TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — At 77-years-old, Cherokee citizen Simeon Gipson is setting the bar high. 

Gipson is at it again, competing in the 2023 National Senior Games in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

However, he left Tahlequah Tuesday planning to make the nearly 1,000 mile trek by bike. 

The 997-mile ride will take him about 12 days to get across eight states.

To give him an extra boost of motivation, May 30th was proclaimed "Simeon Gipson Day" in the Cherokee Nation.

Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner were there to sign off and make it official. 

In a post, the Cherokee Nation says:

"He is an inspiration to us all, overcoming weight loss and battling diabetes by adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes cycling. He has logged thousands of miles per year throughout the Reservation and actively participates in athletic events at local, state, national, and international levels – including the National Senior Games."

The U.S. Navy veteran began cycling 15 years ago. In a National Senior Games interview he said he initially thought his hand was dealt after heart surgeries, a knee replacement and becoming severely diabetic. 

However, the will to overcome and his son gifting him a bike led to his new lifestyle. 

In 2021, Gipson was even featured in Men's Health magazine in a piece title "Fit At Any Age."

“I’ve lasted this long in cycling because of stubbornness and enjoyment,” Gipson said in the article. “I always want to have more behind me than in front of me."

The 2023 National Senior Games runs 12 days starting July 7. Gipson qualified by competing in the Oklahoma Senior Games. 

The National Senior Games are held every other year, while the Oklahoma Senior Games are held each year.

Good luck Simeon!