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Second wind: "master athletes," age 70-plus, are replacing their recliners with running shoes for a senior exercise study - Fourth Annual Seniors Section American Fitness - FindArticles:

"Some say life begins at 30, others say 40. For 92-year-old Noel Johnson of San Diego, life began at 70 when he began running. A few years later he wrote his first book, A Dud at 70, A Stud at 80.

Johnson is one of 25 men from across the country participating in a University of Horida (UF) study to determine the benefits of exercise for the elderly. Called 'master athletes,' most of the participants are over 70. During the 20 years since the study began, many have continued to compete in long distance running events.

The study began in 1971. The master athletes held their first national championship in San Diego, California. 'Back then there were a lot of questions about whether it was medically safe for these people to exercise,' says Michael Pollock, Ph.D., director of the UF Center for Exercise Science. 'The experts didn't know if seniors should give all out efforts in the 100-yard dash, run marathons and do things of this nature.'

The study was followed up 10 years later. The results, published in Journal of Applied Psychology m 1987, showed the master athletes were all in good health, particularly in the cardiovascular area. 'Some suffer from arthritis or irregular heart beats just like everyone else as they get older, but these athletes haven't experienced high risk of sudden death,' says Pollock. 'They have stood the test of time.'"