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Pushing yourself to be just a little bit better

Living Well: a bi-monthly inspirational column of eating right and living right in the Ashcroft area.
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Merv McKague

by Vicky Trill

I call him my running buddy, often he’s my motivator and always an inspiration.

Somewhere along the way as we’ve run half marathons, lifted weights and crunched abs, he has become my friend. Last year we ran a half marathon at the same pace. This year, we ran it again, and I couldn’t keep up.

You would think at 40 I could keep up with my 73 year old friend, but not Merv. You may know Merv McKague? He makes fitness a part of each day. Whether he’s walking with his wife, running a “relaxing 10 k”, pumping iron or stretching, Merv keeps pushing.

Last weekend as a group of us hiked up the Three Meadow hike, he told me that  when he sets out to do something, he does it. Like when he tells himself “I’m going to hike to the top of this mountain and back” he does just that. No changing your mind and turning around short of the goal.

Merv has a history of fitness from karate, to weight training and running, he uses his competitive nature to push himself to be just that little bit better. Here’s what he has to say about exercise and health:

Q: What motivates you to exercise and how does being fit affect your life?

A: You just feel a lot better. Find you have a lot less aches and pains. Totally altogether feel better and want to get out and do things

Q: How often do you exercise and what do you do?

A: I exercise five days per week. Three days total body workouts and at least two days of running each week.

Q: What’s your favorite activity to do?

A: Running.

Q: What is your fitness background?

A: I didn’t start anything until my mid 30s and then I started Karate and got up to my black belt and helped Aki teach for a while, then I was sporadic for a while then did some downhill skiing and water skiing. After I retired and when the gym opened downtown, I started a more steady routine of exercise.

Q: What would you like to tell others about being fit?

A: If you get out and do some form of exercise and keep your weight down, you totally feel a lot better. You don’t have all the aches and pains and just feel better.

Q: Anything in the future you would like to accomplish?

A: Stay active as long as I can. Keep doing the Kamloops “Boogie the Bridge” run as long as I can.