Druid Hill Park was awash with sweat, smiles and endorphins this morning, as a throng of walkers and joggers circled Druid Lake for the Two-Year Anniversary of Ernestine Shepherd’s Monthly Community Health Walk.

For those who don’t know Shepherd, she’s a personal trainer who has for years laid claim to the title The World’s Oldest Female Bodybuilder.

Shepherd – whose accomplishments as as late-blooming competitive body-builder have won her numerous titles and fans and copious media attention – has been leading these health-oriented daybreak events consecutively for the past 24 months.

And, whoa, judging by the buff and buoyant photo she posed for at the lake early this morning and posted on her Facebook page, the 79-year-old Shepherd has still got it going on.

At today’s event, a diverse group of participants young and old from across the region made their way around the 1.5 mile path circling the lake.

We spotted 88.9FM-WEAA radio’s Marc Steiner there along with Valerie Williams (tip of the hat to Valerie for alerting us to this event) and former Liquor Board Commissioner Dana Moore.

Even early in the morning it was getting pretty hot, but everyone seemed to be enjoying the opportunity to get some exercise and pay tribute to a healthy Baltimore tradition and the woman who started it.

Here’s a Prevention Magazine video from a few years ago that takes you through Shepherd’s typical day.

She rises in the dark, heading out with a headlamp for her run, and later hits the gym for a workout and to lead classes and inspire her students.