Behind The Scenes With Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price
May 16,2019
See full CBS DFW article by Russ McCaskey here.
The mayor of any major city will tell you they work long hours and the days are stressful. Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price has a game plan for handling the demands of the job.
When she’s out of the office, she’s not a couch potato at home, she’s a woman on the move. In fact, Price puts a premium on exercise.
She says it’s not for vanity sake but believes in having a sound body and mind. “I don’t do it to be thin. I always say ‘I like good food and a glass of wine,'” Price admitted. “But you do it to keep your mind sharp, to keep going, to give you energy.”
Price will turn 70 later this year. And if there is a contest of — my Mayor is better than your Mayor — she accepts that challenge.
“For me… I mean, I’m 69 years old. I’ll be 70 in October and I can run circles around most people my age,” she said.
Price is preparing for her Mayor’s Triathlon this summer. So, she’s spending a lot of time in the pool.
For the last 40 years Price has put exercise at the top of her “To Do” list and she wants you to do the same.
“Healthy communities are more engaged, vibrant, strong communities where people want to live. It really makes a difference in how they perform at work and how students do in school,” she said.
The Blue Zones and Fit Worth programs focus on getting people moving and Price says Fort Worth is moving the needle. She encourages people to start slowly, but to follow her lead and get moving.
“Obviously at 69 I’ve got those same stiffness and soreness, but I just get up and just have to work through it. And when you do, you feel better and then you can give back to your community,” Price said.
Voters seem to like her approach. Earlier this month she was elected to a 5th term in office. At the end of that term she will have held the job longer than any other Fort Worth Mayor.
She credits exercise for her longevity. “I can get through a 12, 14, 16-hour day no problem but if I weren’t exercising I couldn’t do that,” she said.
The Mayor’s Triathlon is July 14 at the Downtown YMCA in Fort Worth.
Mayor Price encourages everyone to give it a try.
Location Mentioned: YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth