Using space-age tech to stave off old age
Competitors in their 70s, 80s are doing their thing — though some need help from NASA
I am 75 years old, and after chatting to a couple of old friends this week I realized I have reached the northern end of middle age.
My first conversation was with former Birmingham, U.K., pub owner Clive Burke, 68, who recently placed first in a race up five Edmonton towers to support prostate cancer research at the University of Alberta.
“I climbed some 340 flights of stairs, or about 1,220 metres, in 47 minutes,” Burke said. “I finished ahead of the 12 teams taking part ... My nearest rival was Stacy Miskolczi, a young Edmonton police officer billed as a professional stair climber. Her time was 48.10.”
I decided Burke must be middle aged after we talked about how common it is now to read of people living longer, and more Canadians reaching 90 or even 100 years of age.
In fact, Statistics Canada numbers from a 2011 census showed centenarians were the second fastest growing age group.
My second conversation was with Bill Preshing, 89, a retired professor from the U of A’s School of Business, who helped organize so many teams and races that Runner’s World in 1995 presented him with its Golden Shoe Award.
“My 32nd Faculty Club Fun Run is scheduled for April 21, but please don’t bother mentioning it. It’s oversubscribed already,” said Preshing, who ran the first of his six marathons at age 60.
“A fund for an undergraduate and a graduate scholarship were set up at the fun run 30 years ago. We have handed out 55 scholarships and have $120,000 in the fund.”
It was NASA scientists last week who changed my mind about my athletic career, which I thought was over Dec. 18 when I fell and suffered a severe spiral fracture of my right hip.
Before Dr. Ed Masson worked his magic on my broken femur at Royal Alexandra Hospital, I thought I might be getting a message to quit after 55 marathons and then later leading bike rides of 1,000 kilometres or more for a decade.
But when I announced two weeks ago my future might lie on the golf course, Garry Wheeler, president of the Alberta and NWT Division of the MS Society, shook his head.
“Are you nuts?” he said. “With some physio, you can make our Leduc-to-Camrose, 180-kilometre weekend bike ride (on June 9-10). We hope to get 2,000 riders out and raise $2.2 million for research and services. You’d fit right in at the Alley Kat beer garden in Camrose.”
TIGHT TIMELINE TO GET BACK ON THE BIKE
Two months seemed like a tight timeline to prepare for such a ride. But I recently exchanged my walker for a cane, and last week Grant Fedoruk sent me from his Leading Edge Physiotherapy studio at the Royal Glenora Club for a workout on a “gravity-free treadmill” at his Windermere clinic.
The treadmill was developed by NASA and I donned shorts that enabled me to be zipped into an air bladder around my middle body. At the press of a button, the treadmill calculated my weight and then offered the opportunity to hold up to 80 per cent of my body weight.
“It enables athletes recovering from injury to train harder without extra stress on their joints,” Fedoruk said.
After two sessions on the treadmill, I told Wheeler I was in for the Camrose ride. And I called CASA Foundation executive director Nadine Samycia to say I would be on the 820-kilometre fundraising bike tour from Kaslo to Jasper during the week of June 16-24. CASA helps youngsters and their parents with mental health issues.
When I congratulated Burke last week for being so healthy in middle age, he told me he had been diagnosed with colon cancer in 2013 and endured chemotherapy treatment for six months.
“I was so pleased on recovery I made a 900-kilometre bike ride with Kids for Cancer,” he said. “I wanted to give back.”
Burke trains in the winter with the Juventus Cycling Club and has in recent years completed six Gran Fondos, which is Italian for “big ride.”
Last year he represented Canada in the International Cycling Union World Championships in Albi, France.
The previous year at North American Masters Games in Vancouver, he won gold in the time trial, silver in the hill climb and bronze in the road race.
“If I have a fitness secret, it is that I stay away from processed and sweet food items,” he said.
Preshing has had open-heart surgery, but it hasn’t stopped him from being the toast of his university running peers.
“I get some aches and pains when I run these days,” said Preshing, who used to organize and run with teams in the Beat Beethoven races and the JasperBanff and Kananaskis 100-mile relay races.
“Helping those who need it by walking, running or cycling outside in the fresh air, and enjoying a great breakfast with friends, are moments to treasure at any age.”