John Bakuhn, Jr. discovered his passion for running later in life, inspired by his daughter’s college cross-country meets. Despite overcoming health challenges, including bone cancer and sarcoidosis, John has embraced sport, running half marathons and recently competing in the IMGA Pan-American Games in Cleveland, marking his first track race experience.

We caught up with John to discuss his journey into running, how it’s helped him through difficult times, and why he believes it’s never too late to start pursuing a sport, no matter the challenges.

 Can you give us a little introduction about yourself and your favourite sport?

Hi, my name is John Bakuhn, Jr., and I’m a distance runner. I’ve been running for about eight years now, however, I only took it up in my 50s. In my younger days, I was a bodybuilder and even competed in a few competitions. However, some health issues eventually kept me from physical fitness, and over time, I drifted away from it.

My daughter, who is a Cross Country and Track athlete in college, inspired me to start running. I found myself getting tired just running around to watch her Cross Country meets, and that’s when I decided to give it a try myself.

Watching my daughter train reignited my interest in fitness, and I started running short distances, adapting my style to accommodate my bone cancer in my shoulder.

I’ve gradually worked my way up, and now I’m proud to say that I’m able to run half marathons. It’s been a journey, and running has become an important part of my life again.

I really enjoyed competing in the Pan-American Games. It was my first time running a race or any event on a track, so it was a completely new experience for me. I loved watching the other races before mine, and one of the winners from a different age group even gave me some helpful tips for running the 1500-meter race.

It was especially meaningful to run on the same track where I had watched my daughter compete numerous times. The 10K road race was also a lot of fun—that’s a distance I am used to running and it was a lot of fun!

Talking to other competitors from around the world before and after the race was an added bonus.

The discipline and health benefits of running keeps me motivated. The friendly competition at the Pan-American Games and other races I participate in is exhilarating. I find fulfilment in knowing that running is not only fun but also contributes to a healthy and overall beneficial lifestyle, that helps me maintain a healthy weight, a good diet, and great cardiovascular benefits.

The Pan American Games were an incredible experience. A once-in-a-lifetime event right in my own backyard. It was so much fun and unlike any other event I’ve ever been part of. The opportunity to talk with people from all over the world who share the same hobbies as you was unique.

Everyone has a different story and it was a pleasure just to compete with everyone. Every participant was a winner.

An achievement for me is just being able to participate in running events. 10 years ago I never would have thought it possible but I became determined.  I have won a few 5K and 10K age group races and placed in the top 10 many times in the half marathon. My personal best time for the half marathon is 1:49, set in 2023.

After eight years of running, I can’t imagine my life without it. It is a healthy sport, and with the discipline involved and the dietary changes I made I have benefitted tremendously both physically and mentally. Running gives me something to look forward to and keeps me on track in all areas of my life.

Without the running lifestyle, I honestly don’t know what shape I’d be in today.

Running has also helped me cope with the challenges of my health conditions. Despite having Sarcoidosis, primarily affecting my lungs, I believe running has prevented it from getting worse. I actually feel better and have more energy than I did 20 years ago.

Just do it! Whether it’s running, table tennis, swimming, or any other sport—just get moving. The benefits of regular exercise are well-documented, and it’s all about doing what you can. If you need to make adjustments because of physical conditions, modify to help stay active.

There’s no downside, only positive results, so I encourage everyone—at any age—to do something. It may be tough at first, but once it becomes a habit, you won’t want to stop. Don’t let age hold you back; as the Games have shown, you can enjoy sports well into your 80s and beyond.

I would say the most special part of the competition was its uniqueness—bringing together people from all over the world.

It was incredible to gather with others my age, competing in the same events, and hearing so many different languages spoken. This is not something that happens often for athletes like me, and it’s unlikely I’ll have the same experience locally again.

The diverse cultures and events added so much richness to the competition, and I truly recommend everyone try it if they can. Everyone who participates is a winner, and the memories are priceless.

I feel so honoured to have had this opportunity, and I’m so glad I seized it. I hope to participate in another one someday, perhaps in a different country, and experience its culture.