Len Leshem: Late bloomer lives life to fullest

Slender with a bushy, gray beard, Len Leshem can often be found at the Sussex Family YMCA in Rehoboth Beach, riding one of the stationary bikes. His rides can last hours. And hours. And hours.

“Sometimes I ride for seven hours,” he said. “You're supposed to sign up for time slots, which I do, but they usually let me be.”

His wife, Susan, takes it all with a grain of salt. “ I guess he could be home sitting in a rocking chair,” she quips.

Endurance events are the Lewes resident's specialty. “I was always blessed with endurance,” he said.

At 50, Leshem ran his first 5K. A few years later he was competing in his first Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. He swam 2.4 miles, biked 112 miles and ran 26.2 miles to finish in 15 hours, 19 minutes and 12 seconds.

He returned to Kona three more times with the goal of finishing each time. “I was never too competitive,” he said.

Leshem finished his last Ironman at age 65 only to pursue marathons. In 2006, he ran in the Boston Marathon, finishing in 5 hours and 29 minutes. “That was a great experience,” he said.

He followed up Boston with the New York City Marathon, U.S. Marine Corps Marathon and Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach.

Exercise wasn't always a part of his life, though. Working for General Motors at the Boxwood plant where he retired after 25 years, Leshem said he spent his spare time mostly smoking and drinking beer. As a student at Harlan Elementary, close to his Wilmington childhood home at 37th and Washington streets, and later at P.S. duPont where he graduated, Leshem said, he never played sports. He tried his hand at college before settling in as a clerk with GM and later moving to labor relations.

Leshem and Susan spent many vacation days in the Lewes area throughout their 25-year relationship, finally marrying about six years ago.

It was during the drive from Lewes back to Wilmington that Leshem decided to make the lifestyle change that has defined his golden years.

“I started thinking that I must be in horrible physical shape,” he said. Then 50, he was unable to do two push-ups. “I thought, this is ridiculous,” he recalled.

Half marathons and more

Nowadays, the 78-year-old sticks with half marathons, which at 13.1 miles give his endurance plenty of challenge. Sifting through handfuls of medals that hang in his bungalow – dubbed Len's House by his family – the ever-humble Leshem downplays his accomplishments.

A large photo of him finishing his first Kona Ironman competition dominates one wall alongside plaques commemorating his induction into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Special Olympics Hall of Fame in 2005. Len's House is also home to his Redskins memorabilia, including a helmet lamp leftover from his bachelor days.

But it's the Special Olympics memorabilia – a plaque bronzed with the signatures of students he has coached over the years and other tokens of appreciation given to him by the nonprofit organization – that hold the greatest source of honor for him.

Once the fitness bug got hold of him, Leshem soon began volunteering his time working with Special Olympics athletes. He'll never forget his first practice.

“An athlete came running up and jumped into my arms, and that was my introduction to Special Olympics,” he said.

He never turned back. Over the years, he's coached just about everything: long-distance running, swimming, cycling, Nordic skiing and power lifting, to name a few. His soft, calm voice has guided hundreds of special needs students to the finish line.

As a member of the Polar Bear committee, which raises money for Special Olympics through the Lewes Polar Bear plunge, he can be found at the annual ocean event on Rehoboth Beach no matter how frigid the temperatures.

Lately, he's been helping athletes with power lifting at The Firm in Rehoboth, basketball at Beacon Middle and swimming at the YMCA for Sussex Consortium students.

“There's competitions going on all year long,” he said.

As if that's not enough to keep him busy, Leshem also volunteers for Autism Delaware where he helps find work for participants through a program called POW&R.

He also watches homes for people away during the winter months through a side business – Hurricane House Watch – an offshoot of a dog-sitting business he built up in New Castle County after retiring from GM.

And if anyone really wants to find him, he's always at the Y – his second home.

Some may think he's crazy for the time he spends at the gym, especially the hours on the bicycle. But, Leshem said, it makes him feel good.

"The way most people feel when they finish a workout - glad it's finally over - is the way I feel when I'm working out," he said.

Leshem said he hopes he can be an inspiration to other senior citizens that it's never too late to exercise.

“If I can inspire other seniors to do a little bit more, that's a good thing,” he said.