To say 86-year-old Diana lives an active “thrive” lifestyle could be an understatement. She volunteers. She hikes. She goes to the gym.
“I’m always on my feet,” said the retired librarian from Lacey.
Unless, of course, she’s on her bicycle.
Diana and her husband, Rod, have just one car. So if they’re headed in different directions, somebody has to get creative.
Diana often chooses pedal power. She rides her bike to the local fitness center, where she does yoga and a Kaiser Permanente fitness program for seniors.
She also volunteers at the food bank once a week and participates in groups and activities at church several days a week. And she often travels there by bike. She even cycles to the grocery store, the bank, and the library to run errands.
She rides for fun, too. Diana and Rod, longtime Kaiser Permanente members, live near the Chehalis-Western Trail, a 22-mile paved path built on an old railroad bed. “I’ve biked every inch of that trail since we moved to Lacey 7 years ago.”
When Diana and her daughter are together, they kick it up a notch. “Last time she visited, we biked 30 miles in one day!”
Diana also hikes. She’s hiked and biked in the United States, Croatia — all around the world. Shortly after moving to Lacey, Diana joined a hiking group at the local senior center. “I knew getting involved was how I’d meet people,” she said. “Now, I don’t go anywhere where I don’t run into someone I know.”
Cycling and hiking provide great aerobic exercise for Diana’s heart. But connecting with her community is good for her heart, too. “So many places need volunteers,” she said, “like schools and parks. There are lots of worthwhile things to do.”
What are Diana’s and Rod’s keys to healthy living? “Everything in moderation,” Diana said. “We try to eat right and take care of ourselves. We don’t sit in front of the TV — because we don’t have one! And we love to be outdoors. It’s beautiful outside. Why would we go inside?”
Diana was recently featured on King5.
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