Jean Gordon
Wednesday, January 21, 2026 11:47 am
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Bob Burch and wife Ann live in their cabin high atop Yellowtop Mountain in Bostic enjoying a life of peace, quiet and tranquility. Sometimes.
Other times, Bob, 76, is off and running in competitive track and field events while Ann, 78, is on the sidelines cheering. "I'm the trophy wife," Ann quipped. Bob agreed.
Approximately 56 years of not running, Bob is back at the sport. Currently he is the 2025 National Masters Track & Field Champion, winning gold medals in each of his three events. On February 1, Bob will join other track and field athletes at the Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) where he will compete in at least three track and field events. Ann will be cheering from the stands.
He competed in track and cross country in high school and college in Virginia with his last race being in 1968. He didn't compete or run again until 2022 when he learned of the National Senior Games (Senior Olympics). Being a husband, successful businessman, raising five children with Ann, and interestingly running their own archery business, there wasn't much time to even think about running.
The couple bought Yellowtop Mountain property in 2008, and after two years of construction on their cabin, they began spending some time there. When they retired in 2022, they made Yellowtop Mountain home. (He was a banker and Ann owned her own insurance company.) Prior to those careers, the couple owned an archery business in Virginia where Ann created custom-made archery bows, and taught archery and hunting on the site of their business. Bob ran the "business end" of the store and in 1992, the couple moved their business to Lexington, SC where she also taught archery technology.
"By the 2000s, the internet was taking over the retail business," Ann said and they prepared to sell the business, but not before enjoying several deer bow hunting trips. They have trophies on the walls of their Bostic home as reminders of that fun time in their lives.
"I'm gonna brag," Ann said. "I am the only female that has earned a deer from the island (Bulls Island, Charleston) where they went bow hunting with friends.
Having lived in Roanoke, Virginia, Bob's hometown, and in Simpsonville SC, Ann's hometown, and other towns in South Carolina and Virginia, the couple was introduced to Rutherford County by friends who had a home on Yellowtop as well.
"We hopped around a little," Bob said of their lives in Virginia and South Carolina, before coming to Rutherford County to their forever home. "We've had a very productive, interesting life, it's fun," Bob said.
Although they say they've gotten too old to hunt, Bob said, he decided to begin running again and Ann is still his cheerleader "trophy wife."
Bob discovered that the Polk County Senior Center offered track and field events. So he began running again and has been top in his game since he returned to the sport. (At this time, Rutherford County's Senior Center doesn't have track and field events). Bob joined the center, registered, competed and also qualified for both the state and national games and won some events.
"Not having run for over 50 years and competing on my level, I did fairly well," he said.
The primary thing about running is, "I've got to give God the glory for the ability and health to be able to do this. That is how I've done what I do," he said. He also said the real purpose for running isn't to win, "but to see if I can still compete," he said.
He participated in the USATF (United States Track & Field) events and won in 2024 and in 2025.
Bob begins the 2026 Indoor Track & Field season at TIEC, host of the USATF Masters Southeast Region Indoor Championships presented by the Greenville (SC) Track Club on February 1.
Registration closes January 28 for men and women age 25 years and up, with athletes competing in five-year age divisions. Medals will be awarded to the first three places in each event in all age groups. Many athletes compete into their 90's and 100's.
"So, you are not crazy to compete as you age, however you are off your 'porch" rocker'," he said.
Bob will run in the 75-79 age group at the indoor arena at TIEC. The event begins at TIEC at 8:30am. Bob's first event is at 11am. He will compete again at 1pm and again at 2pm. He competes in the 400m, 800m and 1500m races in age group 75-79 in two sanctioning organizations: USA Track & Field Masters Division and National Senior Games Association.
The event offers all running, jumping and throwing events for men and women and there are over 3,500 spectator seats all close to the action. There is no charge for admission.
More about Bob Burch's running: The World Masters Athletics Organization has Burch ranked number #1 in the USA in the 800m and 1500m with the fastest times in 2025. He is also ranked with the fifth fastest time in 400m in the USA. In addition, he is ranked #25 (800m), #18 (1500m) and #23 (400m) fastest in the World in those events. He was named All American for his performances in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
The National Senior Games are held every other year and USATF Nationals are annual. Without the benefit of a coach and only using internet training plans, Bob began winning regional track meets in NC and SC. In 2024 he won gold at the NC Senior Games State Finals in Durham, setting new NC state records in both the 800m and 1500m. With those wins, he qualified for the 2025 National Senior Games in Des Moines, Iowa where he won national titles in both the 800m and 1500m races. Also, in July 2025 he won gold in the 400m and silver in the 800m at the USATF Masters Outdoor National Championships in Huntsville, Alabama. Burch is a member of the Greenville Track Club.