A Perfect Fit

When we went looking for a new MisFits columnist in March, we were surprised -- and delighted -- by the number and quality of Post staffers who applied for the job. They came from all corners of the paper, and they came in a wide range of ages, interests and physical conditions. There was the woman who'd just had a baby, the triathlon competitor, the guy seeking "moral support" for a life change, the guy who'd lost 60 pounds and the one who'd lost 100.

One thing we did expect, and got, was the interest and involvement of our readers. Having narrowed the field to 10 contenders, we invited your participation. You voted for them by the thousands. You posted lively and interesting comments online.

With all this in mind, we chose our Final Four, and invited them to write anonymous trial columns. This changed the game: Now we weren't looking at people with ideas; we were looking at what they could actually do. As editors, we suggested changes and, sometimes, did some tweaking before the columns hit the newsstands and the Web. We evaluated . . . and you kept e-mailing comments. We followed along as all four participated, with Vicky, in a lively online chat.

A couple of trends became apparent: Our younger would-be MisFits got more applause on our Web site. Our older contenders had a broader fan club among e-mail writers. We took seriously the comments of people who noted that we already had a 20-something MisFit in Vicky Hallett and asked us to pick a partner who knows what aching joints feel like. We were swayed by such comments as this, made about 50-year-old contender No. 3: "Even though his age might have an appeal to the baby boomers, his wit and his 'You can be active & run marathons without being a trim 20-something in spandex' message appeals to me (age 37), too. He's my pick to win!"

Ours, too. Welcome, Lenny Bernstein.

And thank you, everyone, for making this a fun . . . exercise. (Sorry. We couldn't resist.)

-- The Health section staff