Marathon
Strides Against MS
The
150 Mile Run - Gayle Temple
A
BIT ABOUT GAYLE: Gayle Temple is originally
from Toronto and a Marathon Strider who raised over $10
000. She moved to Texas a few years ago and quickly contacted
her local chapter and continues in her efforts to help
in the fight against MS. When this article originally ran
in City Sports Magazine on March 1, 2005, Gayle Temple
was almost 3 months away from running the length of the
MS 150 Ride. We are now happy to confirm that Gayle has
reached her goal and completed the 150 mile run in just
over 5 days! Gayle continually brings hope and inspiration
to everyone helping in the fight against MS. Congratulations
Gayle, and Thank You!
Like
many cyclists around Texas, many of you are starting to gear
up
to ride one of the three MS 150 rides that takes place in
the state every year. Each ride takes place over two days
and covers approximately 150 miles of sometimes challenging
terrain—even for the fittest cyclists. Many spend months
training for a specific ride and take part in several of
the official training rides to prepare for this challenge.
And yes, there are several riders that have Multiple Sclerosis
that participate. Some even do each of the three MS 150 rides
in Texas. In fact, I’ve even heard of one cyclist with
MS riding every MS 150 ride in one year! These are amazing
stories. But no one has ever done what Gayle Temple is going
to attempt to do at the FedEx Kinko’s MS 150 in May.
She is going to RUN the MS 150!
Temple
has Multiple Sclerosis and will be taking on the challenge
over
a five-day period. She is truly an amazing person, and when
you ask her why she is going to run the 150 miles of the
MS 150 you never hear the word “I” or "Me" mentioned.
Her goals are to "increase awareness about MS, to launch
a running program for the MS Society next year called RAMS
(Runners Against MS), and, of course, to raise more funds
for the MS Society." She also hopes that the publicity
her run generates will help bring awareness to the public
that the medical community is very close to a cure for MS
and other autoimmune disorders. According to Temple, the
drug company that manufactures the medication that she takes
(Biogen-Idec) recently released a new therapy called Tysabri
that is proving to be even that much more advanced than the
current therapy in slowing the progression of the disease.
Now
training upwards of five to six hours of cardiovascular activity
per
day, Temple can’t rely just on running and walking
for her training. So she has started to incorporate elliptical
machines, water jogging and resistance training to strengthen
her body for five days of back-to-back 30-mile days.
Incredibly,
Temple didn’t come from an athletic background by any
means. Like many of us, she is an exsmoker of 23 years and
lived more of a sedentary lifestyle prior to discovering
running. Temple expressed her love for junk food very vividly
by commenting that she "could scarf down a pan of brownies
with the best of them." Of course, with running becoming
more a part of her life, her lifestyle has done a complete
180. And Temple wouldn't have it any other way. She believes
that things happen for a reason, and knows that’s why
she has to make this run. Temple credits her being able to
even consider running 150 miles in five days to an awesome
support system including her husband, the MS Society and
great sponsors like 24 Hour Fitness.
So
if you are in the middle of your chosen MS 150 ride and are
starting
to get fatigued and want to give up, just remember what Gayle
Temple is doing and why you are riding—you’ll
make it!
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