A local man is one of 13 recipients of the Humana Game Changer Award.
"I tell people I don't want to live to be 100," said Townsend's John Baes, "I want to compete when I'm 100."
And at the rate 70-year-old Townsend resident John Bates is going, that's a strong possibility.
"Triathlons are child's play," he said. "Because when we were children, we love to run, go to the pool, go biking, so it's actually doing things that you did as a child."
Every year Bates competes in the National Senior
He's recently started competing in the triathlon, but his first love is tennis. And his true love is his wife, and doubles partner, Janice Sullivan.Games.
"We met on a tennis court where I taught tennis," Sullivan said. "The theme was 1926 Wimbledon. That was the only year a married couple had ever won."
John and Janice compete in the Senior Games together every year.
But at the 2007 games in Louisville, the man who got married on a tennis court. almost died on one.
"I went to chase the ball," Janice recalled, "and turned around and John had collapsed."
"When she got to me there was no heartbeat, no consciousness, no breathing," John said. "Basically flatlined."
John had a massive heart attack caused by cardiomyopathy, an enlarged and weakened heart.
"People came from the next court and started CPR" Janice explained, "but they were getting nothing."
Eventually John arrived at the hospital where he survived.
Cardiologists later told him 95 percent of people who suffer that type of episode away from a ho
"It was up to me," John said, "to make some significant changes and get more serious about my health on a daily basis."spital die.
John admits that before his heart attack he was in shape just enough to get around a tennis court.
With a more rigorous routine, triathlon training, and a vegan diet he's lost 45 pounds, and is full steam ahead.
"I believe it's kept me alive," he said.
He says no matter your age or fitness level, it's never too late.
"Some people say as long as you're breathing you still have a chance," he said. "I'm proof that even when you're not breathing there's still a chance that you can show dramatic improvement."
