MELBOURNE, Fla. — Staying fit and healthy is an important part of increasing longevity. There is no age that is too late to start exercising and no age that you must stop. Robin Moran, 63, is a prime example of this. When she isn’t working as a Physical Therapist Assistant, specializing in geriatric rehabilitation, you can catch her on the water, running and biking on trails and roads.

Running was a hobby as a teenager; “it was something I could do for myself, by myself, with basically no equipment. I tapped into that runner’s high early on and chased it down regularly” said Moran. Fast forward to 2009 and the age of 52, she didn’t know that amateur road racing existed and saw a flyer for a July 4th 5K and tried it. She has been hooked ever since.

Moran doesn’t come from a family of athletes, as her father was a race car driver in his younger years and her mom was great at shopping. However, longevity runs in the family as both of her parents are still living in their 80’s. Her granddaughter has caught the running bug and this past summer, Moran and her granddaughter set the State of Missouri course record at the 2 miler Sufferfest in each of their age groups. Her granddaughter is 5!

A few weekends ago, Moran competed in Trail Fest at Graham Swamp 10 mile Trail Run in Palm Coast. Looking for a challenging race, the distance and terrain were the perfect combinations and what she needed. Deciding only to participate the week before, she drove the 2 hours to the trails to test them out on her trail bike. She double looped the course on her bike so she could become familiar with it and know how to navigate the technical parts of the trail come race day.

Feeling good about seeing and experiencing the course, tapering was next. In racing, this is the decrease of running mileage and exercise over the 1-2 weeks before a race to give the body time to feel refreshed and ready for race day. Running well in a race is mental as well and she is always mentally focused. Visualizing herself running effortlessly and fast through the course is helpful for her.

On race day, she drove the 2 hours to the race with an afternoon start. No early rising needed and plenty of time to arrive and get settled. Before towing the starting line, she describes it as, “I try to get into a flow and love talking to the other participants and enjoy the ensuing race arousal. It’s all part of my mental preparation for when the race starts.”

The course was a single track with a lot of short drops and climbs, switchbacks, and rocky features. Nothing she couldn’t handle as she regularly runs trails in Brevard. She was able to keep her mind engaged the entire race. Knowing that one poorly placed foot could easily cause a detrimental injury, she was careful with each step. Moran knows she started out too fast in the race as her heart rate increased to 170 in the first mile, which should happen later in the race for this distance, not at the beginning.

Her normal max heart rate is 160. However, the adrenaline was going and she was chasing the three fastest male runners: Ages 36, 26, and 46 respectively. She stayed with them until mile 5 when they took off even faster. Moran had the choice to slow down to lower her heart rate but wanted to keep going and knew that fatigue was setting in, but ran with her heart. Running with her heart is what she did and finished the race as 1st Overall Female and 4th Overall Runner- behind the 3 male runners! Fantastic finish for anyone of any age!

Moran is a legend in running and competition in the sports community in Brevard (she is humble and doesn’t think so) – everyone knows her and is amazed about her quickness and abilities in her 60’s. It doesn’t come without hard work though. Every day, she is doing something. Whether it is running, biking, strength training, Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP), or yoga; it takes more than just running to be strong and a competitor. In previous years, she has participated in SUP events, Triathlons, and other races.

Racing is fun for her, no matter the sport. It can be the people she is with, the type of race, the venue, her performance, or even the after-party. She loves all of it. All the events she participates in have the most supportive participants. The participants respect each other and know that they all have trained hard in order to compete competitively. Often, she is on the podium as one of the top finishers in her age group, or even Grandmaster champion- an award for having the fastest time over the age of 50.

For future races, she is keeping an eye on long-distance trail races. These races excite her and get her motivated to train and go out there to show what she can do. She is not a fan of virtual races due to COVID and looks forward to the day that most races of any distance are live and in person again.

When she isn’t exercising, she is learning about Mycology- the study of fungi. On rainy days, she likes to hike, hunt, and collect mushrooms. Moran says, “I’m always hungry from all the running, cycling, and paddling so now I can actively look for food!”

Let’s get to know a little more about Robin Moran:

Why is working out in these activities important to you?

Commitment to the workout to be the best I can be mentally and physically is what keeps me on task. I have failures and disappointments but I don’t quit. I always try to push it a little further, just a little harder, to see what will happen. The resilience, persistence, discipline, and structure spills over into all other areas of my life. I find the benefits of working out and participating in all my activities enhances my life in general. Plus you can never underestimate the positive attributes of all those endorphins.

Memorable Races:

-1st OA female 11/2020 10 mile trail run at Graham Swamp in Palm Coast, FL
-QR Tri bike. 2012-2015. Made the world team 3 years in a row. Triathlon Swim, Bike, Run!
-Sufferfest 2 miler outside Springfield, MO. My 5 year old granddaughter and I hold the course records in our respective age groups, July 2020
-State of Kansas MTB Championships 2nd OA Female in the Category 2 Division August 2019
-Gate River Run, March 2019. 1st place AG and slayed that green monster!
-3rd Female OA in the Turkey Trot 10K in Beaumont TX. 45:47
-5K PR in Porter, TX November 2018. Under 21 minutes.

-12 Mile Paddle Around Key West Race, 2015.
-Masters awards at Indialantic Boardwalk Triathlon, 2014. 4th Female OA.
-Eat My Crust 5K 2017 and 2018. Still hold the Senior Grandmaster Course Record.

Any advice for others who think sometimes they may be too old to get fit or to participate in activities?

I know we have all heard it but it is really true. “It’s never too late to start.” The body has a truly beautiful way of adapting and changing under pressure. The most important thing that you can change is your thinking. Find your purpose. Why do you want to get fit, healthy, or active? Then, create a plan with goals to achieve your purpose. Motivation will only get you so far but purpose will drive you.

Advice for others from Robin Moran:

When you aren’t getting results or feel like giving up, think of this: The last thing to grow on a fruit tree is the fruit. We are living in a culture where we feel comfortable with the pathway of least resistance. Our lives become mediocre. We need to fight against that complacency and go after our dreams if we want to see the fruit of what we are capable of becoming.

Robin Moran is an amazing athlete and a great role model for athletes of all ages. Next time you are out running, on a SUP, or biking, look for her. She will be exercising and competing until she is 100 or older and chances are she will be lined up next to you, or in front of the pack, ready to show what she can do.

“What keeps me going is self-satisfaction in my achievements. It’s my personal journey that I’ve chosen and I don’t want to compare it to others. I select my own fitness goals and always give my all to getting better.” – Robin Moran

This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.