Octogenarian's life moving right along

Marsha Kay Seff
Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:00:00 -0700
Lifestyle

When she runs, Lila Rockstein tells me, she feels like a bird.

She's been running since she turned 50. Recently, she completed a 5K charity run for the Parkinson's Disease Association. She was one of few runners in her age category, she says, adding that others who were close to her age were using walkers and wheelchairs.

Lila will be 81 in August.

I suggest we chat during a walk together. I just wanted to make sure I could keep up with this energetic octogenarian.

What a delight. At 5-foot-2, size 2, she's my new idol. Except, she assures me, "How my body looks when I'm undressed is not good."

Well, she looks great in her tiny clothes. And anyway, she says, "My husband doesn't have his glasses on in the morning, which is great."

Lila leaves her home at 6:30 three mornings a week for a four-to five-mile run or swift walk. She's not sure of the mileage because she can't figure out how to use her pedometer. But she guesses she can still do 11-to 12-minute miles.

The best part about running, she says: "You're all by yourself and nobody cares if you get there or not. It's wonderful exercise ... if your knees hold out.

"I used to cycle and dance, but this is the best. It's meditative."

On the mornings she doesn't run or walk, she cross-trains by swimming.

Widowed after 38 years of marriage, she met her second husband, Bob, while they were both doing volunteer work in Israel. She asked him to run; he agreed to walk with her.

"Then we got married." That was almost 20 years ago.

Now, Bob still offers to walk with his bride. But though they start out together, Lila says, "He can't keep up."

The couple also enjoy theater and symphony and "lots of friends." In addition, they attend three or four classes a week at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of California San Diego. Oh yes, she and Bob volunteer about twice a week to deliver food for Meals on Wheels.

Does she have adult children who are proud of their mom - and relieved they don't have to care for her?

No, she doesn't have children. Bob has two on the East Coast and three grandchildren, but the couple hope they can continue to look after each other.

When she started running more than three decades ago, she competed in about five half-marathons and then she switched to 10Ks. She says she usually won simply because her age category was so small.

"I really like to win. Oh, yes."

But her last half-marathon was about 12 years ago. A battle with breast cancer slowed her down, so now she competes mostly in 5K races.

About a mile into our walk, Lila wants to know if I'm ready to turn back. Are you kidding me? No way would I let her outwalk me, although I must admit, it's not easy to walk and take notes at the same time. Chewing gum definitely is out.

Her secret to staying healthy, Lila confides, is always eating judiciously and exercising.

"I plan to run my whole life."

She's already looking forward to the next run - with her 70-year-old friend from Meals on Wheels.