UNSUNG HEROES 2024
Tom Bowden a role model for living life to the fullest
BY MADISON NANTZ | Correspondent
Tom Bowden won four gold medals at the USATF Masters National Championships last summer in Greensboro , NC . | COURTESY PHOTO
In the words of Tom Petty , if you never slow down , you never grow old .
Tom Bowden , 81 , is a semi-retired , certified physical therapist with a long-term passion for athletics .
From Fulton , Kentucky , Bowden received a degree in Physical Education at Oklahoma Baptist University ( OKU ) and has worked within the field of physical therapy since 1967 . He technically retired seven years ago but still works part time , two days a week , out of his London office .
Bowden had his most rewarding professional experiences when working with burn patients . His job when caring for them was to debride dead tissue , put on xenografts , remove staples , and upkeep the wounds . He found it especially rewarding when he helped care for babies who suffered from burns . He additionally removed staples in the brachial artery from a patient once .
In his semi-retirement , Bowden now spends the other half of his time on competitions . He has dedicated himself to sports since he was 10 years old . He credits this to the professional athletes he watched on television as a child . He is especially interested in weightlifting and running . Although he does it less , he also enjoys cycling .
In college , Bowden had a full track scholarship and completed his physical therapy training in Oklahoma City . He graduated in 1967 . During his time at OKU , he visited the Grand Canyon and ran from the bottom of it to the top . He also ran across the Golden Gate Bridge .
Bowden has participated in USATF ( USA Track and Field ) Masters Track & Field program since he was 69 . He now competes within the 80-84 age group . He has been significantly successful at competing , winning nine gold medals just in the last year . He won three gold medals within the indoor championships , four gold medals within the outdoor championships , and two gold medals within the senior games .
During his time in both the 75 and 80 age groups , Bowden has ranked # 1 out of 219 runners at the 400-meter dash . He trains for the competitions by running at the North and South Laurel tracks .
As he has aged , Bowden has had to adjust to the challenge of keeping his muscle bulk and strength intact . He also focuses on maintaining flexibility . He uses resistance bands to aid him in the process .
As an experienced runner , Bowden advises anyone interested in running to not focus on gaining upper body muscles . This is undesirable for runners , as upper body weight may slow down a runner ’ s pace . Bowden has maintained his thin weight since college due to the benefits it has on his athleticism .
Over the years , he has also learned the importance of not overtraining .
“ More is not better ,” Bowden stated . “ Overtraining may lead to burnout and unnecessary injuries .”
To combat this , he now trains three days a week , rather than every day .
Bowden is now training to compete in the 2024 USATF Masters Track & Field championships .
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