Lakeside retiree Graciela Estrada, 75, won six medals, more than any other athlete present, during the November 28-29 Track and Field International Championship in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato.
Estrada, who started running at age 62, has won nearly 80 medals in meets across Mexico, as well as in Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Costa Rica and the United States.
The member of the DIF Chapala Athletic Team usually competes in the 800- and 1,500-meter events in track and field competitions. In cross country competitions she runs the two-kilometer race. For some competitions, as was the case in Dolores Hidalgo, she expands her horizons and competes in a wider variety of races.
In November’s event Estrada competed in six events: the 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1,500 meters, plus the 4x100 relay. She brought home two gold and four silver medals.
“Running is a great way to have fun with my friends,” says Estrada, who moved to lakeside from California nearly a dozen years ago. “I also do yoga every day; well, almost every day.
“There is another great plus. Going to these competitions is a great way for me to see and know new places and new people. Still, mostly, I run because I want to be a healthy older person and I like being able to show others that being a senior is not an obstacle to being active.”