If you missed the feel-good stories of the Flying Pig for the last year and a half, you weren’t alone. The Flying Pig was canceled altogether last year and pushed back from May to this weekend, this year. But we have “pork-tacular” story to put you back into the running spirit. A Mason man who's proving age really is just a number. Wayne Wheeler didn't start running until he was 37 when a co-worker was going to run the Heart Mini, which was 9.3 miles. “And I was just blown away that anybody could run 9.3 miles. So I started to jog," Wheeler said. But once he started, he never looked back. “After several months I really liked it a lot. And it's taken me on a journey that's unbelievable," he said. That was 45 years ago. Wheeler is 82 now. "I'm middle-aged,” he says laughing. “OK, upper middle-aged!" Despite being upper middle-aged, on this fall day, Wheeler is training for his seventh Boston Marathon. Wayne knows that sounds crazy. It sounds crazy to him. “I always question around mile 22, why am I doing this to myself, but there I am," he said.He's run in 700 road races in 18 states. One of his favorites is the Flying Pig. He's run eight full and eight halfs at the Flying Pig alone. He thrives on those dreaded hills. But it’s not all about that runner's high. It’s about giving back too. In the 10 years of running the Pig, Wheeler helped raise $356,000 for cystic fibrosis. Wheeler’s passion has taken him down many roads and the one he loves the most is teaching kids to have a passion for running. He's coached for 25 years, the last 17 years for Mason Middle School's cross country and track teams. The kids love Coach Wheeler as much as he loves coaching. “He's just an amazing coach. He makes everyone better," Tyler Groff said. And Pedro Capiello, another cross country runner for Mason Middle, agrees. “He's just amazing. Great. He's just the best coach ever," Capiello said. Wheeler's best pace was long before these kids were alive. In 1984, he was running a 6:45 mile. He's slowed down a bit over the years but this 82-year old is still outpacing most of us. “I never say never and I never say always. I don't know if it's my last or not," he said.One thing's for sure, whether it's a marathon, a few miles, or in life, Wheeler will be inspiring everyone in his path.Unfortunately, the night of the Boston Marathon Wheeler developed kidney stones and wasn't able to race. He’s planning on running the half-marathon at the Flying Pig this weekend. So we’ll see this inspiring 82-year old at the Finish Swine.
If you missed the feel-good stories of the Flying Pig for the last year and a half, you weren’t alone. The Flying Pig was canceled altogether last year and pushed back from May to this weekend, this year.
But we have “pork-tacular” story to put you back into the running spirit. A Mason man who's proving age really is just a number.
Wayne Wheeler didn't start running until he was 37 when a co-worker was going to run the Heart Mini, which was 9.3 miles.
“And I was just blown away that anybody could run 9.3 miles. So I started to jog," Wheeler said.
But once he started, he never looked back.
“After several months I really liked it a lot. And it's taken me on a journey that's unbelievable," he said.
That was 45 years ago. Wheeler is 82 now.
"I'm middle-aged,” he says laughing. “OK, upper middle-aged!"
Despite being upper middle-aged, on this fall day, Wheeler is training for his seventh Boston Marathon. Wayne knows that sounds crazy. It sounds crazy to him.
“I always question around mile 22, why am I doing this to myself, but there I am," he said.
He's run in 700 road races in 18 states. One of his favorites is the Flying Pig.
He's run eight full and eight halfs at the Flying Pig alone.
He thrives on those dreaded hills. But it’s not all about that runner's high. It’s about giving back too. In the 10 years of running the Pig, Wheeler helped raise $356,000 for cystic fibrosis.
Wheeler’s passion has taken him down many roads and the one he loves the most is teaching kids to have a passion for running. He's coached for 25 years, the last 17 years for Mason Middle School's cross country and track teams.
The kids love Coach Wheeler as much as he loves coaching.
“He's just an amazing coach. He makes everyone better," Tyler Groff said.
And Pedro Capiello, another cross country runner for Mason Middle, agrees.
“He's just amazing. Great. He's just the best coach ever," Capiello said.
Wheeler's best pace was long before these kids were alive. In 1984, he was running a 6:45 mile. He's slowed down a bit over the years but this 82-year old is still outpacing most of us.
“I never say never and I never say always. I don't know if it's my last or not," he said.
One thing's for sure, whether it's a marathon, a few miles, or in life, Wheeler will be inspiring everyone in his path.
Unfortunately, the night of the Boston Marathon Wheeler developed kidney stones and wasn't able to race. He’s planning on running the half-marathon at the Flying Pig this weekend. So we’ll see this inspiring 82-year old at the Finish Swine.
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