After three false starts at different gyms, I've finally found a facility that works for me, and this time I believe I can honestly say that I have made fitness a habit.

Today's Neighbourhood Hero can take absolutely zero credit for my success. In fact I'm amazed that, thanks to him, I didn't quit less than a week after I began my new program.

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning at 7:45 Pat Patterson and his wife, Gwen, arrive at the gym. You can set your watch by them. Pat heads straight for a Stair Master and Gwen goes to a treadmill. The rest of their workout moves on from there.

On the days they don't come to the gym, they complete one of their two, three, or five mile walking circuits.

So far there doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary here, except for they fact that they come as a couple.

In all of my years in gyms in Toronto and three false starts here, I don't think I've ever seen a husband and wife team working out on the same schedule. I suspect that's part of the reason they have been able to maintain their consistent workout schedule for years now.

What is a little out of the normal is the fact that Pat is 76 years old with the body of a fit thirty year old; not an once of fat anywhere, and Gwen looks even better - Well she's much better looking anyway!

There's good reason for that last comment. I'm trying to get back into Gwen's good graces. You see Pat had told me her age. Given that information, and being somewhat humorous I thought as well as generous, I said something about her being just slightly over sixty-five.

Feigning anger and with a twinkle in her eye, she wanted to know who led me to believe that she was over sixty-five.Pat's in trouble now.

So how did Pat come close to causing me to give up my new fitness regime just days after I started?

I've been ten years away from a regular fitness program, so I knew I wouldn't be breaking any gym records pushing weights around; however, I wasn't doing all that badly either except for one machine, which was giving me nothing but trouble lifting a mere fifty pounds.

Then less than a week into my program, still struggling with my fifty-pound machine, I followed Pat and found the machine set at 100 pounds.

After failing at my attempt to have him kicked out of the club for setting such a depressing example for us new members, I decided to feature him in this column.

Then I met Gwen and found that she is in equally amazing condition for someone who just might be a little more than sixty-five. In fact rumour has it that she might even be a few weeks or months older than Pat.

I regret not having taken a photo of both of them but if you check out my Hidden Heroes feature on "The Daily" on Channel 4, you'll see the two of them in action.

These two seniors are excellent role models for all of us who are approaching, or already in that esteemed age category.

Their fitness regime keeps them both leading very active lives today and no doubt for years to come.

If you've been talking about starting some kind of fitness program, I hope Pat and Gwen's story will give you the incentive you need to begin now ... not tomorrow. There's no such thing as being too old to start.

By the way Pat would love to have you drop by the Military Museum at Rutherford Mall any Tuesday morning to say hello. He'd love to show you around.