Name: Steve Wertheimer
Age: 84
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Occupation: Orthopedist
Time Running: 58 years
I had never been athletic. I could not run as a child. I don’t believe I had ever run up and down a basketball court once. My childhood exercises consisted of turning pages of books.
When I was drafted into the U.S. Navy in 1964, I reported to the U.S. Naval School of Aviation Medicine. I was 25 years old. There was physical training at Pensacola, Florida, and I found that with great difficulty, I could run for one mile and swim for one mile—but only after I went through the training they provided. I was amazed that I was able to accomplish those feats.
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After I completed my orthopedic residency in 1971, I moved to California and began a private practice. I became concerned that if I didn’t exercise, my life would be shortened. Hence, I started by bike riding, and soon actually began biking centuries. However, my orthopedic practice became so busy, I couldn’t put in the time for long rides anymore, so I attempted to jog.
At first, 100 yards of jogging seemed impossible, but over the course of a year, I progressed to jogs of 200 yards, 500 yards, and then one mile. I saw an ad for a 5K race, joined it, and lo and behold, finished it on my feet. This slowly progressed to a 10K, and then the San Diego Half Marathon.
In 1978, I read that the New York City Marathon had progressed from being a Central Park phenomenon to encompass five boroughs, and this attracted me because the East Bronx was where I had spent my childhood and my medical training. So in 1978, I traveled to New York and ran the marathon. I was amazed that I could actually finish it, although with an embarrassing time, but I am no longer embarrassed.
The marathon training regimen and the race itself can alternate amazing and boring. However, in the last decade or so, I have never been bored on my jog. I’m so appreciative of the changing scenery, the glory of the outdoors, and the natural surroundings.
I get the same thrills from running that I get observing great art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, or the Louvre in Paris, by observing the gifts of nature running. The New York City Marathon has the added benefit of more than a million observers for me to peruse on the run, and I love to see the natives of New York outdoors in a holiday mood. The 2022 NYC Marathon was my 60th Marathon.
I have six children, and some are gifted athletes—and some are similar to me without the competitive gene in their bodies. Nevertheless, three of them have completed multiple marathon races, perhaps inspired by my own endeavors. Of my six offspring, two are medical doctors, one a doctor of psychology, one a doctor of veterinary medicine, one a licensed clinical social worker, and one an editor/publisher.
My current running schedule, as my practice is slowing (I am 84 years old!), is a daily six mile jog at the beach, where the waves and the scenery are so calming.
My daily routine of running, I feel, has allowed me to handle my overall schedule so much more efficiently. Running allows me to sleep better as well. Therefore, I recommend jogging to relieve the anxieties of a complex active life.
Jogging has been so important in my life. It has lessened my anxieties which would have been overwhelming in my career, being a physician and treating serious life-threatening injuries in a 50-year practice.
These tips have made my running journey a success:
1. Sign up for races in new locations
If you are a non-competitive jogger, plan to run some organized race, such as a half marathon or a marathon periodically. This establishes a goal and is helpful in organizing your running schedule. When you plan a longer race, choose one that’s out of town and away from your training location, so you can make it a special event that you look forward to doing. And then, plan a week vacation to physically recover from that race. I find that doing that inspires me to not only enjoy the vacation more, but to enhance the experience of the marathon itself.
2. Wear a hat and use sunscreen
The sun can cause serious damage to your skin, but a hat and sunscreen will offer protection.
3. Don’t worry about gear or speed
Gear is unimportant. Shoes don’t need to be good to look at, but must be comfortable for distance. And don’t worry about speed. Think more about nature and relaxation. Speed is unimportant.
Emily Shiffer is a freelance health and wellness writer living in Pennsylvania.
