"I'm fitter today than I was at 65."
Hans-Peter Büchler (3rd from left) is a regular on the Zugerberg Finanz Trophy with the Stubaians.
Hans-Peter Büchler already has over 710 kilometers on his Trophy account. Since his retirement, the 75-year-old from Zug has been walking regularly - and feels better than ever.
After Hans-Peter Büchler retired in 2008 after 37 years with the canton, he discovered Nordic walking. "My sister got me to sign up for a walking lesson with Pro Senectute". He was reluctant at first, but then realized how good it was for him. Today, Hans-Peter walks more than ever and feels fitter than he did 10 years ago.
Healthy fatigue
The retiree is out on the Zugerberg Finanz Trophy for the Stubaians. The club was formed by walkers from the Pro Senectute group. "But we don't just walk, we also do other things. And once a year we go to the Stubai Valley." Which solves the mystery of the club's name. Hans-Peter has been taking part in the Trophy since 2014. When his numerous races were no longer taking place during the pandemic, he appreciated the exercise in the fresh air all the more: "When the Trophy came to my doorstep last August, I wanted to take part 'properly'. I completed my laps every day. I met friends along the way and felt a healthy tiredness in the evening."
Ranking lists motivate
The rankings in the various categories provided additional motivation. "Towards the end of last season, I occasionally looked at how many kilometers it would take to overtake this or that participant. I almost became a bit fanatical." Now he is leading the multi-starter trophy with a lead of over 160 kilometers. "When some Höllgrotten Harriers recently got talking to Stubaians, they asked if they could buy me. They wanted me to help them reach their goal of 10,000 club kilometers," says Hans-Peter with a laugh. It's encounters like these that make every Trophy round a special experience. Just like chatting over coffee with the Stubai people after work.
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