Archery, cycling, pickleball and more: Seniors compete in weekend of sporting events
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The Minnesota Senior Games kicked off in St. Cloud, Minn., on Thursday.
Hundreds of Minnesotans over fifty will participate in more than twenty different sports. If they do well at the games this year and the qualifiers next year, they could qualify to go to the national senior games in Des Moines, Iowa in 2025.
There are some amazing athletes competing and they prove time and again that getting older does not necessarily mean getting slower, weaker or less energetic.
Games organizer Lynn Hubbard talked with MPR News host Cathy Wurzer from the sidelines of a bike racing event.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
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Audio transcript
CATHY WURZER: The Minnesota senior games are kicking off in St. Cloud today. Hundreds of Minnesotans over the age of 50 are participating in more than 20 different sports. If they do well at the games this year and the qualifiers next year, they could go on to the national senior games in Des Moines in 2025.
There are some amazing athletes competing, and they prove time and again that getting older does not mean getting slower, weaker, or less energetic. Lynn Hubbard is an organizer with the senior games. She joins us right now from the bike racing event to talk more about it. Hey, Lynn. Are you with us?
LYNN HUBBARD: Hi. Yes, I am. Hi, Cathy. How are you?
CATHY WURZER: I'm great. Thank you so very much. So how is it going so far? What are you seeing?
LYNN HUBBARD: It is fantastic. I am so surprised by the respect and the camaraderie with these incredible athletes. And also, they got some grit to them. It's been really fun to watch the cycling event happen this morning. They did the 10K and just wrapped up the 20K for the day. So it was a big morning already.
CATHY WURZER: So what beyond biking-- cycling, I should say-- are the other sports that folks can compete in?
LYNN HUBBARD: So there's track and field. And within track and field, there's eight different events. So there's power walking, race walking. There's a 5K and a 10K. They do javelin and hammer throw. And then there's also badminton. There's pickleball, which is the most popular sport by far. There's tennis. There's basketball. The list goes on. There's 20 different sports.
CATHY WURZER: Wow, I'm not surprised about pickleball. It's got to be very popular.
LYNN HUBBARD: It is. We've got 130 participants registered for pickleball alone. It's a lot.
CATHY WURZER: Wow. So what do you hear from participants? I mean, there is, of course, the stereotype that as you get older, you get slower and weaker, and your body hurts, and things kind of fall apart. But it sounds like the athletes in St. Cloud are the direct opposite of that. What are you hearing from participants?
LYNN HUBBARD: Yeah, that's not the case at all. And it honestly kind of gives me some hope that maybe in 15 years, when I hit that over 50 range, that I could be in shape and do this, too, but I couldn't keep up with them now. They've got me beat, that's for sure. It's incredible, and it's uplifting to see that just because you're over 50 or over 80-- we had a 94-year-old do the 10K this morning.
CATHY WURZER: What?
LYNN HUBBARD: And it was like-- yes, a 94-year-old man did the 10K this morning. And it was so inspiring, and everyone was cheering him on. His grandkids were there. His kids were there. It was a huge show-off. It was fantastic. And it just goes to show that it doesn't matter what age you are. If you love something, if you want to do something, if you want to be healthier, get out. Do it. Try it.
CATHY WURZER: Wow.
LYNN HUBBARD: It's possible.
CATHY WURZER: That gives me hope when a gentleman goes it.
LYNN HUBBARD: For real.
CATHY WURZER: Yeah, 94, and he's doing a 10K. Wow. What do folks you've talked to say that they get out of doing sports like this later in life?
LYNN HUBBARD: I think it's the camaraderie and the friendships and the bond that comes of it seems to be very special. You can see some of them are teammates that travel around and do all sorts of races. They've got matching gear, and it seems like they're just the tight-knit group. It gives them something to do. It keeps them healthy. It pushes them to be better. And I think it's also just having the ability to be active. I think all of these athletes are just thankful to have the opportunity to be able to continue to do something that they love to do later in life.
CATHY WURZER: Say, have you heard from anybody who might not have been super great athletes when they were younger, but they got started maybe, as you say, doing a 10K or cycling at a bit of an older age? Do you have participants who have decided to get into this at a more advanced age?
LYNN HUBBARD: Yes, I actually spoke to a woman this morning who just started cycling a few years ago, tried it just to try it. She wasn't big into sports. It wasn't really her thing, but she wanted to get out and do something and be healthier. And she thought cycling was a good place to start and then got in with a group of other women who did the same and learned as she went.
And she's been working on building her bike because these bikes aren't normal bikes. The racing, cycling, whatever-- I don't even want to screw it up and call it something that it's not. But these bikes are incredible, and they are worth a lot of money. So she's been slowly building her bike and getting into this racing scene. And she said it's been incredible to just be a part of something that she hadn't had the chance to do before.
CATHY WURZER: I mentioned in the intro that some of these individuals competing could make it to nationals. How often, do you know, does that happen?
LYNN HUBBARD: The national games is a biannual event. So next year, the games in St. Cloud will be a qualifying year for the games in 2025. The national games for 2023 just wrapped up in Pittsburgh two weeks ago, I believe, three weeks ago maybe.
CATHY WURZER: And so if someone wants to actually watch this, give me an idea here-- where do we go, and where do we-- do you have a website that we can check out?
LYNN HUBBARD: Yes, absolutely. M-N, so Minnesota, mnseniorgames.com has all of the information. It has the full schedule. So there's events that go through Sunday. And they're throughout greater St. Cloud area. Obviously, everything can't happen in one place with all the different events happening, so they're spread out throughout the St. Cloud area. But the schedule, the locations, the details for all of the events are on the website, mnseniorgames.com.
CATHY WURZER: Say, before you go, you mentioned-- are you yet to get to the age of 50?
LYNN HUBBARD: I'll be there relatively shortly, but not quite there yet.
CATHY WURZER: OK, all right. So what do you say to folks who are 50+, who think, you know what? The ship has sailed for me. I can't do this. What do you say?
LYNN HUBBARD: It hasn't, and these athletes are proof of that. Honestly, I probably would have been one of those people. Even me now, I'm almost 40, and I'm like, meh. I'm done. I'm tapped. But after seeing these people get out here and do this, it's inspiring. It's incredible. And it's not too late. It doesn't matter who you are or what you do, what you don't do. You can absolutely get involved in a sport, no matter your age. And whether you want to compete the rest of your life or just give it a try, do it.
CATHY WURZER: All right. Lynn Hubbard, thank you so much.
LYNN HUBBARD: Thank you. Thank you for having me.
CATHY WURZER: Lynn Hubbard is an organizer with the senior games in St. Cloud. If you want to catch some of these athletes in action games are going on all weekend. As she mentioned, go to mnseniorgames.com for more information.
There are some amazing athletes competing, and they prove time and again that getting older does not mean getting slower, weaker, or less energetic. Lynn Hubbard is an organizer with the senior games. She joins us right now from the bike racing event to talk more about it. Hey, Lynn. Are you with us?
LYNN HUBBARD: Hi. Yes, I am. Hi, Cathy. How are you?
CATHY WURZER: I'm great. Thank you so very much. So how is it going so far? What are you seeing?
LYNN HUBBARD: It is fantastic. I am so surprised by the respect and the camaraderie with these incredible athletes. And also, they got some grit to them. It's been really fun to watch the cycling event happen this morning. They did the 10K and just wrapped up the 20K for the day. So it was a big morning already.
CATHY WURZER: So what beyond biking-- cycling, I should say-- are the other sports that folks can compete in?
LYNN HUBBARD: So there's track and field. And within track and field, there's eight different events. So there's power walking, race walking. There's a 5K and a 10K. They do javelin and hammer throw. And then there's also badminton. There's pickleball, which is the most popular sport by far. There's tennis. There's basketball. The list goes on. There's 20 different sports.
CATHY WURZER: Wow, I'm not surprised about pickleball. It's got to be very popular.
LYNN HUBBARD: It is. We've got 130 participants registered for pickleball alone. It's a lot.
CATHY WURZER: Wow. So what do you hear from participants? I mean, there is, of course, the stereotype that as you get older, you get slower and weaker, and your body hurts, and things kind of fall apart. But it sounds like the athletes in St. Cloud are the direct opposite of that. What are you hearing from participants?
LYNN HUBBARD: Yeah, that's not the case at all. And it honestly kind of gives me some hope that maybe in 15 years, when I hit that over 50 range, that I could be in shape and do this, too, but I couldn't keep up with them now. They've got me beat, that's for sure. It's incredible, and it's uplifting to see that just because you're over 50 or over 80-- we had a 94-year-old do the 10K this morning.
CATHY WURZER: What?
LYNN HUBBARD: And it was like-- yes, a 94-year-old man did the 10K this morning. And it was so inspiring, and everyone was cheering him on. His grandkids were there. His kids were there. It was a huge show-off. It was fantastic. And it just goes to show that it doesn't matter what age you are. If you love something, if you want to do something, if you want to be healthier, get out. Do it. Try it.
CATHY WURZER: Wow.
LYNN HUBBARD: It's possible.
CATHY WURZER: That gives me hope when a gentleman goes it.
LYNN HUBBARD: For real.
CATHY WURZER: Yeah, 94, and he's doing a 10K. Wow. What do folks you've talked to say that they get out of doing sports like this later in life?
LYNN HUBBARD: I think it's the camaraderie and the friendships and the bond that comes of it seems to be very special. You can see some of them are teammates that travel around and do all sorts of races. They've got matching gear, and it seems like they're just the tight-knit group. It gives them something to do. It keeps them healthy. It pushes them to be better. And I think it's also just having the ability to be active. I think all of these athletes are just thankful to have the opportunity to be able to continue to do something that they love to do later in life.
CATHY WURZER: Say, have you heard from anybody who might not have been super great athletes when they were younger, but they got started maybe, as you say, doing a 10K or cycling at a bit of an older age? Do you have participants who have decided to get into this at a more advanced age?
LYNN HUBBARD: Yes, I actually spoke to a woman this morning who just started cycling a few years ago, tried it just to try it. She wasn't big into sports. It wasn't really her thing, but she wanted to get out and do something and be healthier. And she thought cycling was a good place to start and then got in with a group of other women who did the same and learned as she went.
And she's been working on building her bike because these bikes aren't normal bikes. The racing, cycling, whatever-- I don't even want to screw it up and call it something that it's not. But these bikes are incredible, and they are worth a lot of money. So she's been slowly building her bike and getting into this racing scene. And she said it's been incredible to just be a part of something that she hadn't had the chance to do before.
CATHY WURZER: I mentioned in the intro that some of these individuals competing could make it to nationals. How often, do you know, does that happen?
LYNN HUBBARD: The national games is a biannual event. So next year, the games in St. Cloud will be a qualifying year for the games in 2025. The national games for 2023 just wrapped up in Pittsburgh two weeks ago, I believe, three weeks ago maybe.
CATHY WURZER: And so if someone wants to actually watch this, give me an idea here-- where do we go, and where do we-- do you have a website that we can check out?
LYNN HUBBARD: Yes, absolutely. M-N, so Minnesota, mnseniorgames.com has all of the information. It has the full schedule. So there's events that go through Sunday. And they're throughout greater St. Cloud area. Obviously, everything can't happen in one place with all the different events happening, so they're spread out throughout the St. Cloud area. But the schedule, the locations, the details for all of the events are on the website, mnseniorgames.com.
CATHY WURZER: Say, before you go, you mentioned-- are you yet to get to the age of 50?
LYNN HUBBARD: I'll be there relatively shortly, but not quite there yet.
CATHY WURZER: OK, all right. So what do you say to folks who are 50+, who think, you know what? The ship has sailed for me. I can't do this. What do you say?
LYNN HUBBARD: It hasn't, and these athletes are proof of that. Honestly, I probably would have been one of those people. Even me now, I'm almost 40, and I'm like, meh. I'm done. I'm tapped. But after seeing these people get out here and do this, it's inspiring. It's incredible. And it's not too late. It doesn't matter who you are or what you do, what you don't do. You can absolutely get involved in a sport, no matter your age. And whether you want to compete the rest of your life or just give it a try, do it.
CATHY WURZER: All right. Lynn Hubbard, thank you so much.
LYNN HUBBARD: Thank you. Thank you for having me.
CATHY WURZER: Lynn Hubbard is an organizer with the senior games in St. Cloud. If you want to catch some of these athletes in action games are going on all weekend. As she mentioned, go to mnseniorgames.com for more information.
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