Ron Buerkle removes a rock from the end of his driveway in Esko, Minnesota, leaving two remaining. This means he has two, one-mile loops to go.
He needs this visual because when he starts out again, it could feel like the first mile or it could feel like his last. Buerkle won’t know for sure.
That’s because when the 76-year-old runs, he forgets. Not the big-picture stuff, like how to run, or the course of the one-mile route he takes around his rural neighborhood. He forgets the short-term memories, like what happened during his run, or the number of laps he’s completed.
For nearly eight years, Buerkle has been battling Alzheimer’s disease, an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that first robs people of their memories, and later their ability to do even the simplest, everyday tasks.
Making new memories is not a luxury Buerkle has, though if it is routine, he can remember it. He runs Monday, Wednesday, and Friday every week, moves the rocks to remember how many laps he’s done, and also carries a cellphone that tracks his whereabouts. That’s for his wife’s peace of mind.
“He can’t drive, he couldn’t tell you his address or his phone number, but running brings him pleasure,” his wife, Deb Buerkle told Runner’s World over the phone (Ron isn’t able to speak on the phone because he is hard of hearing). “Exercise is what keeps him independent.”
That independence is key for Buerkle. He’s always been active: He was on the football team in high school, and fell in love with Deb when she was a cheerleader there. The two eloped right after high school in South Dakota, which “made our parents real happy,” she said.
After having kids, letting his fitness level decline a bit, and picking up smoking, Buerkle decided to start running at 38 to be healthier. Or, as his wife put it, “He ran because he doesn’t like to quit eating.”
When he realized smoking was holding back his progress, he quit, and started running half marathons, marathons, and then triathlons. “Running, triathlons, those were the love of his life,” she said. “He loves a challenge, whether it’s running or spitting watermelon seeds.”
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So when the diagnosis came in December 2010 that Buerkle had mild cognitive impairment (MCI), it was tough to swallow—and even more so when it progressed to Alzheimer’s disease. He went from an athlete to someone who could no longer drive, because he didn’t want to be a danger on the roads. But that wasn’t going to stop him.
“He didn’t want this to be the end,” his wife recalls. “He knew he could still find enjoyment in life, and was not going to just give up and sit in a chair.”
A year into his diagnosis, he kept his active habits, and started detailing his journey for others who might be going through a similar situation. In reflecting and writing, he realized his disease was like a marathon in that he couldn’t just give up: He had to keep pushing on.
His writing eventually formed a book, called Melissa Perlman Is the Feel-Good Story at Boston, which recently debuted from Page Publishing. Buerkle hopes the book can inspire others in his situation to live a happy and fulfilling life.
“Some of it is funny. Some of it is sad, but it’s not all sad, which is what he wanted,” his wife said. “He does go into his struggles with Alzheimer’s, and he’s very open about his feelings about it.”
Buerkle isn’t able to read much now, because it’s almost impossible to retain the information. But he does go to the library every week with his wife to bring home copies of Runner’s World, Summer Running Gear.
He can’t run farther than three miles, and can only race 5Ks, but every week he goes out. Those three days a week are what keep him alive and well. So he places the rocks at the end of the driveway, laces up his shoes, and runs until his wife welcomes him home.
“His physicians say he is a prime specimen for his age,” she says. “Running keeps the oxygen going to his brain.”
Published: Sep 21, 2018 10:34 AM EDT Runner’s World and Bicycling, and he specializes in writing and editing human interest pieces while also covering health, wellness, gear, and fitness for the brand. His work has previously been published in Men’s Health.
