Boulevard Park resident Norma Burroughs jokes that after 68 years of marriage she is still chasing her husband.

Don Burroughs, who will be 95 in May, is not an easy man to catch. Just ask his competitors in four Senior Olympics.

In 1995, at the age of 80, he was the fastest runner in the United States in his age group, winning the gold medal in the 200-meter track event and silver in the 100-meter dash at the San Antonio Senior Olympics.

At 82, Don bested his 1995 time in the 200-meter but had to settle for a silver at the Tucson Senior Olympics. The temperature hovered around 101 degrees during the race.

Don's exploits on the softball diamond began at age 67 when he joined the Renton Merchants senior team.

He was promoted to the cleanup position after he hit a home run in every game as the leadoff hitter.

Don played the infield but was sent to the outfield when his team needed more speed out there.

It looked like his softball career would end when two of his toes were almost completely cut off in a skill saw accident.

But six weeks after the toes were pinned and sewn back on, Don was the designated runner for his team at a Reno tournament.

Although he was the oldest player on the team, Don ran the bases for the younger players who were not able.

"They called him, 'Big Don,'" proud wife Norma boasted. "They said he had two speeds-fast and faster."

Norma calls herself Don's biggest fan as she accompanied him to tournaments throughout the United States and Canada.

"I'm pretty good at cheering," Norma notes.

Finally, at age 87, Don's doctor convinced him it was time to slow down and quit the team. His teammates begged him to stay but he heeded his doctor's advice.

Don and Norma, 90, remain healthy and robust.

Don says neither of them is on prescription medications.

"I had some pills for my heart but they slowed me down so, I didn't use them,' Don added.

Norma says the key to good health is cutting out fats and sugars, sticking to three meals a day and not having tobacco, alcohol or soft drinks.

"Eat raw vegetables and fruits," Norma counsels. "That's where the vitamins and minerals are."

Don and Norma celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary on Jan. 27 with a celebration at Boulevard Park Place seniors' community, where they live.

According to Norma, she "nabbed" Dom just before he went off to fight in World War II.

He was 26 and she was 22.

"We weren't spring chickens," Norma said. "Everybody says, 'Oh, you must have gotten married at 14.'"

Their formula for staying happily married for 68 years?

"We kept busy all those years," Don noted.

Don worked as a postal supervisor for 37 years and was maintenance operator for the Val Vue sewer plant during part of that time. They also owned and operated a 40-space mobile home park for 27 years.

As for Norma, her advice is, "Talk to each other."