While some 70-year-olds can be found playing bridge at a senior center, Frank Bucaro has something more active on his agenda.
At 5 feet 6 1/2 inches tall and 150 pounds, Bucaro spends a good part of each week pounding the pavement as a long distance runner near his Bartlett home, getting in touch with nature and keeping as fit as he possibly can.
Though having just celebrated his 72nd birthday, he appears to have the body of a 50-year-old, the enthusiasm of a child and a forward-thinking mind that doesn’t know the meaning of old age.
His goal is to live to be a centenarian. “I want to run when I’m 100. In another 28 years, I should be doing 10 miles in about two hours,” he said last week.
Last September, Bucaro had his third back operation to alleviate pressure on a nerve caused by a herniated disc. But even though he was bedridden for about nine months, he never thought for a moment that his love of running would come to an end.
“I never gave up hope that I would be healthy again and that I would run again,” he said. “I valued my health and whatever health I had left, I was going to enjoy to the fullest.”
After making a complete recovery, Bucaro is back in the race. This May, he participated in the 16th Annual Elgin Fox Trot, a 10-mile race in which he won first place in the 70-and-over age bracket with a finishing time of 1:30:46.
Bucaro also was proud that his granddaughter, Meg Bucaro, 17, was able to run alongside him, taking first place in her age group.
“Every moment that we live, we’re making memories. When I ran with my granddaughter, we were making memories,” he said.
Bucaro retired at age 58 after a busy career as an engineer, only to take up a second career for two years as a gym teacher at Elgin High School.
“I want to motivate people into being appreciative of the health that they have,” he explained. “And to teach young people to stay away from the bad elements-smoking . . . and drugs,” he said.
He also set up an exercise program for elderly folks at the Elgin Senior Center back in 1980 and developed the “Edith Bunker jog,” encouraging seniors to pick up their pace when they have errands to run to and from the kitchen.
“Every little bit helps,” he said.
Today, he serves as a role model, not only to other senior citizens but to his 13 grandchildren, all of whom share in his love of physical fitness.
“I used to run the 2 kilometer (race) with three of my grandkids,” he said. “I’d run one of them over the finish line, and then I’d peel off and take the second one over the finish line and then peel off for the third one and still win,” he said.
Although competing is a big part of any race, Bucaro said that running isn’t always about winning. Besides, at 72, there aren’t many runners with whom to compete.
“How many 70-year-olds run? My high is to finish,” he said. “I run because I enjoy it and because it’s doing something good for my body.”
He also expressed hope that he is setting an example for anyone-young or old-who is out of shape and wanting to do something about it.
“The message has to be given,” he said. “It’s not too late to recover some of your health.”
In the future, Bucaro hopes to run in the Chicago Marathon in October 1994. In his 60s, he competed in five marathons, as well as the Senior Olympics held in Springfield, where he proudly took five gold medals.
“I want to give my back a year of recovery,” he said. “But I think I will run a marathon next year. As long as you are sensible about your pace, you’ll finish.”
