N.C. triathlete wins Senior Games gold

GRANDY, N.C.

Grady Gaskill ran his first triathlon 25 years ago in Manteo and swore he would never run another.

On Aug. 2, Gaskill, now 80 and with a white beard, took the triathlon gold medal in his age group at the Summer National Senior Games with a time of 1 hour, 51 minutes, 33 seconds, according to the Senior Games Web site. His time includes transitions and changing clothes between the swim, bike and run.

The triathlon gold medal was his first after competing in all 12 National Senior Games held every two years since 1987, including one held in Hampton Roads in 2003.

"A lot of my competition has died off, so I'm moving up," he quipped.

Lean and tan, the Grandy resident participated in nine events: the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, the 400-meter run, the 800-meter run, 1500-meter run, the shot put, the discus, the running long jump, and the triathlon.

The triathlon was his only gold medal finish.

In the triathlon, held at Stanford University, Gaskill finished the 400-meter freestyle swim in 16 minutes, 30 seconds. He cycled 20 kilometers in 50 minutes, 48 seconds. He finished with a 5K run in 38 minutes, 25 seconds.

"I've got three buttons," he said. "Swim, bike and run. When I finish the swim, I say. 'Now I have to bike.' When I finish biking, I say, 'Well I've only got one more to do.' "

Now Gaskill is preparing for the annual North Carolina Senior Games in Raleigh, set for Sept. 21-27.

Gaskill still doesn't need glasses and is unconcerned about his blood pressure. His only vice is ice cream.

The soft-spoken Wanchese native starts his day stretching in bed. On various days, without strict rules on when, he runs around his neighborhood using routes of a quarter-mile, 2 miles, 3 miles and 5 miles. He frequently swims at the YMCA.

He has run half-marathons and marathons, including once in New York City.

"I like to keep busy," he said. "It makes me feel better and keeps me healthy."

A former principal in Dare County Schools, Gaskill has always been active, mostly coaching and playing basketball.

When he turned 50, he told friends he would run at least 50 miles that week. He ran 53 and found a passion. He wound up competing in triathlons after his first difficult experience.

To qualify for the recent nationals, Gaskill placed second or third in all the track events in the 2008 North Carolina Senior Games last fall.

North Carolina does not hold a triathlon, so Gaskill ran and won three triathlons for his age group in other sanctioned events. He was named a 2008 triathlon all-American by the USA Triathlon.

At the Outer Banks Senior Games in April, he won 15 gold medals, five silvers and one bronze. At the Albemarle Senior Games in Elizabeth City, he won 14 gold medals, one for every event he entered.

Gaskill's wife, Amanda, 65, a retired schoolteacher, competes in the running long jump. She placed third in the 2008 state games and finished 11th in the nationals.

In the 2009 National Senior Games, about 10,000 athletes competed in 800 total events made up of 18 medal sports and seven demonstration events.

The next National Senior Games will be held in 2011 in Houston.

In North Carolina, seniors must be 55 to compete, but for nationals, the age requirement is dropped to 50.

Jeff Hampton, (252) 338-0159, jeff.hampton@pilotonline.com