...And he’s off.
At 101, “Nippy” Nihal Gil is set to compete in the American Masters Games, which opens today in Vancouver. He figures his chances of winning the 100-metre “dash” are good — not least because there’s only one other competitor in the race. But the challenger is a youngster, a mere 100.
While Gil doesn’t go full bore with the trash talk, he does assure us he’s the faster of the two centenarians.
It’s a charming story (see page 9) and a testament to spunk, spirit and good genes. Actually, Gil puts his longevity down to gardening and eating organic veggies grown in his own backyard in Terra Nova.
Coincidently, this week is the annual Local Eating Challenge, where people commit to eating only locally produced foods for a week. In Wednesday’s paper, Anita Gregory, the executive director of the Richmond Food Security Society (RFSS), wrote about her journey around Richmond stopping at farms and markets to pick up provisions. She actually came home with quite a haul — wine, meat, eggs, veggies — all stamped “Made in Richmond.”
Interestingly, for both, eating well is not just about a balanced diet, choosing whole grains and limiting saturated fats. Rather, it’s about eating local and organic. More specifically, for Gil it’s about nurturing his own garden, tending seedlings until they’re ready for harvest. For Gregory, it’s about supporting local farmers and recognizing how food systems impact everything from climate change to social justice.
About here, it should also be mentioned that Richmond, as an island in the Fraser River estuary, has some of the most fertile farmland in the country. In today’s letters, Doug Massey, son of the George Massey, whose namesake tunnel is being much debated these days, makes an impassioned plea to save the estuary and the rich diversity of life it sustains. Clearly, that diversity includes not just salmon and silt, but local farmers and 101-year-old racers, as well.
I suspected it’s not just those organic veggies that are keeping Gil on the race track. The fact he exercizes, puttering around his backyard, lives with his family and prays daily may also explain his good health. Still, I don’t doubt what he’s put into his body has contributed to what he’s getting out of it.
I can’t say I’m a committed organic consumer. I love the idea, but balk at the price. I wish I had a lush backyard vegetable patch, but would rather hike than garden on a sunny day. That said, I fear for the health of the planet if we don’t veer in that direction, support our farmers and protect our rivers. And as far as the health of each of us is concerned, who doesn’t want to join “Nippy” at the start line when they’re 101?
Eve Edmonds is the editor of the Richmond News. She can be reached at [email protected]
