Exercise a Life-Long Commitment for George Mavridis

By Robert Doherty
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

George Mavridis moved from Wakefield twoand- a-half years ago and immediately took advantage of the conveniences that Brooksby Village afforded him, most notably, the Fitness Center and all-season swimming pool. But that wasn’t the first time he swam laps. “I became an advocate of exercise in the early seventies when my mother was on a weight loss program and I started walking with her—then I started running. In the winter I would swim because I didn’t want to run in the dark,” says George.

George credits his lifelong commitment to exercise to his former co-workers who persuaded him to start running in 10K races in and around the Boston area. “After a while, exercising becomes an ingrained habit and you don’t want to give it up,” adds George.

As you can probably guess, George is a regular at both the all-season swimming pool and Fitness Center. “I swim three times a week every week, usually Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. I work out in the Fitness Center Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Swimming is a better arm workout and running obviously is a better leg workout,” says George.

George credits his strict exercise regimen to being able to do things that others can’t and that makes all the work he puts in worth it.

“I was helping a friend move last summer. I was carrying boxes and moving faster than people a lot younger than me. They wanted to stop and slow down and rest. One woman asked me if I was in the service. ‘That’s why you must be in such great shape,’ she said. I was in the service years ago and that has nothing to do with my physical ability right now. It’s because of the time I put in now.”