Did I ever think I would be a pole vaulter?
No, never in my wildest dream!
My grandkid thinks I'm a super grandma.
I was a sales rep for over 30 years.
And I didn't start track till I was 60 years old.
When I was 65, I took up pole vaulting,
and I love it!
At one of the national meets, I saw two ladies doing the pole vault,
and the bar was not set very high.
And I love challenges, and I just, to myself,
"Oh, I think I could do that.
"I think I could do a little bit higher."
Woo!
Yes!
Woo!
Oh, my God! Woo!
She asked me
if I'd like to come and work out with her sometime, which...
..is like having Usain Bolt ask if you want to go for a run.
I said, "I'd love to do that!"
When I was going for the world record of six feet at age 80,
and I did it, and I just screamed!
I was so happy.
I've won about 750 medals in doing track and field,
because when you do nine and ten events,
they accumulate quite fast!
I think she works out more than anybody I've ever known.
I always tell her, "Just try to better what you did before,
"don't worry about the records."
She says, "Well, if I'm going to go out there and better them,
"I might as well break the records!"
I think, when you're active
and you keep healthy,
if there are moments in your life that really are depressing,
you're going to be able to put up with these sad moments in your life.
That's my feeling, anyway.
It has helped me an awful lot, to be active.
Not to sit in a corner and feel sorry for yourself.
One, two, three, four, five...
It's incredible to see her compete out here.
It's inspiring, honestly.
Someone that age to be, you know, still competing
and running around, jumping, doing high jump,
it's kind of insane to see.
Woo!
SHE SHOUTS
Yeah, that's my better one.
19.9.
Should be able to get a 20.
SHE LAUGHS
I love competing. I love meeting all my friends and travelling, also.
And you do make some very, very warm friends in track and field.
SHE CHUCKLES
As soon as I get home, I'm going to have a beer!
SHE LAUGHS
You're never too old.
Listen, I was 60 years old when I started and look what I'm doing now.
I'm going to keep pole vaulting as long as I possibly can.
Maybe, if the good Lord permits,
maybe till I'm 100!
SHE LAUGHS