70-year Novato Couple Completes Half Marathon

Norman Ciampi (74) and his wife Carole Bennett (71) completed their annual half marathon (13 miles) in beautiful Sedona, Arizona.

Norman has had an athletic nature most of his life.  In his high school days he was on the football team as well as boxed.  Currently he is a member of Sharlene Van Boer’s “Mud Shark” swim team at Rolling Hills Club.   He completes at least four Triathlons each year.  Triathlon events vary, but a typical event involves at least 1 mile of swimming, 50 miles of bicycling, and 10 miles of running.

Carole was the opposite, as she was never athletic.  It was not until a friend commented how out of shape she was at the age of 40 after breathlessly arriving at the top of a flight of stairs.  At that time, she started to run, but could not finish one city block without “stitches” in her side.  She gradually progressed over the years, and Norman convinced her she could run a half marathon only about ten years ago (60 years old at that time).

As a couple, they plan to do more half marathons in the future.  For their training, they run up down Vineyard and Eucalyptus streets and then out Novato Boulevard to Stafford Lake and back.  It is a good way to keep the blood pressure down, the heart rate low, the cholesterol in check, and the weight down.  It is also a fun activity to do together as a couple.

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I wrote this in the third person, as it sounds more “newsy” that way.  I am very proud of my husband Norman, and I am happy he has encouraged me to run with him.