATF Masters national record of 5858 points set by Denver Smith in 2011. It was Roger's seventh consecutive national decathlon championship.
He also broke a second national record during the decathlon. His 18.75 time in the 80-meter hurdles bested the previous USATF M85 hurdles record of 20.00 set by Ralph Maxwell in 2007.
Competitors at the meet contended with temperatures in the low 90s and high humidity. “For the first time since I began competing fourteen years ago, I walked a portion of a race – the 1500 meters,” Roger says.
He also battled a lower back problem that has bothered him since a bad landing on a practice jump in May. “Walking is painful, jogging is painful, and running the 1500 meters is painful,” he says. “Amazingly, however, sprinting feels good. It actually makes the pain go away.”
Roger, a member of The Villages Track and Field Club, won the decathlon gold in the M85 division with a total of 6021 points, which broke the previous USATF Masters national record of 5858 points set by Denver Smith in 2011. It was Roger's seventh consecutive national decathlon championship.
He also broke a second national record during the decathlon. His 18.75 time in the 80-meter hurdles bested the previous USATF M85 hurdles record of 20.00 set by Ralph Maxwell in 2007.
Competitors at the meet contended with temperatures in the low 90s and high humidity. “For the first time since I began competing fourteen years ago, I walked a portion of a race – the 1500 meters,” Roger says.
He also battled a lower back problem that has bothered him since a bad landing on a practice jump in May. “Walking is painful, jogging is painful, and running the 1500 meters is painful,” he says. “Amazingly, however, sprinting feels good. It actually makes the pain go away.”
Having a Blast at The Villages Senior Games
Our competitors and volunteers thoroughly enjoyed the track and field events at The Villages Senior Games April 23-24. For more photos of the meet, see The Inside Lane (blog) page. Photo courtesy of Mort and Stella O'Shea.
Learning to Use an AED
Brooke Bauman (kneeling) demonstrates use of an AED. Photo courtesy of Barbie Laughlin.
Brooke Bauman showed club members how to use an AED (automated external defibrillator) at the track on March 2. Brooke is the Florida territory manager for AED brands with expertise in health and wellness.
She talked us through the procedure, including how to place the pads and allow the device to determine whether defibrillation is necessary to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm. Her clear instructions, along with audio and visual prompts from the unit, gave us confidence in our ability to deliver this lifesaving procedure.
Thanks to all for the great turnout. The better informed we are, the more likely we can respond properly if an emergency occurs.
Leah Rewolinski
She talked us through the procedure, including how to place the pads and allow the device to determine whether defibrillation is necessary to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm. Her clear instructions, along with audio and visual prompts from the unit, gave us confidence in our ability to deliver this lifesaving procedure.
Thanks to all for the great turnout. The better informed we are, the more likely we can respond properly if an emergency occurs.
Leah Rewolinski
Front-Page Story Links Our Members to The Villages Senior Games
A front-page story in The Villages Daily Sun's current issue (2/18/2022) tells how our athletes are part of a great resurgence of interest in The Villages Senior Games this year. The Games are roaring back after a two-year hiatus due to Covid precautions.
A color photo leading off the story shows middle-distance runner Bill Cason during a race. Coach Rick Riddle's comments add valuable perspective on what the Games mean for club members. And Daily Sun Senior Writer Jeff Shain, as always, creates a skillful narrative that ties together various facets of the championship throughout The Villages.
A color photo leading off the story shows middle-distance runner Bill Cason during a race. Coach Rick Riddle's comments add valuable perspective on what the Games mean for club members. And Daily Sun Senior Writer Jeff Shain, as always, creates a skillful narrative that ties together various facets of the championship throughout The Villages.
Our Website's One-Year Anniversary
What a year it’s been for our website, The VillagesTLC.com, which launched February 1, 2021. We’ve gotten to know each other better through profiles and first-person accounts in our blog. We’ve kept up with each others’ performances in track and field events. We’ve gotten a heads-up for future local, state and national competitions. We’ve also helped new members understand what we do, and welcomed them to our workouts.
We're looking forward to more of the same as we keep up the pace in Year Two.
We're looking forward to more of the same as we keep up the pace in Year Two.
Club Members' Fun Outing: Running of the Squares
January 8, 2022
Our middle-distance runners and racewalkers enjoy a good road race now and then.
Susan Bailey (center, white shirt) was competing in her first 5K.
New Banner Raises Our Visibility
Joe Kelly, along with coaches John Topliss and Rick Riddle, unveiled a new banner at the Monday 12/20/21 workout. Displayed on the fence surrounding the track, it raises our club's public profile.
Villages TLC Members Shine at Florida State Games
The Villages Track and Field Club athletes turned in great performances at the Florida State Games, held December 10-12, 2021 in Miramar. There were numerous personal bests, Villages records and even one new Florida State Games record. For comprehensive results, click here.
Villages TLC Athletes Gear Up for Florida State Games
The Villages Track and Field Club athletes are focusing their training toward the Florida State Games, set for the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar on December 10-12.
The wide scope of club members' talents is evident in their chosen events. Some, including Tiny Cazel (women's 80-84 age division), Peggy Peck (65-69), Roger Vergin (men's 80-84), and Anthony Wyatt (70-74), compete in multiple events, from running (50-800 meters) to field events: long jump, high jump, triple jump, javelin, hammer throw, shotput, discus, and even pole vault (Roger Vergin).
The wide scope of club members' talents is evident in their chosen events. Some, including Tiny Cazel (women's 80-84 age division), Peggy Peck (65-69), Roger Vergin (men's 80-84), and Anthony Wyatt (70-74), compete in multiple events, from running (50-800 meters) to field events: long jump, high jump, triple jump, javelin, hammer throw, shotput, discus, and even pole vault (Roger Vergin).
Club Members' Change of Pace: Running of the Squares
October 23, 2021
Several members of The Villages Track Lovers Club stepped outside the oval for the Running of the Squares 5K at Brownwood Square. Some even brought home medals, and all had a fun day.
Our runners and walkers (back row, from left) Greg Houston, George May, Bill Cason, Noel Prussman, and Beaver Simpson; (front row) Bonnie Dorr, Barbara Cason, and Pat Roam.
Villages TLC Racewalker Completes Virtual Boston Marathon
October 8, 2021
Barbara Cason, a member of The Villages Track Lovers Club, competed in the Virtual Boston Marathon on October 8. Barbara racewalked the 26.2 miles beginning and ending at Everglades Recreation Center and looping through the multimodal paths in Marsh Bend. Her finish time was 6:52:15.
Other members of The Villages TLC helped Barbara prepare for and complete the marathon. Racewalkers Connie Burgdorf and Pat Roam trained with her. During the race, Connie racewalked with Barbara the first 6 miles, and Pat did the same for the next 9 miles. Barbara’s husband and coach, Bill Cason, rode his bike along the path to pass her drink during the race.
Other members of The Villages TLC helped Barbara prepare for and complete the marathon. Racewalkers Connie Burgdorf and Pat Roam trained with her. During the race, Connie racewalked with Barbara the first 6 miles, and Pat did the same for the next 9 miles. Barbara’s husband and coach, Bill Cason, rode his bike along the path to pass her drink during the race.
Barbara Cason crosses the finish line tape
held by Pat Roam (left) and Connie Burgdorf.
Villages Track Lovers Club Sprinters Take Georgia by Storm
Sept. 24, 2021
Four sprinters from The Villages Track Lovers Club placed well at the Georgia Golden Olympics in Warner Robins, GA, on September 24. They all ran two or more events, and some of their times beat the nearest competitor by 2 or more seconds – an eternity in sprinting. Highlights:
Phil Cahoon achieved first place in the men’s 400 meters 80-84 age division. His time of 1.55.66 was a personal best in that division.
Ray Jancso (75-79 age division) took first at 200 meters with a time of 33.21, beating out the second-place finisher by 2.39 seconds.
Bill Wilson (75-79) took second at 400 meters with 1.29.21, achieving his season’s best and beating the third-place finisher by more than 20 seconds.
Rick Riddle took first and set a PR in his new age division (70-74) at 200 meters. Rick’s time of 29.77 was 4.1 seconds faster than that of his nearest competitor.
Sept. 24, 2021
Four sprinters from The Villages Track Lovers Club placed well at the Georgia Golden Olympics in Warner Robins, GA, on September 24. They all ran two or more events, and some of their times beat the nearest competitor by 2 or more seconds – an eternity in sprinting. Highlights:
Phil Cahoon achieved first place in the men’s 400 meters 80-84 age division. His time of 1.55.66 was a personal best in that division.
Ray Jancso (75-79 age division) took first at 200 meters with a time of 33.21, beating out the second-place finisher by 2.39 seconds.
Bill Wilson (75-79) took second at 400 meters with 1.29.21, achieving his season’s best and beating the third-place finisher by more than 20 seconds.
Rick Riddle took first and set a PR in his new age division (70-74) at 200 meters. Rick’s time of 29.77 was 4.1 seconds faster than that of his nearest competitor.
Villages TLC's Great Results in Gainesville
Sept. 19, 2021
Members of The Villages Track Lovers Club did well at the Gainesville Senior Games on September 19. “It was great that 25 of our members were able to compete,” said head coach John Topliss. “They achieved many club records as well as personal bests.”
Members beat previous records in sprints (50 meters, 100m and 200m), middle distance (800m), discus and shotput. Details appear at www.thevillagestlc.com/performances.
Also, Fred Hirsh, one of the club’s “snowbirds,” recently competed at the Michigan Senior Games. His finishing time in the racewalk qualified him for the National Senior Games in Ft. Lauderdale, May 2022.
Sept. 19, 2021
Members of The Villages Track Lovers Club did well at the Gainesville Senior Games on September 19. “It was great that 25 of our members were able to compete,” said head coach John Topliss. “They achieved many club records as well as personal bests.”
Members beat previous records in sprints (50 meters, 100m and 200m), middle distance (800m), discus and shotput. Details appear at www.thevillagestlc.com/performances.
Also, Fred Hirsh, one of the club’s “snowbirds,” recently competed at the Michigan Senior Games. His finishing time in the racewalk qualified him for the National Senior Games in Ft. Lauderdale, May 2022.