Competitions in the national qualifying event have been held for more than a week at various venues around the city.
Racewalker Addie Kephart of Atascocita was among those warming up to compete in the 5K racewalk, a sport she’s participated in for about 10 years.
“I’m a competitive person,” she said when asked what she enjoys about racewalking. She got involved in the activity while attending games with her husband, Arden, who entered bowling competitions.
“When they had the senior games in Baton Rouge, I went with him. I thought, ‘there ought to be something I can do.’ I saw racewalking, and I thought I could do that,” she said, adding that was before she knew the rules of the sport.
There are actually two rules, said Bert Pickell of San Antonio, who was the head judge for Sunday’s racewalk in Temple. First, participants can’t run.
“You have to have one foot on the ground at all times - you can’t lose contact,” Pickell said.
Second, the lead leg of participants must come down on the heel and a walker can’t bend that knee when the foot comes down.
Pickell, who has been involved in racewalking for 35 years, said he enjoys working with seniors.
“Seniors are very diligent in how they go out and practice,” he said, adding that because some begin competing in the senior games while in their 50s, they have a lot of years to improve.
“There’s people participating now who have been in senior games for 20 years,” he said. “They have a lot of room to grow.”
Mrs. Kephart, who competes in the 80’s age group, said she enjoys the camaraderie of the games. She and Arden already won a gold medal in the mixed doubles bowling competition last week.
She raced Sunday with a new knee - she had knee replacement surgery in April, just two days after qualifying for the state games at a regional competition in Houston.
Like many Texans from the Gulf Coast who participated in this week’s games, the Kepharts have been without power for nearly two weeks at their home, located north of Houston. When they left to come to Temple, they still did not have power, Mrs. Kephart said.
About 60 people were signed up to participate in two racewalk events on Sunday - the 5K and a 1500 meter race.
