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Running with Parkinson's

Sep 23, 2011

By Rebecca Johnson

Gary Pauley runs in his home town of Parker, SD.

Gary Pauley ran the Sioux Falls Half Marathon in September of 2010 in two hours and 10 minutes. A good race time for any 48-year-old, but Pauley has Parkinson’s Disease. Despite a 20-year Army career including multiple deployments to hostile areas, the Parker resident’s greatest challenge came at age 46 when he was diagnosed with the brain disorder. His symptoms included movement problems, shakiness and impaired balance. Pauley began a rigorous regimen of running and biking to help maintain his health.

As his condition worsened, exercise became harder and Pauley considered stopping running altogether. “I realized I needed to continue to exercise as long as possible in order to keep my quality of life,” says Pauley. He decided to have a deep brain stimulation (DBS) device implanted to help manage some of the disabling motor symptoms of his disease. “It offered me the best chance to reach a ‘new normal,’” he says.

The device was implanted in April of 2010 and activated in May. And his symptoms are not as noticeable as before. “I like when people who don’t know that I have Parkinson’s look at me and say I would have never guessed anything was wrong,” says Pauley.

After his surgery, Pauley came up with a “bucket list” of things he wanted to do. Running the half marathon was first on the list and his next big run is the Medtronic Twin Cities 10 mile on October 2nd in Minneapolis-St. Paul. He was chosen as one of this year’s 25 Medtronic Global Heroes - runners with implanted medical devices who continue to pursue their passions with the help of medical technology.

“I have pressed on through the progression of the disease and have managed to continue to do the activities I have always enjoyed,” says Pauley.  I asked him if there is a race he is preparing for after the Twin Cities race. “There are a couple of short road races I am thinking about running in, but actually I am just trying to stay in good shape ‘til high school basketball season starts,” he says. He officiates boys and girls basketball during the winter. “That’s primarily my workout for December through February.”

Comments

11:54 am - Fri, September 23 2011
John Andrews said:
Good for Gary. I've heard that any sort of physical exercise is wonderful therapy for those with Parkinson's.
11:59 am - Wed, October 5 2011
Kim Fordham said:
My conversations with Gary leave me with one thought...quit making excuses.
10:34 am - Wed, March 4 2015
Nancy said:
Good for you, Gary. I was diagnosed a year and a half ago, and am still working on getting medication to work correctly. At this time, my symptoms are all on the left side. I started doing interval training alternating between running and walking, and do yoga once a week. I do have a question for anyone, after working out I find that my left hip hurts. I realize since the ache is on the left side that it is related to the PD. Any advice for me as far as shoes that would help, etc. I am planning another 5K in May, but am afraid to run it as the pain is debilitating a day after I run.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated.
08:42 am - Tue, May 1 2018
Kent Taylor said:
Way to go kid. I was diagnosed three years ago with Parkinson's. I started running marathons at age 41. II will be 70 in July. I hate the way I feel now and this article has inspired me to do something about it. Maybe 5k or 10k runs. To do New York City Marathon for the third time would be beyond my wildest dreams. Thank You Gary.
02:06 pm - Sat, January 19 2019
Bill Kennedy said:
i was diagnosed 14 months ago. using golf and walking as a physical routine. I started squat walking with 15lbs in each hand to work on my balance. using supplements B Complex and COQ10 and motherwort to ease the pain. sinemet 3X a day helps....good luck to each of us
11:38 pm - Tue, May 19 2020
susan thomson said:
My husband was diagnosed of Parkinsons disease 2 years ago, when he was 49. He had a stooped posture, tremors, right arm does not move and also a pulsating feeling in his body. He was placed on Senemet for 8 months and then Siferol was introduced and replaced the Senemet, during this time span he was also diagnosed with dementia. He started having hallucinations, lost touch with reality. Suspecting it was the medication I took him off the Siferol (with the doctor’s knowledge) and started him on PD natural herbal formula we ordered from AKANNI HERBAL CENTRE, his symptoms totally declined over a 3 weeks use of the AKANNI HERBAL Parkinsons disease natural herbal formula. He is now almost 51 and doing very well, the disease is totally reversed!  (Visit www. akanniherbalcentre .com)
05:03 am - Thu, May 6 2021
Mary Belinda said:
My husband was diagnosed of Parkinsons disease 2 years ago, when he was 59. He had a stooped posture, tremors, right arm does not move and also a pulsating feeling in his body. He was placed on Senemet for 8 months and then Siferol was introduced and replaced the Senemet, during this time span he was also diagnosed with dementia. He started having hallucinations, lost touch with reality. Suspecting it was the medication I took him off the Siferol (with the doctor’s knowledge) and started him on PD natural herbal formula we ordered from TREE OF LIFE HEALTH CLINIC, his symptoms totally declined over a 3 weeks use of the TREE OF LIFE HEALTH Parkinsons disease natural herbal formula. He is now almost 61 and doing very well, the disease is totally reversed!  (www.treeoflifeherbalclinic.com)

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