July 21, 2007: Vol. 30, No. 28
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There’s no way he’s 70! Edward Baker prepares for a run in front of his Fort Greene building.
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del.icio.usThere’s no way Edward Baker is 70 years old. Look at him. He’s chiseled. Watch him: he can run the 100-meter dash in 15.2 seconds — faster than men half his age.
So it’s no surprise that the fleet-footed Fort Greene grandpa took the gold medal in the Empire State Senior Games 100-meter dash, giving a new meaning to the phrase, “getting old fast.”
Baker outran three other gray-haired men with a time that, by most standards, is impressive.
After all, the world record for the men’s 100-meter dash is 9.77 seconds — and the men who ran it were far younger.
“It’s an exceptional time,” said Steve Bonal, 55, president of the Brooklyn Road Runners Club.
“I may not even beat the 15 seconds,” he added.
Then again, Baker, who also took home the silver medal in the 200-meter race by running it in 33.8 seconds, has been honing his skills for more than half a century.
He told The Stoop that he’s been sprinting since he was 11 years old. And he continues to maintain a strict physical regimen.
“On Mondays, it’s the gym,” said Baker, a Guyanese native and 15-year Fort Greene resident. “Tuesday, it’s the swimming pool. Wednesdays, I rest. Thursday, it’s the track [at Clermont and Atlantic avenues]. And Saturday, it’s the track.
“I just love the sport and I like to keep myself physically fit,” added Baker, a former storeroom clerk for the state Department of Health. “It helps with my cholesterol and weight.”
The Empire State Senior Games were held in June at SUNY Cortland.
“The win meant a lot to me,” said Baker. “I was getting silver for the last four years.”
For those who would like to emulate him, Baker offered a common-sense tip reminiscent of our fearless president.
“Just stay at it and stay the course,” said Baker. “It doesn’t happen overnight. It’s hard.”
Catch him if you can.
©2007 The Brooklyn Paper
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