No matter what age a person may be, exercise always remains an important part of life. Exercising is an essential part of having a healthy lifestyle, and Claremont senior citizens Bill and Grace Moremen have the expertise of keeping active. For over 25 years, the Moremens have trained and competed in race-walking, a sport where the athlete walks at a very fast pace, but must have one foot placed on the ground the entire time. The couple have recently returned from the World Masters Track and Field Championship in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Bill Moremen was able to win four gold medals in the men’s 85-89 division, while Grace Moremen won two silver and one bronze in the women’s 81-84 division. Even though the Pilgrim Place residents are senior citizens, they find race-walking refreshing and a great source of exercise.

“Racewalking is a great sport because it has less impact than running and involves 95% of the body’s muscles,” Bill Moremen said.

The couple is involved in a race-walking group at Pilgrim Place called the Pilgrim Pacers. There are currently between 25 and 30 members who exercise once a week at the Pomona College track. However, the Moremens try to achieve even more exercise; Grace practices yoga, while  Bill works out at the gym. The Moremens prove that no matter how old one may be, exercise is very important to maintain over the course of a lifetime.

“Exercising daily is enjoyable in a group setting and is easier if one starts practicing earlier in life,” Grace Moremen said.

The Moremens highly suggest that young people start practicing daily routines of exercises to increase their flexibility and stamina. CHS senior Merin Arft believes that the Moremens are an inspiration for continuing this amount of exercise at their age.

“I feel that the Moremens are truly inspirational and they should continue their daily exercise routines,” Arft said.

Arft has experience with playing sports including cross-country, soccer, and track and field, so she relates to how difficult it can be to train every day like the Moremens. Similar to the Moremens, Arft follows a daily exercise routine and has grown accustomed to staying physically fit.

Regardless of one’s age, exercising will never be too far away. No matter the age of an individual, everyone is capable of upholding a daily workout, similar to the Moremens and Arft. They both are truly an inspiration and prove that hard work and personal strive never decreases with age.