Out of more than 5,000 athletes in the running, a 71-year-old former college track star was tapped as Florida’s top amateur athlete in 2007.

Joe Shanahan was a member of the Notre Dame track and field team in college, but he returned to the sport 10 years ago after decades on the sidelines.

He says setting goals for his training motivated him to start competing again. And once he started, he couldn’t be stopped. In 2007 alone, he scooped up three medals at the Sunshine State Games while competing in the 400-meter dash, the 200-meter dash and the 800-meter run.

He talked to Growing Bolder about getting those competitive juices flowing again and what it’s done for his mind and body.