Canyon Laker Paul Parque earned a gold medal on June 24 at the Pasadena Senior Games, an athletic competition event for men and women age 50
and older. The seventy-three-year-old did an impressive 66 military-style push-ups to beat out his competitors in the 70 to 74 age group.
Push-ups have been a part of Paul’s workout routine for the past 50 years. Paul’s high school shot put coach encouraged him to do push-ups to give him more strength, which contributed to him being a shot put champion for three consecutive years. That encouraged him to continue doing push-ups throughout his adult life.
“Working out as I got older improved my health, made me stronger and enabled me to do things I never thought I could do,” Paul said.
To prepare for the Senior Games, Paul trained three days a week at LA Fitness in Lake Elsinore. His routine consisted of one to two miles on the treadmill, weight training and 100 daily push-ups.
This year was Paul’s first time participating in the Senior Games. He said he was encouraged to enter after reading an article The Friday Flyer featured last year on 72-year-old Canyon Lake resident Jim Doherty, who won a gold medal in the same category Paul entered this year.
“Reading the article about Jim gave me the incentive to enter the Senior Games,” Paul said. Paul postponed a planned trip so that he could participate this year.
Working out is a family activity for Paul and his wife Evelyn. Evelyn, a former 1986 Huntington Beach Muscle Class winner, still works out at the gym three to four days a week. Paul said he may enter the competition again next year.
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