65 Year Old Retiree Joins Steps Across America
NGUYEN: Well, after a career in banking here is a man who hit the ground walking in a coast to coast effort to promote physical fitness. CNN's Jennifer Westhoven has more on this installment of "Life after Work."</s>NAT SOT: What a day, huh? All right.</s>JENNIFER WESTHOVEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John Nolan looks like your typical retiree, spending his golden years outside, smelling the roses after 30 years in banking. But this is no ordinary walk. John Nolan is walking cross country.</s>JOHN NOLAN, STEPS ACROSS AMERICA: Last fall, in November, I was looking through a local website and there was an advertisement through a national running club for walkers to walk across America. And I read the application and it was extremely interesting. So I filled it out and sent it in.</s>WESTHOVEN: John is the oldest of 12 people walking across the country to promote physical fitness in a three month hike Steps across America.</s>NAT SOT: Walk!</s>WESTHOVEN: The walk is backed by corporate sponsors. John and his teammates set out on the first leg from New York. The finish line, Los Angeles. Each two-person team must walk a leg up to 20 miles and hand off to the next pair in the cross country relay.</s>NAT SOT: Yes, sir.</s>WESTHOVEN: So John won't walk the whole way himself but 20 miles every few days is no walk in the park. So at 65, and happily retired with his wife in South Carolina, the big question is, why?</s>NOLAN: I think this is a great opportunity for me to talk to people in my age group and say, folks, you can still do it. Put on your walking shoes and go out. Even if it's around the block, start somewhere. And I think at my age, there will be a lot of people out there looking up and saying, well, if he can do it, maybe I can try it.</s>WESTHOVEN: Jennifer Westhoven, CNN.</s>NGUYEN: Top story is still ahead, Kansas authorities say they stopped a plot by five teenagers to shoot up their high school. Nepal's king is set to speak to his country in about 15 minutes. Angry protesters have called for him to step down. And Queen Elizabeth celebrates her 80th birthday. We will go live to Windsor, that's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.