The Long Run August 2021
Game On!
The Wait is Over! Priority Registration Begins on September 8
The wait is almost over! “A Reunion for the Ages” and 23 Miles of GOLDen Coastline are calling you to Fort Lauderdale, Florida for the 2022 National Senior Games presented by Humana on May 10-23, 2022!
Registration for qualified athletes to attend the 2022 National Senior Games presented by Humana will begin on Wednesday, September 8th at 1:00 pm Eastern Time. NSGA has started emailing qualification notices to athletes who qualified through the Adjusted Qualification Process or at a State Qualifying Senior Games in 2020 or 2021. Athletes qualifying for the FIRST time in 2021 will be eligible to register for the respective sport/event after the state submits 2021 results to NSGA, results are verified AND the respective state and sport are listed on the NSGA website.
Check out the NSGA Registration Page for registration dates, 2021 state results status, entry fees, deadlines and details.
Not familiar with the modified qualification process adopted in response to the pandemic? Review the 2022 Qualification Adjustments on the How To Qualify Page.
Online Housing Program is a Hit with Athletes!
Once you have schedule and venue information, it’s time to find the perfect place to stay while visiting Greater Fort Lauderdale. The NSGA online housing program is already booking up athletes and the feedback has been positive. You will be pleased with the ease of narrowing your choices and rates to find properties nearest to your venue. We have negotiated best rates and terms, and you will have support of a team that understands your needs. Plus, you know you will be staying with other Senior Games athletes.
The Competition Schedules Page has the Age Specific Schedule (which provides dates for most events and age groups) as well as Golf Course Assignments, Racquetball Schedule, Tennis Event Schedule, Track & Field Schedule and Swimming Order of Events.
Visit the NSGA Hotels and Lodging Page to find your place. There’s even a handy Mileage-At-A-Glance chart you can download that shows distances from sport venues to each hotel to help with your planning. Book now for best selections!
2022 Venue Spotlight: Golf Offered at Three Courses
August is National Golf Month, and Florida is a golfer’s Mecca! We have selected three of the best courses in the region for National Senior Games championship play. Each course offers the appropriate challenges for age groups in the 54-hole scratch play format for the Games. The venues are:
- Jacaranda Golf Club in Plantation, West course. Take a Virtual Tour Here.
- Plantation Preserve Golf Course & Club, also in Plantation, is a public facility with a country club atmosphere with country club service!
- Country Club of Coral Springs is situated among the woods and waterways in one of the city’s most distinctive residential neighborhoods.
2022 Golf competition is sponsored by KOHLER Walk-In Bath, which also supports the new NSG CUP Presented by KOHLER Walk-in Bath awarded to the state with the highest percentage of medals. Tee up more information on the Golf Sport Page.
Stay in Shape and Bring a Friend to State Games!
Next May is coming up fast and you want to be in your best competition form. Many State Games are still on the schedule this year and offer the perfect opportunity to stay in the game. You might even invite a friend to go with you to try out Senior Games and get qualified to join you at the National Senior Games.
Check out the updated State Games calendar and games contacts at the State Information Page at NSGA.com to plan your path to Greater Fort Lauderdale through our Member Games!
Watersports Abound in Greater Fort Lauderdale
Greater Fort Lauderdale offers 300+ days of sunshine a year and year-round ocean temperatures from 72 to 80 degrees. This beach destination offers water sports enthusiasts everything from yacht rentals to surfing lessons. Whether you want to dive deep or just dip your toes in, Greater Fort Lauderdale welcomes you with plenty of options for fun in the sun.
It’s easy to spend a day at the beach, with soft sands, beachfront promenades and piers. Or explore below the surface with 76 artificial reefs on the ocean floor as magnets for fish and reef life and the largest collection of warm-water wrecks in the Western world. It is also the only place in the continental USA where you can snorkel and dive on a living coral reef straight off the beach. You can even get scuba certified while during your vacation.
Greater Fort Lauderdale is one of the few areas in the world where both fresh water and salt water fishing are within 20 minutes of the angler. In addition to more than 200 freshwater species that can be caught in the numerous lakes and canals, there are deep sea fishing fleets located in Fort Lauderdale, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Dania Beach and Hollywood.
Paddleboard or kayak in the Atlantic Ocean, among the winding canals of the Intracoastal Waterway, or in nature parks. For a fun group outing, take an ecotour or a full moon tour.
Come see why Greater Fort Lauderdale is a water sport enthusiast’s dream.
Water Sports In Broward County
Association News
Personal Best Feature: Courting History
Joyce Jones has won a pile of championships and medals in three racket sports over the past seven decades. In our view, however, some of her best accomplishments with Senior Games have been off the court. In 1998, Washington state had no qualifying games for the National Senior Games, so Joyce and her late husband Don (also an athlete) stepped up to organize, grow and manage qualifying events for 15 years.
Joyce also holds an important place in pickleball history, as you will find out when you follow our conversation with her. Joyce has a Personal Best spirit that has helped many others get on the path to fitness, fun and fellowship!
August Athlete of the Month
Keeping Up with Kathy – Kathy Bergen, 81, La Canada, California
It’s hard to keep up with elite track and field star Kathy Bergen, whether it’s her competitors or the statisticians. She was the most decorated athlete at the National Senior Games in Albuquerque in 2019, chalking up three American and five National Senior Games records. After nine appearances, Kathy’s name appears 23 times over four age groups in NSG All-Time Performances. Twelve are in the #1 spot.
Her legacy continues to grow across the masters track landscape, as she now holds a total of 42 American and 28 world records. After she set two more world records (in W 80-84 100M and 200M events) at masters meets this year, we had to chase her down to comment on her success.
It’s no surprise to find that Kathy earns every medal, training and competing year-round as intensely as any elite athlete of any age or sport. “I learned a little late in life that you can’t take shortcuts to get where you want to go,” she observes. “You have to put in the work.”
Setting lofty goals is another key to maintain her focus. “Every time I age up into a new division, I make a goal to set a new record in six events- the 60-meter, 200-meter and High Jump indoors, and 100, 200 and High Jump in outdoor competition,” she says. “I’m pleased to have met that and added one more in the 80-84 group in my first year as the youngest. Most likely I won’t set any more records in the 80-85 group, but I don’t want to ever lose an event either.
“I want to win every event I’m in. That’s just it,” she asserts. “I want to be the fastest kid on the block.”
Kathy credits her husband Bert, who also competes in field events, for being the perfect partner in her athletic pursuits. “It’s great fun because we both have to put so much time into this. I don’t just start working out before a meet, I work out all year,” she explains. “Bert does too, so we understand each other’s goals and the time and effort necessary to do this. It’s nice to share the journey with someone.”
The grandmother of 13 did not run her first race until she was 54 and Bert was 56. “I had no idea there was track for older people. Bert read about it in a magazine and we decided to try it,” she recalls. “I was a very competitive tennis player before this. I still love to play tennis, but I love track and field more. But I guess it’s easy to like something when you’re good at it.”
While she is laser-focused in competition, Kathy also enjoys the social interactions with her peers, and contributing as one of the eldest members of her all-age SC Striders track club. “It’s fun see all the women I compete with each time. It’s nice being with people as crazy as I am!”
What’s YOUR story? To submit yours, or to nominate a fellow athlete, Please Click Here.
Health and Well-Being
Balance Training: Key for Superior Senior Games Performance
Balance specific training is absolutely important for optimal sports performance. All National Senior Games athletes would benefit from including balance training in their routines, yet most neglect to make time for balance-specific training. Our balance changes as we age. Sensory organs (eyes and ears) give us less accurate position information as the nerve impulses traveling to and from our brain slow down.
Balance specific training can assist in overcoming some of these challenges. Dr. Becca Jordre, DPT, the lead researcher for the Senior Athlete Fitness Exam (SAFE), answers questions on balance training from Director of Health and Well-being Andrew Walker.
Q. Is it true that even Senior Games athletes would benefit from balance training?
A. Absolutely! We know that Senior Games athletes experience fewer falls than the general population but, on average, just over 10% of NSGA athletes still fall in a given year. In groups of higher functioning older adults like Senior Games athletes it has been determined that falls are different. They are more likely to occur outside, while performing more intense activities and are thus more often linked to serious injury. Senior Games athletes should strive to have balance that fits their active lifestyles and their pursuit of athletic competition. No one is immune to the declines in balance that are seen with aging, but there are strategies for maintaining better balance and preventing falls.
Q. I’m not concerned about falling. Are there any other reasons I should care about balance?
A. Great question! Balance is actually key to superior sport performance. Running, for instance involves a lot of time (and balance) on just one foot. Golf requires controlled weight shifting to alternate legs and the dynamic nature of sports like volleyball and basketball definitely require superior balance. Training for balance in these situations will enhance sport performance along with keeping you off the ground!
Q. If I am currently not doing balance training, how do I start?
A. If you haven’t been engaged in balance training there are a lot of simple ways to get started. The Health and Well-being tab at NSGA.com has many resources. Start with the Balance Training for Athletes Over 50 handout that shows great ways to improve static and dynamic balance and offers methods for making these exercises more difficult as your balance improves. In addition, experience advanced dynamic/reactionary balance training using the Clock Yourself App shown in the Balance Training video.
Q. What can the SAFE assessment tell me about improving my balance?
A. The SAFE screens for fall risk and assesses balance under several conditions. You may discover what conditions challenge your balance the most which can help you to focus your training in that area. You’ll learn about which senses you rely most on for balance and how strength may be making you’re more or less at risk for falling. If you haven’t done the screening at the Games, come see us and learn more about your balance!
This article was prepared by Andrew Walker, MPH, NSGA Health and Well-being Director
How to Safely Exercise Outdoors in the Summer Heat
This informative article comes from KOHLER Walk-in Bath, a proud National Senior Games partner.
As temperatures continue to climb, finding ways to beat the heat can become challenging. Exercises done outdoors in cooler temps suddenly become much more challenging under the scorching summer sun. And while it’s certainly more comfortable to stay indoors to work out, there are ways to exercise outdoors safely in the heat.
1. Stay Hydrated
The most obvious tip is the most important one: drink lots and lots of water before, during and after an outdoor workout. Aim for at least 16 ounces of water before you head outside. If you exercise for longer than 60 minutes outdoors, a sports drink with electrolytes can replenish nutrients and keep you hydrated.
2. Strategically Time Your Workouts
If you want to exercise outdoors, try to do so before 10 a.m., as temperatures peak between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Morning workouts are typically better, especially for unshaded runs, as concrete will retain the heat from the day and radiate it back during an afternoon or evening run.
3. Mix Up Your Workouts With Heat-Friendly Activities
Summer is the perfect time to incorporate swimming laps, stand-up paddle boarding or yoga in a shaded park into your exercise regimen. A summer afternoon rain can also provide some refreshing conditions for an otherwise toasty run (just make sure to wear shoes with extra grip!).
4. Try An Acclimatizing Soak
To help your body acclimatize to the heat, take a warm shower or bath soak for at least 10 minutes after your workout. This will help your body continue to get accustomed to the heat and encourage it to produce more sweat sooner to keep you cool during your next workout.
*Note: Please use your best judgment and/or consult your physician before starting an outdoor workout routine.
Health & Well-Being Partners
NSGA Sport Partners
NSGA Official Apparel
- Published in Newsletter
Courting History
Joyce Jones, 91, Seattle, Washington
Joyce Jones has compiled an admirable athletic record by winning more than her share of championships in three racket sports over seven decades. She can’t even guess how many medals and tournaments she has won in badminton, tennis and pickleball, because her focus has been more on the pursuit of excellence and gaining rewarding social connections among her peers.
In our view, some of her best accomplishments with Senior Games have been off the court. In 1998, Washington state had no qualifying games for the National Senior Games, so Joyce and her late husband Don (also an athlete) stepped up to organize, grow and manage qualifying events for 15 years. Don also grew up with Joel Prichard, known as “the father of pickleball” so the couple picked up the passion from the source. While serving as Washington’s State Coordinator with NSGA, Joyce repeatedly petitioned to have pickleball added to National Senior Games. Her persistence paid off when it became a medal sport in 2013, and has since been regarded as one of pickleball’s major championships.
In the following conversation we had with Joyce, we discovered there is one big regret in her athletic career. While it was not a huge disappointment at the time, Joyce laments having to miss the 1991 National Senior Games in Syracuse for medical reasons. She has competed in every other National Senior Games since the beginning, and she is proud to have won at least one Gold Medal, and sometimes as many as 6, in each one. In 2019 Joyce continued to dominate her age group and scored Gold twice in both pickleball and tennis. But she still talks about “the one that got away.”
There would be other challenges over the years – surgeries on her right foot, both knees (including 3 arthroscopic and two replacements), a frozen left shoulder, two rotator cuff procedures on her right shoulder, a hernia, a broken wrist, broken elbow and broken upper arm in a fall, and cataract replacements, among other smaller surgeries. After missing Syracuse, most of the time she has been able to schedule, to have time to heal and return to the courts.
Joyce Jones represents the Personal Best outlook in many ways – both in her determination to get around challenges to keep herself active for decades, and in the selfless efforts volunteering to help guide and inspire others by creating athletic opportunities in her state and in the National Senior Games. All pickleball players owe a debt of gratitude to Joyce and Don for the opportunities they opened, and we can all draw inspiration from her story to pursue our own Personal Best.
Joyce, it’s great that you have managed to go to all but one of the National Senior Games since they started in 1987. You must have been disappointed about that.
Well, I missed The Games in Syracuse in 1991 when I had my first knee replacement surgery. But I didn’t think much about it at the time, because it was just the third one, and I had no idea that I was going to make all the rest of them, and spoil my perfect attendance record by missing Syracuse. Now it really breaks my heart that I ruined my perfect attendance record.
We hear a lot of athletes talk about scheduling procedures off-season to try to avoid having to withdraw. You’ve probably had other bumps along the way yourself.
I was playing in the International Badminton Championships in San Diego in 1978 when I slipped and fell at a restaurant. I tore the rotator cuff so badly my doctor said it was the worst he’d ever seen. He wasn’t sure he would be able to repair it. I’m glad it healed. But it’s true that I’ve had to work around several surgeries to be able to make all of my favorite tournaments.
You play three sports and have medaled and won championships in all of them. Which is your favorite?
I played badminton growing up. It was just an after-school sport, but I thought I was pretty hot stuff because I could beat all the boys in high school. I met my future husband Don, roller skating, and when I found out he played badminton, I challenged him to a match. He beat me 15-0! I found out that I wasn’t such hot stuff after all! After that, I challenged him in tennis, pickleball, table tennis, racquetball and bowling, and lost them all. I decided that I would have to marry him. We were married just 2 months short of 70 years.
Everyone asks me what my favorite sport is, and it is hard to say because I love all of them. As I said, I played badminton in high school and started playing tennis when I was 46 and my husband was 50. We bought a Tennis Club with a couple of our friends. Neither one of us had ever held a tennis racket in our hands before, but we decided if we were going to own a tennis Club, then we should probably learn how to play it.
Pickleball came third. Don grew up playing badminton with Joel Prichard, who invented Pickleball here in Washington, and he is the one who taught us how to play. I was about 55 at that time. If you can play one racket sport, then you can pretty much play all of them. It just progressed, and I love them all.
Wow! Nothing like learning a sport from the guy who invented it!
Pickleball is so wonderful. I have many friends who turned to pickleball from tennis due to bad knees, and some badminton friends who did the same from aching shoulders. It is the fastest growing sport in the country now because almost anyone can just go out and enjoy it right off the bat. Badminton and tennis take about a month or two to be able to get a good enough rally going to enjoy it.
Pickleball tournaments are now offering younger age groups. I have a picture that was taken from the 2015 Arizona State Pickleball Championships, with a 10-year-old as the youngest player entered, and 85-year-old me being the oldest.
Sounds like you continued playing together through your entire marriage.
We did, we were both very healthy and active. He passed away three years ago but I keep going. All of my children (two boys and two girls) are active in sports, and I have been trying to get them to enter the Nationals with me. So far, I haven’t succeeded because they aren’t diehard competitors like I am.
I just enjoy competing and doing all of the tournaments I have played in over the years. I enjoy playing the game, and I meet new friends year after year, and I enjoy seeing the friends I’ve made over past years. It is really a lot of fun. If you are not enjoying yourself then there is no reason to do it. I have enjoyed myself my whole life doing what I do.
You and Don also have a place in Senior Games history yourselves, stepping up to help organize Games in your state.
There were no qualifying games in Washington State for the National Senior Games at the time, and every other state had them. Don and I decided that the state really needed to have a qualification tournament, so we didn’t have to travel to other States to qualify, so we started it in 1998 and ran it for 15 years.
I was State Coordinator for three years and I tried really hard to get the NSGA Board to include pickleball in the National Senior Games, but they felt there weren’t enough States playing it. I contacted all the other 49 States to see which ones offered pickleball in their games. I took the results to the annual meeting, and tried again, but they still wouldn’t accept it. But in 2011, we persuaded them to let us put on a demonstration, and then finally, the year after that, pickleball was entered as a sport in the National Senior Games.
More history! Thanks for your passion to drive that move to bring pickleball to National Senior Games. You and Don must have been organizers even before this time.
Don and I ran a junior badminton club for 20 years because our kids all started playing badminton when they could walk. We started the group because their friends wanted to play with them too and it just evolved.
We also put on a tennis tournament at our club for about 15 years. There was no one putting out any local tennis news, and I enjoy writing, so I decided I would start a Newsletter so players would get the information on what was going on with all the tennis players in the Pacific Northwest.
Everything we did, we enjoyed doing.
Joyce in a familiar pose atop the medal stand, this time for winning tennis 85-89 mixed doubles with Jack Largent
You have won more than your share of medals in every sport you’ve played in Senior Games, and you’ve reached the top in other pickleball majors too. You must have a pile of them!
I don’t really keep track of my wins. The medals I get don’t mean that much to me. I keep some of the ones that mean the most to me, but I have given hundreds away. When we were moving about 20 years ago, I had two apple boxes full of medals, and a pickleball friend of mine was running junior tournaments and asked me if I had any generic ones. I found about 85 generic medals to give to him for the junior program.
Something strange happened when I did that. At the bottom of one of the boxes, there was a smaller box, and inside there were 4 paper thin sheets of gold and two paper thin sheets of silver. Printed on the little box said 1978 Senior International Badminton Championships San Diego California. I showed them to my son, and he took them to a jeweler. I got $400 for those real pieces of Gold and Silver Awards that they presented 43 years ago!
Where would you be if you were not active with your sports?
I am 91. I would probably not be around anymore. I could never even dream about not being active.
Out of my parents and siblings, I am the only one that has been active all my life and helped myself by watching what I eat.
I expect to die on the court! [Laugh] I did have four mini strokes while playing tennis a few months ago and I fell and fractured my hand. I just started playing pickleball again in mid-July. If I hadn’t been active, then I might not have survived those strokes as well as I did. I owe everything to my healthy lifestyle and playing all my sports.
You mentioned in another place that you had taken up Yoga. Has that helped?
I did it for a while, but I have always had some trouble standing too long in one place. Another volunteer job I did was umpiring badminton, tennis and pickleball. I would ask them to bring me a chair, and then I’d be happy to help. Everyone asks, ‘How can you play all of your sports and not be able to stand?’ I can’t explain it. While standing, you aren’t moving your muscles or really doing anything so I can’t stand that long. With sports, you are active and moving around all the time so it must just keep you loose. A pickleball friend asked me to take tap dance lessons with her when we were 70, but that only lasted a few months because my knees didn’t like it!
Everyone has to find their own mix of activities.
I play pickleball three to four times a week, and a tennis match once a week now. I have limited my badminton because of a stiff neck that won’t let me look up. In badminton, if you can’t look up, you’re dead in the water! My competitive juices still force this old body to try for every shot, even if there’s no chance I can possibly make it. [Laugh]
What can you tell others about the benefits of an active lifestyle as you age?
I think people pretty much know the benefits. You live a longer life. You meet people, and you enjoy life. It is very invigorating.
The most important advice is to have fun whatever it is you do. I’m a competitor, and I love trying to win tournaments. But if you don’t enjoy playing and being with friends, what’s the use?
- Published in 2021 PB, Personal Best Featured Athletes
The Long Run July 2021
Game On!
2022 Venue Spotlight: “New” Convention Center Will Host Six Sports and More!
The all-new Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center will be bigger and better with 1.2 million square feet of space and multiple upgrades including forward-thinking technologies, innovative dining concepts, versatile pre-function space and modern décor that complements Greater Fort Lauderdale’s waterfront destination.
The convention center will be the hub of activity for the 2022 National Senior Games presented by Humana. This is where all athletes will check in and congregate in the Village with its many attractions, and there will also be competition in six sports: Badminton, Basketball, Cornhole, Pickleball, Shuffleboard and Volleyball.
Stay Close, Book Smart Through NSGA’s Online Housing Program
Want to stay as close as possible to your competitions in Broward County next year? Want a guaranteed lowest price and no “gotchas”? NSGA has worked diligently with J Team Management to secure lodging options that better serve our athletes than online travel booking sites.
You will be pleased with the ease of narrowing your choices. Simply select your sport and the program displays those properties nearest to the venue and room rates. As you review you will find that we have negotiated best rates and terms, and you will have support of a team that understands your needs. Plus, you know you will be staying with other Senior Games athletes. Book now for best selections!
Unique Dining Experiences Await in Greater Fort Lauderdale
Greater Fort Lauderdale is a foodie’s paradise with its more than 4,000 eateries, offering spectacular global and local flavors. Indulge in a variety of culinary experiences throughout Greater Fort Lauderdale’s 31 communities.
Enjoy epic ocean views from Takato, the new Japanese-Korean fusion restaurant at Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach. Take the Water Taxi to Shooters Waterfront for seafood, brunch or cocktails with a view or take the taxi to 15th Street Fisheries where you can also enjoy a variety of seafood dishes and even fried gator if you wish. These are just some of the many “dock and dine” experiences you will find only in Greater Fort Lauderdale.
Discover empanadas, sushi, Southern fare, crepes and more at Sistrunk Marketplace & Brewery, a hip food hall offering craft beer, artisan coffee, local art, and more.
On Las Olas Boulevard, quaint bistros and cafes, buzzy bars and upscale restaurants offer intimate seating and al fresco dining. Find a taste of Cuba, Italy, Mexico, Argentina, Japan and more on Fort Lauderdale’s “Style Mile”.
For dining with a twist, join a food tour or take a cooking class and satisfy your palate with your delectable masterpiece. Whether you are looking for vegetarian or vegan cuisine, fusion or classic dishes, you can find it here!
Tune it Up and Turn it Up at State Games!
It’s encouraging to hear that Senior Games athletes are anxious and ready to “get back into The Games” and can’t wait to go to Greater Fort Lauderdale for the National Senior Games next May. It also means that everyone needs to get back into their routines to prepare and practice to be at their best.
Whether you are qualified or not, one of your best ways to tune up is to go to one of many Member Games around the country that are returning to action and offering as many events as possible during this recovery period. Many State Games are holding events in August and September so don’t wait to see what’s out there for you. Find up to date calendar and games contacts at the State Information Page at NSGA.com.
Association News
Personal Best Feature: Like Father, Like Family
It’s become more common to see children of Senior Games athletes age up and also compete, but it is unusual for a parent and child to compete in the same event, as in the National Senior Games in 2019 when then-77-year old Ray Tingstrom doubled up with his son Mick to play Shuffleboard. This required him to ‘play down’ more than 20 years to the 50-54 age group. Ray and Mick won a Silver medal, which made for a good intergenerational story.
Then we discovered that Ray has also been recruiting other family members and to date has four additional Tingstroms qualified to join them for The Games in 2022. His own lifelong fitness example, enthusiasm and desire to inspire others to strive for greater lives shows another facet of what it means to pursue your Personal Best.
Read Here: The Tingstroms Personal Best Feature
WATCH: Growing Bolder/NSGA Show Features Olympians, Athlete Chat
Our recent live program launching a new Media Partnership with Growing Bolder was as fun as it was informative! While we wanted to share details about how this relationship will tremendously increase awareness of Senior Games, most of the attention was on the athletes, including a closing video chat wall with invited athletes DeEtte Sauer, Tom Lough, John White, Philipp Djang, Kathy Bergen, Deb Smith and Yvette Matthews sharing their excitement with others including Olympic swimming icon Rowdy Gaines.
We have edited and archived this entertaining program on the National Senior Games YouTube channel, and you can watch it from the link below. Enjoy!
July Athlete of the Month
“I’m Grateful for Cycling”
Patrick Bohan, 57, Buena Vista, Colorado
Some senior athletes have to adapt to medical conditions and disabilities to compete, and most will tell you their activity is helping to keep their situation under control. When someone facing extreme challenges performs well enough to earn medals, the accomplishments are even more impressive.
“I should be needing assistance to walk instead of winning races,” cyclist Patrick Bohan says flatly.
Until his late 40s he regularly enjoyed hiking, running, rock climbing and mountaineering, but his life turned upside down when he was diagnosed with two neurological disorders – cramp fasciculation syndrome (CFS) which causes continuous muscle fasciculations (twitching) and cramping, and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) which adversely affects peripheral nerves signaling muscles in distal locations.
The result was weakness in limbs and other painful complications that took away his normal activities. “I’ve seen ten neurologists and been misdiagnosed four times. When they do an EMG my results show both myopathy and neuropathy, which confuses the doctors,” he says. “I needed to find an exercise that I could do where the pain and recovery are tolerable.”
Cycling offered the solution. People who watched him said he was fast on a bike and could do well racing. For his first races in 2014, he rented a bike and surprised himself by medaling in qualifying events and won a Bronze Medal for the 50-54 10K Time Trials at the National Senior Games in 2015. In 2017, he took Gold in both 5K and 10K trials, and returned in 2019 to win Gold in the 10K. He has also placed in road races. The retired electrical engineer feels humbled by his success. “I didn’t go into this expecting to win, I was more in a survival mode of thinking.”
He had found a pathway, calling cycling “the great equalizer” of endurance sports. “The pedal stroke is more forgiving than others. If your technique is a little off in swimming or track, you lose power and time,” he observes. “You don’t have to be as perfect with your pedal stroke.”
“Through cycling, I have actually built up neural plasticity enabling my muscles and brain to find new ways to work around the damage it is doing to my body,” he continues. “That said, the new pathways are not as efficient.”
Patrick recently authored a book, How a Neurological Disorder Changed My Life for the Better, and is donating profits to the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy. The title reveals how he sees his experience as a blessing.
“If I want to think of this as a disadvantage, then it will be. But I look at the benefits of the disorder, which sounds strange,” he explains. “If you can learn to live and adapt to those adverse conditions, it really builds your grit and mental toughness. And that’s an aspect that many people don’t consider how to train for. I always fight every day because I don’t have good days now. You can have all the athletic genes in the world, but you also need the drive to succeed. Training will beat talent any day.”
His advice to others facing setbacks? “Do not give up, and if need be, try to evolve. And when people ask how to get better, my answer is to do something every day that takes you out of your comfort zone.”
“I’m grateful for cycling. The other things were taken away from me,” he concludes. “Without this, I would be a very lost individual. It’s giving me hope that I can fight. As long as I can keep moving with cycling, I’m pretty sure I can keep going for a long time.”
What’s YOUR story? To submit yours, or to nominate a fellow athlete, Please Click Here.
Senior Health and Well-being
Important Senior Athlete Well-being Survey Coming Soon
The health and well-being of National Senior Game (NSG) athletes is always a prime interest of the National Senior Games Association (NSGA), members and partners. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the health of older adults in the general population and disproportionally impacted various segments of the population including, American Indians, Blacks, and Latinos.
A population that has not been studied during this pandemic is senior athletes. As a result of Dr. Becca Jordre’s research with the Senior Athlete Fitness Exam (SAFE), we know that NSG athletes have unique health characteristics and generally exceed the physical and mental health of their more sedentary peers. However, we do not know how the pandemic has affected each of you.
Thus, we’ve created a confidential survey to provide insight into your experience with the COVID-19 pandemic. This survey is initiated by NSGA Health and Well-being Director Andrew Walker, with researchers Hongdao Meng, MD, PhD, MPH, University of South Florida; Becca Jordre DPT, University of South Dakota; and public health graduate student Kelly Corcoran, University of Alabama Birmingham. As a result of the survey we hope to better understand how the pandemic impacted NSG athletes and where further support may be needed.
The survey is entirely confidential, and information collected will be used in aggregate to better understand this situation, current health and the needs of NSG athletes. Survey links will be delivered via e-mail but are intended only for those who qualified for the 2017, 2019 or 2022 games. By the end of July qualified athletes can expect to receive a survey which should take about 15 minutes to complete. Please watch your inbox for this important survey. We thank you in advance for taking the time to help the NSGA to better understand and support your health and well-being.
This article was prepared by Andrew Walker, MPH, NSGA Health and Well-being Director
NSGA Health & Well-being Partners
NSGA Sport Partners
NSGA Official Apparel
- Published in Newsletter
Keeping Up with Kathy Bergen August 2021 Athlete of the Month
Kathy Bergen, 81, La Canada, California
It’s hard to keep up with elite track and field star Kathy Bergen, whether it’s her competitors or the statisticians. She was the most decorated athlete at the National Senior Games in Albuquerque in 2019, chalking up three American and five National Senior Games records. After nine appearances, Kathy’s name appears 23 times over four age groups in NSG All-Time Performances. Twelve are in the #1 spot.
Her legacy continues to grow across the masters track landscape, as she now holds a total of 42 American and 28 world records. After she set two more world records (in W 80-84 100M and 200M events) at masters meets this year, we had to chase her down to comment on her success.
It’s no surprise to find that Kathy earns every medal, training and competing year-round as intensely as any elite athlete of any age or sport. “I learned a little late in life that you can’t take shortcuts to get where you want to go,” she observes. “You have to put in the work.”
Setting lofty goals is another key to maintain her focus. “Every time I age up into a new division, I make a goal to set a new record in six events- the 60-meter, 200-meter and High Jump indoors, and 100, 200 and High Jump in outdoor competition,” she says. “I’m pleased to have met that and added one more in the 80-84 group in my first year as the youngest. Most likely I won’t set any more records in the 80-85 group, but I don’t want to ever lose an event either.
“I want to win every event I’m in. That’s just it,” she asserts. “I want to be the fastest kid on the block.”
Kathy credits her husband Bert, who also competes in field events, for being the perfect partner in her athletic pursuits. “It’s great fun because we both have to put so much time into this. I don’t just start working out before a meet, I work out all year,” she explains. “Bert does too, so we understand each other’s goals and the time and effort necessary to do this. It’s nice to share the journey with someone.”
The grandmother of 13 did not run her first race until she was 54 and Bert was 56. “I had no idea there was track for older people. Bert read about it in a magazine and we decided to try it,” she recalls. “I was a very competitive tennis player before this. I still love to play tennis, but I love track and field more. But I guess it’s easy to like something when you’re good at it.”
While she is laser-focused in competition, Kathy also enjoys the social interactions with her peers, and contributing as one of the eldest members of her all-age SC Striders track club. “It’s fun see all the women I compete with each time. It’s nice being with people as crazy as I am!”
- Published in Athlete of the Month