Lon Wilson Is Devoted to Coaching “Elders Without Limits”
At NYRR Striders, we believe in the power of movement to unite and empower us all, regardless of age or ability. While regular exercise can be difficult during this time of stay-at-home recommendations, NYRR Striders helps keep adults fit and connected to their communities by providing free virtual and in-person resources that motivate and inspire an active lifestyle and improved quality of life.
Periodically in this blog, we spotlight the experiences and life stories about Striders participants and coaches. To learn more about how NYRR Striders can make a difference in your life, visit our website, follow us on Facebook, or email us at striders@nyrr.org.
Lon Wilson, Striders Coach
Lon Wilson has been coaching for NYRR Striders since 2012, but his relationship with New York Road Runners goes back much further. Born in the Bronx in 1947, Lon started running as a teenager after watching the movie The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner. He joined NYRR in 1964 when the organization had just a handful of members. By the time he turned 32, he’d already run 10 marathons.
Around the same time, Lon was looking for a fitness activity he could do with his mother; he found the New York Walkers Club. “My mom and I joined and started walking together,” he recalled. Lon became a competitive race walker and eventually completed 107 marathons. He also also served as an official at race walking events, including the 1984 Los Angeles and 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Lon loved sharing his passion for walking with others, and was a New York Walkers Club instructor for years before coming to Striders. Throughout his life he’s been dedicated to sports, wellness, and serving his community. “I was the first black player in Tremont Little League,” he noted. He still resides in the Bronx, where he’s a member of the Van Cortlandt Track Club.
Lon’s devotion to giving back to the community keeps him deeply committed to Striders. “I see people who are 10, 15, 20 years older than me doing things they thought they couldn’t do,” he said. “It motivates me to stay moving so that I can keep supporting seniors. I want them to be their own self for as long as they can.”
This mutual encouragement, he noted, is what makes NYRR Striders so impactful. “The program shows seniors that they have no limitations,” he said. “Striders is elders without limits.”
He’s encouraged to see older adults staying active during the pandemic. “People are becoming more conscious of focusing on their bodies and not letting them go to waste,” he said. “They realize that an active lifestyle keeps a sound mind, a sound body, and a sound community.”
Another valuable impact of Striders, Lon stressed, is its cultivation of intergenerational bonds. “Kids are able to walk and move with their grandparents,” he said. “Those connections help seniors live longer and live better.”
Get Involved
Our mission at NYRR is to help and inspire people through running. NYRR Striders demonstrates that anyone, no matter their age or ability, can be active. By incorporating strength, balance, and flexibility exercises and fitness activities into all our sessions, our program is inclusive and can help improve the quality of life for adults of all ages through its virtual and in-person offerings. Learn more about all that NYRR Striders has to offer.