They say it’s better to wear out than rust out. Springboro resident Nick Chiblis has done neither even at the age of 90.
He's won dozens of medals, including five gold medals, competing in the Ohio Senior Olympics over the past 25 years.
WYSO’s Mike Frazier asked Chiblis what he does to stay active, even when he's not training for the Senior Olympics. One of his tricks is to make good use of his local YMCA.
This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
Nick Chiblis: I spend about an hour and a half working primarily on machines, and I do legs and arms and some waist. I have to be careful about the waist at my age, but it's mostly arms and legs. And it's all on machines, and I don't do free weights. And that's five days a week normally, Monday through Friday. Right now, I'm on hiatus because I hurt something in my back, I don't know what. So I've missed several days in a row, but I'll be back. I'll get back there.
Mike Frazier: Tell us your career of the Senior Olympics and your accolades.
Chiblis: I'm not sure they're accolades, but I probably got over three dozen medals from the Senior Olympics. It's mostly in track and field, it's other things like table tennis or tennis, or something like that or foul shooting basketballs, but it's primarily in track and field. That is shot put, discus and javelin. I'm also doing the 50 meter dash and the 100 meter dash, and a one mile — I'm not sure what it's called — a speed walk, something like that. Although I can't speed walk. That's ridiculous at my age. So I kind of trot around the field. That's what I do. So this year I did win gold medals and all those except the 100 meter. I got a silver medal on that. And it's happening mostly because I have outlived the competition. There aren't many old fogeys around who can still handle some of this stuff. I did some track, I did some weights in high school, the discus and the shot put, and it wasn't any good. I'm really not a great athlete. My secret to success really is outliving the competition. The good ones are gone or are disabled, dead or disabled. And I'm still here. I'm still hanging on.
Frazier: Do you also keep your mind active? You seem very clear minded. What is your secret for keeping your mind?
Chiblis: The grandkids. My daughter is here, Cindy, in Centerville, with her family. Stephanie is there with grandkids, and another granddaughter is in Springboro. So I have nine great grandkids close by between Springboro and Centerville, and that keeps me young. I have a part-time job taking the grandkids around or going to watch their games, or like last night going to watch Simone in cheerleading competition or cheerleading exhibit. I guess it was at Centerville High School. So, being with the kids and providing the grandpa's taxi service. I'm looking now at a shirt that says 'Grandpa's Taxi Service' on it. And that's what I do. And I get paid for it. I get paid with smiles and hugs and laughter. So, that's my pay.
Frazier: What advice do you have for seniors in terms of staying active?
Chiblis: Keep moving. Our doctor in Columbus had said to me, “So what are you going to be doing now?” And I said, "Well, it's almost basketball season or baseball. I'm gonna do that.” He said, “That's good. Keep moving. I don't care what you do. I don't want you to press too hard, but I want you to keep moving, even if it's to walk around the neighborhood,” and I do walk up to — we're close to North Park — so I can walk up to the park several days a week, and I'm doing that. So the doctor said, just keep moving. I don't care what you do, and do it regularly.
His frequent walks to North Park are not just for exercise, but to also visit a tree planted in memory of Helen, his wife of 68 years.