Life with a Capital L

 

My daughter-in-law Amanda asked me, “Have you ever heard of Orville Rogers?”  When I told her I hadn’t she explained why I should do some research on him.

One of the first things I found out about Orville was that many of his friends and family got together November 28, 2017 for his birthday.  They chose to commemorate the day with a run.  One of the reasons they wanted to run together was that Mr. Rogers has been running now for 50 years.  In that time he has covered the distance around the earth 1 ½ times, but that’s not what they were commemorating.  Since he started running he has broken more than 15 world records, but that’s not what they were celebrating.  That day the gathering of 34 people ran a combined distance of 100 miles.

That was one mile for each year of Orville’s life.

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Mr. Rogers was born during World War I in Oklahoma.  In his youth a couple things happened that really changed his life.  One, his father abandoned the family and never came back.  Two, Charles Lindburgh flew over his grade school.

Enthralled by the exploits of the famous man who made the first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, Orville determined he would find a way to fly, just like Lindburgh.

And he did.

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Orville enlisted in the Army Air Corps five weeks before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor propelled the United States into World War II.  After his pilot’s training, he became a trainer himself.  During the war, he said, “I never got outside the United States.  I was training other students to fly.”

After WWII Rogers was recalled for the Korean conflict.  While stationed in Fort Worth, Texas, he learned to fly the massive B36 “Peacemaker,” a strategic bomber built to carry nuclear weapons. It was capable of international flight without refueling.

He also led a select crew within the Strategic Air Command during the Cold War.

“My crew was prepared to drop an atom bomb on the north side of Moscow if war had been declared.”  He added, “I’m very happy that didn’t happen.”

He later flew as a civilian pilot for Braniff Airlines until the company went bankrupt in 1982.

A born again Christian, Rogers didn’t stop flying then, but flew multiple volunteer flights carrying medicine and supplies to missionaries all over the world.

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In the late 1960s Dr. Kenneth Cooper’s groundbreaking book, Aerobics made a splash on the health and fitness scene.  In it, the doctor introduced a six-point plan for living longer through exercising, eating well, avoiding tobacco, managing stress, and getting yearly physical exams.

Mr. Rogers flew through the book and started running the next day.  He built up speed and distance over the next few years and started competing in marathons.  By the time he ran his last 26.2 miler at 72 he was running as much as 80 miles per week.

Although he has cut down on training miles he still runs three days a week, about three miles each time and caps off his run with two 100 meter wind sprints.  He competed in his first national meet at the age of 90, mere days after the loss of his wife.

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Orville married the love of his life, Esther Beth, in 1943 and the two were together for 65 years, until she passed away in 2008.  The couple had three sons (one was killed in Viet Nam) and a daughter.  They have 14 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

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At that first national event, Rogers broke two world records.  As of my last check, Orville Rogers is the only man to have run a 10-minute mile after the age of 90 and the only one to have run a 15-minute mile after 95.

Recently, at the 2018 USATF Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships in Landover, Maryland, the 100 year old Rogers came through big-time.  In the 100 to 104 age category, Rogers set new records in the 60 meter dash, 200 meter dash, 400-meter dash, 800-meter run, and the 1,500 meter run.  You read right, he broke five world records.

And he did it with his family cheering him on every step of the way.

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What’s Orville’s secret?  He said, “God promises believers a long, good life, if they follow his commands.  I eat right, most of the time.  I have a wonderful, supportive family, and lots of wonderful friends.”

Mr. Rogers concluded with a chuckle, “I live life with a capital L.”

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Orville Rogers has written a book, The Running Man – Flying High for the Glory of God, about his life and experiences.  It is available from www.amazon.com, among others.

Dr. Kennett Cooper’s book, Aerobics, is also available from Amazon.

 

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