Profile by Donna Carter At 91 years old, Alfred “Al” Nelman is a role model for people of any age. His unwavering commitment to a keep-fit, livelong philosophy has rewarded him in many ways, including remarkable mobility, physical well-being and mental acuity. Living in Windsor, Ontario, this motivated nonagenarian is a multi-award-winning race walker, long-time civic activist, health proponent, exercise enthusiast and a SecondWorldWar RAF veteran. Today, his life revolves aroundmaintaining his fitness regimen, staying positive, keeping local politicians on their toes and, last but not least, competing in race-walking competitions in both Canada and the United States. Born in London, England in 1924, it’s fair to say that the young Nelman never once thought that he would one day become a repeat medalist in the sport of race walking. In fact, it has been a long and winding route that brought him to where he is today. Shortly after the Second World War broke out, the then-18-year-old enlisted with the RAF, becoming a wireless operator supporting the British intelligence network in both Europe and India. With the war over, Nelman eventually emigrated to Canada with opportunity on his mind. Arriving in Ontario, he spent a short period in Toronto before ending up inWindsor, where he has lived ever since. Here, he spent several years in business management before turning to real estate, first as a salesman and later as a broker. Avoiding the “all work and no play syndrome,” Al took up playing competitive squash and, by his own admission, was very good at it. He played until age 65 before being stopped in his tracks by a major health issue. A blood vessel in his heart burst and, following emergency surgery, it was touch and go as to whether he would survive. He did and what happened next eventually led him to the sport of race walking. As part of his post-surgery rehab, the simple exercise of walking was recommended and it wasn’t long before Nelman joinedW.R.A.C. (Walkers & Runners Around the County of Essex). An avid member of the club, race walking quickly became his passion. His first-ever race occurred inWindsor on a frigid April day – a contest for which Al was convinced he was ready. “The assembly of competitors were all dressed in their stylish outfits, bending and stretching as they readied themselves for the start gun,” he said. “I didn’t have a shiny outfit and I didn’t care. I’ll show them, I thought.” It was not to be. Both his pride and confidence took a heavy hit when he finished dead last. The defeat, however, lit a fire in Nelman’s belly that fueled a desire to do better and become a race-walking champion. To put things right, he joined a club in the cross-border city of Detroit, where he signed up for race-walking training with Olympian Frank Alongi. After learning the proper form specific to the sport, success soon came to pass. His first win was recorded at the 2012 St. George, Utah, Huntsman World Senior Games, where he not only won gold in his age group (85-89), he set a record as well. There have been many such wins ever since. He won again in Utah in 2014, together with several other wins including the 5k-metre race at the 2013 U.S. National Senior Games in Cleveland, Ohio. Last year, racing in the 90-94 age group, he again took gold and set a new record in the U.S.A. Track and Field Masters Championships in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Al’s scheduled races this year include a 5k-metre competition in Des Moines, Iowa. Closing in on his 92nd birthday, Nelman admits that he has no intention of slowing down. “I work extremely hard at maintaining my fitness level,” he said. “I go to the gym every single day, where I’ve settled into a routine of weightlifting and exercise machines. I also race walk two 5ks a week.” Various studies have shown that fitness is a key to long life and Nelman is certainly a poster person for such a claim. “It’s never too late to start and tremendous strides can be made,” he said. “It’s a mental deal, so you have to want to do it. To me, it’s mind over matter. Even baby steps can make a big difference. It doesn’t have to be race walking.” Physical fitness seems to have spilled over into Nelman’s attitude about keeping mentally engaged. He is well known in Windsor as one of the city’s chief political activists. “I started to pay attention and get involved when I realized that politicians were not always doing what seemed like the right thing,” he said. “I make frequent presentations to city council on issues I am concerned about.” Neither does Nelman limit his activism to the political arena. Not long ago, he got into a public dust-up with VirginMobile over the telephone company’s late payment policy. Whatever his motives, this nonagenarian who claims that he never thinks about his age is living a long and productive life – thanks, he says, to simply keeping fit, active and involved. AGE IS JUST A NUMBER An elder Ontario athlete doesn’t just talk the talk – he walks the walk. 16 | www.snowbirds.org
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