Julie Isphording: World Fit in Cincinnati

Julie Isphording
Olympian, Marathon 1984

The Impact of World Fit is Breathtaking

One Child at a Time

It’s amazing how our lives can sneak up on us. When we’re young, all we want is to be older. We wanted time to pass quickly. Getting older was going to be a great thing. And then – oh good – we get exactly what we want. Whammo! We wake up, and suddenly we are old. Very old. We’ve hit 30 old. Before you know it, 40 comes and goes, 45 and RATS – how did we get here?

Is this it?

Nope. Nada. We’re not getting older. We’re getting…okay, we are getting older. But that can also mean that we can step into a child’s life and become a role model. We can take all that wisdom and make an impact on the younger generation. World Fit has given us the purpose, the “legs,” and the inspiration to do just that!

I’m one of the lucky ones.

You see, I love crossing finishing lines. Who doesn’t? But I have had to redefine the size and shape of those lines.

How about this instead? I am driving my car pretty darn fast to make a school assembly at Bridgetown Middle School. I’m hopelessly lost and starting to really panic. Sounds like one of my marathons! Then all of the sudden, my car crests a hill and there is a huge sign in front of an old school building that says Welcome Olympian Julie Isphording.

My heart soars.

Another finish line.

There were 700 kids in the gymnasium. Energized. Happy. Fun-loving. The World Fit message is so loud, clear, and easy to communicate.

After all, I believe that we were meant to dance through every day and every tomorrow; that living a healthy life should be fun; that choosing a healthy life comes to us with an exclamation mark at the end, not a question mark. There should be no doubt about it!

I get up, put on my “party pants,” lace up those big brave shoes, jump higher than I ever have before, and bless that road I’m on today.

It’s what we are all about.

Now we just have to share that message with all the children in the world. One child at a time.

Here’s something else I told those wonderful Bridgetown kids: Most of the beautiful things in life come by twos and threes, by dozens and hundreds – Plenty of roses, stars, chocolates, sunsets, rainbows, friends, lovers – but there is only one YOU in the whole world. Take good care of yourself!

We ended the assembly with the finish line pose – 1402 little arms straight in the air.