Many folks in the area often see an older gentleman and his black and white dog, Astro, walking rather briskly and may wonder why his gait is not quite a run that we usually see, but much faster than walking.
Meet race-walking national champion, Ray Funkhouser. He has been seriously training for years but he upped his training regime as he prepared for the 2023 USATF Masters Indoor National Championships March 11-12 in Louisville, Ky., reported Esther Glover.
Funkhouser won the 3,000-meter race walk for 70-74-year-old men in an impressive 19 minutes, 32 seconds to become a national champion. And he wasn’t done yet. Funkhouser also placed second in the 1,500-meter race.
Funkhouser and his wife, Donna, will travel to Poland to compete in the World Masters Athletics Indoor Meet conducted March 26-April 1. However, Astro is staying home.
Funkhouser will compete in the 3,000 meter and 10K walk racing events.
“We know Ray will do his very best as he represents the U.S.!” said Glover.
