In 2023, on a friend’s recommendation, Mildred Baker started attending sessions of #NYRRStriders, our free fitness program for seniors. Now, she’s a dedicated runner with a dozen races under her belt 🙌. “As I begin to learn how to run and walk, each one, I get better,” says the 79-year-old. Mildred now has a collection of medals 🏅 and trophies 🏆 to mark her progress, but that’s only part of why she loves Striders. “It has made me more friendly,” she says. “They’re like a family to me. I am so grateful. It’s made me more open, wherein I did not communicate or talk to anyone. And now it seems like they have pulled the good out of me … I want to keep running and walking for the rest of my life.” Send some 💙💙💙 to Mildred in the comments and see the full episode of Mildred’s inspiring journey in “My Journey to the Start" presented by hubspot at the link in bio.