Fergus Taylor

This piece was included way back in the old school version of Friday Fitness Fax when it was just an e-mail. But it remains to this day one of my favorite articles I have ever written. Dad is coming down to do the Country Music Half Marathon on April 25 [race home page here.]

It is not easy for a 65 year old man to train for a half marathon, let alone the fact that he lives in Iowa where it is covered in ice all winter long. If Fergus can do it you can do it. Sign up for this event and participate. If you want to do this event contact me and I can help you get ready for it even if you think it is impossible.

The Story of Fergus Taylor (Reprinted from 10/13/06)

Okay I will get directly to the point of this issue. If my dad can exercise, anyone can. I've attached a photo at the end of this e-mail message so you can see who I am talking about.

For the first 30 years of my life, until two years ago, I had never known my father to have any inclination or desire to exercise. To say that Dad had a sedentary lifestyle is an understatement.


Photo: Dad and I at his first 5K, the Beaver Dash.

His disinterest in exercise was only matched by his love for candy bars, chocolate chip cookies, prime rib, and onion rings. Despite the fact that I participated in all forms of running and triathlon--and that my dad would travel hundreds of miles to see my races--he never took any participatory interest.

All this began to change a couple years ago. Around this time Dad was showing the first signs of adult onset diabetes. Many people essentially give themselves this disease through poor eating habits and physical neglect.


Photo: Dad strains the definition of running. The police made him run on the sidewalk because he was near the end.

Dad is in no way a mean or lazy person. In fact, I don't believe I have ever met as friendly, generous, or caring person. It's just that exercise was not on the radar for him. Too busy working or spending time with mom.



Photo: I was used to my dad being a champion eater. Now he runs half marathons.

Dad started easily at first, with mostly jogging and just a little walking. I coached him from afar explaining the principles of Fun Run to him: begin with 1 minute chunks of running with plenty of walking; be sure to drink water and wear good running shoes; don't focus on speed just stay in your own "zone." Before long he was getting pretty consistent with the fun runs, going out 2-4 times per week on a nearby jogging path. He frequently called me up with exciting reports of seeing deer on the trail, or a new distance record, or improved walk-run ratios.



Photo: Fergus and my sister Lisa at Grandma's Marathon.


By the time he ran his first 5K (the "Beaver Dash") he was hooked. Never mind that the police made him run on the sidewalk because he was so far in the back of the race that they were removing the course cones. He returned to the same course the following week and ran it again trying to better his time of 45 minutes for 3.1 miles. Inevitably, he set his sights on Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN. Using the same techniques he had been using along, he alternated jogging 4 minutes/walking 2. Over six hours later he crossed the marathon finish line, just before they began tearing things down at the finish corral.



Photo: If you could read the finish clock you would notice it reads "6:33." Speed doesn't matter, getting out there and participating does.

Now if this is where the story ended it would still be amazing. Fergus Dale Taylor, at age 63, ran his first marathon and lost 50 pounds in the process. He had traded in a large number of unhealthy sedentary habits for a lifestyle that included regular exercise and enjoyment of the outdoors. But it doesn't stop there.

Photo: He doesn't want to show it, but Dad is darn proud of finishing his first marathon. You deserve to experience this feeling.

After finishing the June marathon he was soon setting his sights on the Des Moines Marathon, his home course. My advice was that two marathons were too many in one year, but I certainly didn't want to talk him out of his goal. He trained even more avidly than for his first one and had his sights set on a personal best.

Everything was going pretty well on race day and he was right on track until mile 18, when his hip began to bother him. By this time he had developed so much mental toughness and perseverance that he kept plugging away. Despite ever increasing pain in his hip and upper leg, he finished his second marathon.

Barely able to walk after finishing, he had to improvise chairs to use as crutches just to get to the car. Next he spent literally 3 days lying on the couch trying to recover from the pain in his hip. Three weeks and several doctor visits later, an MRI revealed what had happened. There it was on the image: a fracture right through the top of the humerus bone (the ball in the ball-and-socket). Dad had broken his hip at mile 18 of the marathon, and he had finished anyway!

I am not going to belabor the difficulty he faced in rebounding from this injury, but it included surgery to install screws in the bone (but not a replacement), wheelchair/walker/crutches, 3 months off of missed work, and lots of challenges just completing daily life. When the orthopedic doctor casually stated, "I guess your marathon running days are over," Dad's heart sank with sadness. My counseling skills were put to good use during those months trying to keep him optimistic about the future.

Fast forward to this coming Sunday October 15th. The Des Moines Marathon is again taking place and Fergus Taylor will be on the starting line for the Half Marathon. He has had to limit the amount of running that he can do because of the hip, but he just replaces the jogging with more walking. He is going to finish this race no matter what.

I want to speak directly now to those of you who neglect your exercise program. I had basically written off the idea that Dad would ever do any kind of exercise program...I had accepted the fact that obesity-related illness would eventually lead to his demise. What I now know is that ANYONE can turn around their lifestyle and make positive health changes. Dad did it not only once, but then rebounded and worked his way back from the broken hip.

For the hardcore athletes among you, take a moment and pause to reflect on the profound achievements of those who exist in the back of the pack. Whether it is recovering from an injury or taking one's A-game to the next level, yes, it can be done. So send some positive mojo towards my dad this Sunday as he returns for unfinished business.