ORANGE PARK, Fla. – An Orange Park lady is showcasing her operating abilities to the nation.
Subsequent week, 66-year-old Joni Neidigh is competing within the Nationwide Senior Video games being held in Des Moine, Iowa beginning July 24.
“I like difficult myself,” Neidigh stated. “I feel it will be important for all of us to be interested by what we will do, bodily, mentally, cognitively and actually make it possible for we stretch these areas.”
Neidigh is operating in two occasions on the Video games: the 5K street race, which is 3.1 miles and the 10K street race, which is 6.2 miles.
“I’ve been impressed by teammates, specifically somebody right here regionally who is a good runner. Shelly Allan, inspired me to do that,” Neidigh stated.
She is a member of the Florida Striders operating membership and Jacksonville Monitor Membership.
Neidigh has a love for operating, exercising and inspiring wholesome dwelling.
She says her operating profession began in 1983, sparked by her brother, Tom Johnston. He coached her earlier than he died that very same 12 months.
“I proceed to run to type of honor him and cope with grief of shedding a brother,” Neidigh stated. “I developed that keenness and turned that into one thing particular to maintain that reminiscence alive and to additionally preserve me more healthy.”
Professionally, Neidigh is a psychotherapist and hypnotherapist, so she works so much with athletes on the psychological aspect of issues.
“It’s by no means too late to start out one thing,” she stated. “You will need to discover what you may love. There may be one thing on the market that you simply love to do this entails shifting, and once more serving to your cognitive aspect and your psychological aspect.”
Neidigh hopes to encourage others as she enjoys this opportunity to compete in her 60s in opposition to different proficient athletes from throughout the nation.
“I feel operating or some other sport or it may be thought of a interest, not all people has to compete the best way that I do,” she stated. “However it encourages us to reside and be curious of how lengthy can I preserve this life going and the way nice can it’s?”
The Nationwide Senior Video games will likely be from July 24 to August 4 in Des Moines, Iowa.
Neidigh says she is going to compete in her occasions on July 24 and 26.
She can also be certainly one of 10 individuals being honored with a Humana Sport Changer Award.
That could be a nationally acknowledged honor that celebrates senior athletes who Humana considers to exemplify wholesome getting older and encourage others to remain energetic.
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