In a life with many chapters, Odino Soligo turned an important page at 65.

At a point when others slow to a walk, he began to run.

That was 19 years ago.  He hasn't missed many days since.  He'll run eight kilometres today following back-to-back 14-kilometre days.

Soligo will rest for two days, then tackle the 30-kilometre Around the Bay road race Sunday.

"It's a second life for me," Soligo said yesterday from the office of his Toronto Property company.

A week shy of 84, he's at work daily following his morning run.

"I don't work too hard," he allows, "do things like look at repairs needed for our buildings."

He believes it is the hard work he did leading up to age 65, running a construction company, that serves him so well now.

"I was always at building sites, climbing scaffolding, that kind of thing."

He credits Hamilton radio host and councillor Bob Bratina with firing his interest in distance running.

"He was on (radio station) CFRB in Toronto then and was talking about some races."

Soligo felt immediately that he had the endurance and durability for the long distances.

"I started in the winter when I was in Florida and saw I could do it, that is was something missing from my life."

This second life, the running career, has yielded world records for 80 year old in 50- and 100-kilometre distances.

Four years ago in Toronto, he did the shorter distance in five hours, 43 minutes and 52 seconds, then followed 40 days later in Florence, Italy, with a clocking of 15:12:47 in the 100 kilometres.

His best time for the Around the Bay event is the 2:42:35 he ran in 1995 at 74.

Sunday will be the 12th time he has been a participant and the only problem he suffers is a sometimes balky knee.

He gets excellent attention there, seeing Toronto Maple Leafs' orthopedic specialist Dr. Michael Clarfield, a man at loose ends these days.

A replacement knee has been ruled out for now.  Instead, Soligo has twice-yearly injections to lubricate the joint.

He works out with weights daily to strengthen leg muscles supporting the knee and has "gone back to basics with food...no fat or fried food."

Soligo says the Around the Bay race is a perfect start to his running season.

"I meet so many old friends, people I have run with in other races.  We're like a community."

His favourite place to run is Texas, where he's done marathons in Houston, Dallas and Austin.

And he's a bit of a celebrity in Huntsville, Texas, where the 50-kilmetre Texas Trails is held.

I was a special guest this year as they looked after my accommodation and meals."

His one regret?  Little competition.

"I usually win the 80-plus category because I'm the only one in it."