Columns

By David Freeze

Over the years, I’ve written about all types of runners, representing all speeds and all ages. Shelia Gillespie and her husband John are my nearest neighbors below the farm. Still about a third of a mile away, I see her almost every day. Shelia has one of the best local running/walking streaks going right now.

From West Virginia, they moved to N.C. in August 1986 due to lack of work. Shelia said, “I moved to Iredell County and then after quite a few years we were ready to leave Mooresville to find a place in the country. I grew up off a mile long dirt road in Lincoln County, W.V. In November 2001, we did move to Rowan County with cows as my nearest neighbor. Not the case anymore, but I do like being where the houses are not right on top of each other. Everyone around me lives on at least an acre of land and strives to help one another.”

Shelia started walking/running in 2014 and then Daetwyler, the company she works for in Huntersville, started a wellness program that paid for any running/walking event of 5K, 10K, marathon or triathlon. She said, “The longest race I have done is a 10K with three of them now complete. Since the 10Ks always started in the morning, I twice did a 5K the same evening. My first race was in Charlotte with a group of our employees to support the Children’s Levine Hospital. Hooked by that time, I have also completed two Warrior Dash Mud Runs that are so much fun if you like dirt. I’d much rather do my running/walking outside with my dog by my side no matter how far I go, but when the weather does not permit, I am treadmill bound.”

With rheumatoid arthritis, Shelia must give herself two shots every other week. She also has amyloidosis of the bladder to which there is no cure but is manageable. When Shelia’s urologist got the diagnosis back, he had never heard of it. With research, he found that she was one of only 200 in the world to have it in the bladder, Shelia said, “I am not sure the running helps with amyloidosis but I know it does with the RA because just moving helps keep my joints more flexible. You know the old saying ‘a body in motion stays in motion.’”

Shelia was doing sometimes three 5Ks a month and Daetwyler human resources told her that she would be their poster child for the wellness program. With 50 races complete, her next race will be the Salisbury Greenway 5K on July 17 unless something else comes up that isn’t in Charlotte or a virtual race.

Shelia added, “I have become obsessed with my days in a row of walking or running. By Thursday, I had 388 days straight which is a feat in itself. When COVID hit and they sent me to work while sitting at home near the end of March 2020, I decided on June 2, 2020, that I needed to get up and get moving. At first, I was going to try for 30 days, and the goal just kept going up, recently passing a year. When I have to have a medical procedure done, I will get up early in the morning and get on the treadmill. Right now, my goal is 400 days, and I am getting closer I know there will come a time when the streak will end, but I am going to push as long as I can.”

John and Shelia have been married since January 1998. Shelia said, “He is not really into the health thing even though he has issues. If I race close to home or have one in Charlotte, he drives me because I don’t like the traffic. He then participates so he doesn’t have to sit all alone. John will occasionally go out and walk with me on the weekend. We will be doing the Salisbury Greenway Race on the July 17.”

I will bet that Shelia doesn’t stop at 400 days. Check out next Saturday’s Shiloh Missions 5K and the Greenway 5K at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org .

By David Freeze

It’s common that I get a few comments each week from those who aren’t serious runners but read this column anyway. The quantity of those comments went up this week, largely I think because each of us have occasional thoughts about getting older and drifting into cognitive decline. Of course, we are always hoping that it doesn’t happen, but hope just isn’t good enough. Last week’s column addressed what we can do, and we will dig deeper this week.

Dr. Jonathan Graff-Radford from the Mayo Clinic explained that the terms dementia and Alzheimer’s are often used interchangeably, but they actually have very different meanings. Dementia is not a specific disease. It’s an overall term, sometimes referred to as an umbrella which describes a wide range of symptoms. These symptoms impact a person’s ability to perform everyday activities independently. Common symptoms include:

• A decline in memory
• Changes in thinking skills
• Poor judgment and reasoning skills
• Decreased focus and attention
• Changes in language and communication skills

Alzheimer’s disease is one type of dementia, but it is not the only one. There are many different types and causes of dementia.

Any exercise that leaves the person slightly breathless has brain benefits for those age 50 and over. With 39 clinical trials backing this claim, we should all pay attention. Although less research has been done with healthy older people, there is some evidence to show older people who begin exercising late in life can also reduce their risk of dementia if they make it a regular habit. In a study of 716 people with an average age of 82 years, people who were in the bottom 10% in terms of amount of daily physical activity were more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease as those in the top 10%.

A literature review found 27 studies looking at the effect of physical activity on brain function in people over 60 years of age. In 26 of the studies there was a clear link between physical activity levels and cognitive performance, suggesting that exercise appears to be an effective way to reduce cognitive decline in later life.

Aerobic exercise has also been shown to affect the brains of healthy older people. In a modest-sized controlled trial, one year of aerobic exercise resulted in a small increase in the size of the hippocampus (the key brain area involved in memory), which was the equivalent of reversing one to two years of age-related shrinkage. A study of 638 people in Scotland that asked participants about their activity levels found those who were physically active at age 70 experienced less brain shrinkage over three years than those who were not.

The Alzheimer’s Association says to consider physical activities that may also be mentally or socially engaging, such as walking with a friend, taking a dance class, joining an exercise group or golfing. Incorporate any enjoyable activity for the greater likelihood of continued engagement. For example, bike riding, gardening or walking the dog will likely provide positive results. As we generally tell folks of any age who are just beginning, ease into the activity slowly and steadily.    

Adopting healthy exercise habits today will allow us to enjoy the lifelong benefits of regular physical activity. However, it’s never too late to start — making healthy choices at any age is beneficial to your well-being. Always consult your doctor before starting any new exercise program if you think there are any issues.

I’m a believer in big exercise, but that isn’t what’s required here. Just get moving. My bet is the mental and physical benefits experienced early in the effort will inspire more time and commitment. As I usually suggest, early morning exercise that starts the day provides a boost that lingers for hours. But evening exercise, if that’s your preference, works too.

I mentioned last week that the new Alzheimer’s drug, Biogen’s Aduhelm is available and has good early results. Yet the projected cost is about $56,000 per year.

If you aren’t already exercising regularly, all this is yet another good reason to start.

Look for more information on the Shiloh Missions 5K in Faith on July 3 and other upcoming events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org .