IF I can do it – so can you!

David Swaim is the self-proclaimed oldest man running the race. He is 65 years old and started running the Army 10 Miler in 1980 after he broke his back. He broke his back in a weight lifting accident.

Q: When did you break your back?

A: Broke it in ’79. Went to the VA Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, and a young man named Ike Cook got a lot of the veterans started in racing. He lost his legs in Vietnam. Double amputee. He got quiet a few of us involved in racing.

Q: What is your message to other military service men and women that have been injured?

A: We try to show other veterans yeah you’re hurt or you’re paralyzed, or you’re legless, but you can get out and get involved in something. Don’t be sedentary. And especially a lot of times I talk to the younger guys and they find out I’m 65 years old. “Look, I’m an old codger. If I can do it, you can too. So what’s your excuse?

Q: What type of things do you do to prepare mentally, physically for a race like this?

A: I try to explain to a lot of young racers, I tell them you have to put the mileage in. You don’t do 3 miles a day if you’re going to run a marathon that’s 26 miles. You look at your leg muscles compared to your arm muscles. [Legs] are so much stronger. What we have to do is train for endurance.

Personally I run 26 to 28 miles a day. I do that because I don’t like the younger guys out running me, but I’m also realistic. I’m no longer 29-30 years old. And I just go out and do the best I can, but I tell the young guys to do your best you’ve got to put in the mileage.

Q: One last question, sir. How are you going to celebrate today?

A: What I’m doing now. We just all get together and have a good time. And after it, it’s just comradery. During the race it’s dog eat dog, “You move over! Get out of my way! I’m trying to run!” It’s dog eat dog. But that’s part of the racing. But the comradery no matter if you’re in the Army, in my case the Marine Corps., the Navy; we all served. And there’s a closeness we all face. Some of us are pars, quads, legless but we’re all in the same boat. We’ve served our country and did what our country asked us to do. Now we’re just doing the best we can.

Story by Zia Johnson, Photo by Alexus Packwood