In July, we told you about Bego Lopez, the 50-year-old from DeLand, Florida who is taking classes at Daytona State College, and running cross-country for the school.

Add two more runners over the age of 40 to the roster now, too. Kris Gray, 48, and Jenny Enslin, 42, have also signed on to run for Daytona State College and become some of the oldest athletes to compete in cross-country at the National Junior College Athletic Association level. There is no age limit to compete at the NJCAA level.

“When I first heard about them, I thought ‘This is insane,’” 20-year-old teammate Baylee Mills told the Daytona Beach News Journal. “I didn’t know if they could run at first. “It’s actually great having them. They push us at all practices. They are faster than us. It’s fun running with them.”

Lopez, Gray and Enslin’s decision to join the team was spurred by new cross country head coach Judy Wilson, a friend and running buddy who was having trouble recruiting for the women’s team.

Lopez was the first to join, and then Gray and Enslin followed suit because they wanted to continue their education and have some competitive fun along the way.

In their first meet, Gray, a former firefighter, was the top female runner for Daytona State College after clocking a 22:02 5K.

“When she figures out what to do out there, I see her running much faster over 5k,” Wilson said. “She is stronger and faster than she thinks she is.”

Jenny Enslin and Dr. Ashraf Elsakr. Photo: Jenny Enslin

As it turns out, Gray will need some extra speed to compete against her 21-year-old daughter, Josie, on Sept. 15 when Embry-Riddle hosts a major meet.

“It’s going to exciting,” Gray said. “We have run 5Ks together before, but that’s individual, not as a team. This is team against team. It will be fun to be on the same course with Josie.”

Enslin’s story is just as attention-grabbing. At the age of 32, she was diagnosed with a heart arrhythmia, which required a cardiac ablation to correct the problem with her heart’s rhythm. Her doctor suggested she start exercising to strengthen the organ, so she took up running. Now, she’s a six-time marathon finisher.

Lopez, Gray and Enslin may be rookies, but something tells me, their collective running experience will be a real asset as they compete against women decades younger.