December 2007
The first time I heard of and had any experience with Parkinson’s was when I was twelve years old, my friends father was shaking all the time and he had trouble speaking. I thought what a terrible illness. Little did I know that fifty years later I would be inflicted with this illness.
In the year of 2000, when I was sixty years old I started to have a tingling feeling in my left hand but dismissed it as a pinched nerve in my arm. As usual I was training to run a marathon (42.2 km.) - my sixty-fifth - with a goal to reach 100 marathons. My running stride was a little stiff so I just trained harder. I ran that marathon in 2:58 (2 hours & 58 minutes) but it was very hard for me. I knew then that something was wrong. I went for a complete medical check-up, blood tests, heart, etc. The tests showed nothing. I know my body well and something was not right. A year passed. People would tell me, “Bill you are just getting older and you have to slow down sometime.” I just trained harder and harder, I knew that I was in good shape, but my best marathon time now was near 3:05 (3 hours and 5 minutes).
The tingling in my left hand now was also in my arm. I asked my doctor to refer me to a neurologist, by the time I got to see him, I had been reading about Parkinson’s and I was getting a little worry that I might have it. Well it was confirmed. What a relief after not knowing for two years what was wrong.
Why me? I eat healthy, exercise, and had no previous problems with my health. In fact, I held fourteen provincial age group running records. There are no answers to when or why Parkinson’s will strike a perfectly healthy body.
I have worked closely with my neurologist and in the past six years we have become quite a team. He and I really believe that exercise will retard the advancement of Parkinson’s. My best marathon times for each year have been –
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2001
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- 3.02
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2005
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- 4.00
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2002
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- 3.10
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2006
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- 3.53
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2003
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-3.25
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2007
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- 3.55
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2004
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-3.47
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The trick is to get the right medication and dosage for you.
I am sixty seven years old and I am now shooting for my one hundredth marathon. It will be in Red Deer May 18th 2008. It's one marathon that I helped organize and sat as co-chair for eight years.
I still feel very blessed as I have a wonderful life with great support from my wife Linda, family (7children & 10 grandchildren) and good friends - many of whom are runners.
Sure it’s frustrating at times, like when you are late and it takes you a lot of extra time to button up your shirt and tie up your shoes. I get tired more easily especially after a long day; my sleeping period is very short at night due to the medication. It’s harder to repair things as holding a screwdriver steady is quite a task. My mind sometimes goes blank in a middle of a sentence. I use to kick butt with my running friends now they kick mine. I tell myself this is just the small stuff in the bigger scope of life and it’s true. I’ve got it made.
If Bill was to summarize what he has learned in life it is this –
- Family is first and most important.
- Set Goals. It keeps you focused
- Stay Healthy. Work at it until it becomes a lifestyle
- Work Hard. It builds experience, knowledge and character
- Follow the Golden Rule. It is a great way to stay honest, humble and it builds solid friendships
For more of Bill's story visit the Fort McMurrray Running Club website.
