vital times - vermont senior games€¦ · in track and field, there are throwing, running, and...

In This Issue:

Cover Story: Report on State House Event

President’s Message 2

2016 Event Schedule 3

Games Committee 4

Volunteers Needed 4

Registration Information 5

MOVE Report 6

2015 National Results 7

Feature Article: Mindfulness and Sports 8

2015 Cycling Recap 9

Health Tips: Staying Sharp 10

2017 National Games 11

Profiles 12

Partner Spotlight: the EDGE 13

Sponsors & Partners 14

VITAL TIMESThe Newsletter of the Vermont Senior Games AssociationAn Affiliate of the Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports

Report on State House EventSalute to Vermont’s National Senior Athletes at the Statehouse

By Flo Meiler & Betsy TerryOn January 28th, Lieutenant

Governor Phil Scott hosted a Salute to the Vermont senior athletes who won medals and ribbons at the 2015 National Senior Games. The event was held in the Senate Chamber at the Vermont Statehouse and a reception followed in the beautiful and stately Cedar Creek Room.

The athletes and their families very much enjoyed the opportunity to visit the statehouse. Flo Meiler from Shelburne was pleasantly surprised by the picturesque Victorian window and beautiful antique velvet chairs in the Senate Chamber. She said, “I enjoyed meeting the other athletes, which we seldom have the opportunity to do. I was very much impressed with our Vermont athletes, especially Michelle Immler who won gold and silver in tennis singles and doubles. This is quite a feat when there were sixty-five entries in the singles competition.”

Gene Meiler, husband of Flo, enjoyed reminiscing with Dudley Bell about the twenty plus years that they played basketball in the Senior Games com-petitions, both in Vermont and at the National Games.

“State House” continued on p.6

Volume 6 / Issue 1

Fast facts about the performance of our Vermont athletes in Minneapolis:• 48 Vermonters participated

in the National Senior Games last summer

• Vermont ranked 37th in the medal count

• Vermonters won 28 medals: 14 Gold Medals, 6 Silver Med-als, 8 Bronze Medals

• Ribbons were awarded for 4th through 8th place and Ver-monters won 34 ribbons

The group in the Cedar Creek Room

2 | VSGA Newsletter Volume 6 / Issue 1

President’s Message By Gary Eley

In my last President’s Message for the winter newsletter, I announced that we would be lowering our age limit on Vermont Senior Games to 45. Well it seems that a lot of us had second thoughts about that and at our next board meeting, we rescinded that decision and went back to using the age 50 as our minimum age for participating in our events. So for the foreseeable future, 50 will be the benchmark. It is funny but some of my golf friends and other sports friends can’t wait until they are 50 so they can join their favorite games.

Our Vermont Senior Games season will soon be in full swing. 2016 is a qualifying year for the 2017 National Senior Games that will be held in Birmingham, Alabama. Here in Vermont, all our Senior Games are “open” events, which means that we allow anyone interested in participating, regardless of their state of residence. Allowing out-of-staters to participate in our Games does not hinder our own state residents from qualifying for nationals; we always qualify the top four finishers who are Vermonters, even if there are “out of state” qualifiers ahead of them.

Between April and October, we are proud to be hosting state championship events in fourteen different sports where athletes can qualify for the 2017 National Senior Games. In addition, we will be hosting three other sports that the National Senior Games Association does not offer, we call them our Vermont sports, and our first regional games in recent years. None of these events would be possible without the support of our partners and volunteers. They help us to host our events, staff our events, market our events, and recruit athletes for our events. We value our relationship with each and every partner and volunteer!

We want our games to be inclusive and welcoming to all levels of athletes. We encourage you, even if you have never participated in a Senior Game, to join us. We compete in 5-year age groups in all our events and our motto is “Fun, Fitness and Fel-lowship.” Some of our competitors are elite athletes, but many have never competed in a sports event before and they enjoy giving it their “best” regardless of how they stack up with the competition. Many of us don’t win medals but we keep track of our times and our progress in learning a new sport, and appreciate the incentive to get into better shape. I personally would not ride my bike as often and as hard as I do, if I did not have the annual bike race to look forward to each year. I keep track of my times to see if I improve, or as the case may be sometimes, how little I have lost. How much longer will it take me this year to ride the 1K, 5K, 10K, or 20K race than it did last year, or will I be faster?

In track and field, there are throwing, running, and jumping events. This year we plan to have clinics before the track and field competition to coach and instruct new-comers on how to do the events. I have learned how to high jump, and throw the discus, javelin, and shot put over the last few years. I never did these events when I was in high school or college. So come on out and try them. It is exhilarating to throw something as far as you can or to jump higher than you ever have before. Likewise running can be fun, especially when it doesn’t last too long…like the 50 and 100 yard dashes!

If you are already a participant in our games, invite a friend to join you this year. If you have never attended a game, contact us and register for the sport of your choice. We have something for everyone and we have a lot of fun and fellowship when we get together. Check out our new website at www.vermontseniorgames.org or contact me personally: Gary Eley, 33 Adams Court, Burlington, VT 05401 or [email protected]. Join us this year! You will be glad you did!

Board of DirectorsPresident:

Gary Eley (Burlington) 802-373-3188

Vice-President: Marti Powers (Essex Jct)

802-999-5499

Secretary: Betsy Terry (Colchester)

802-878-2077

Treasurer: John Scheer (Williston)

802-862-1006

Hannelore Boerner (Washington)

Barbara Jordan (S. Burlington) 802-658-4486

Flo Meiler (Shelburne) 802-985-2553

Janet Nunziata (Shelburne) 802-999-1698

Stan Wilbur (Tinmouth) 802-446-3953

Bob Willey (Essex Jct) 802-879-0186

Diana Wood (Jeffersonville) 802-730-6200

VSGA NewsletterThe Vital Times is published two

times a year by the Vermont Senior Games Association.

Contributions to the newsletter are welcome, including

commentary on subjects of interest to Vermont’s older adults

and senior athletes.

Editorial Team: Peggy Curtis, Betsy Terry & Diana Wood

Circulation – 1,750

Deadline for the next issue is October 15, 2016.

Send information to [email protected] or by snail mail to: Betsy Terry, 721 Main Street,

Colchester, VT, 05446.

www.VermontSeniorGames.org Spring/Summer 2016 | 3

2016 Games ScheduleIf you are at least 50 years old (or will be by Dec. 31, 2016) join in the fun of the Vermont Senior Games.

For more information about events listed below, go to www.vermontseniorgames.org. No competitive experience necessary. (V) = VERMONT STATE GAME (N) = NATIONAL SENIOR GAMES (NSG QUALIFYING)

Reasonably priced wicking t-shirts available at all events.

Date: Event Registration Info

N Apr 28 Bowling Advance Registration Required by 4/21/16. No on-site registration.

Spare Time Lanes, Colchester Sports Coordinator: Linus Kinner 802-893-2542, [email protected]

N May 19Racquetball Advance Registration Requested by 5/13/16. On-site registration accepted.

The Edge, Essex Sports Coordinator: Jack Linn, 802-434-4882, [email protected]

N May 28 Horseshoes Advance Registration Requested by 5/26/16. On site registration accepted.

Bristol Sports Coordinator: Debra Brown, 802-453-2219, [email protected]

N Jun 5Swimming Advance Registration Required by 5/29/16. $5.00 late fee day of event.

Williston (Sports & Fitness Edge) Sports Coordinator: Bethe Patrick-Ogle, 802-864-8044, [email protected]

V Jun 11Mountain Bike Advance Registration Requested by 6/9/16. On-site registration accepted.

Rutland Sports Coordinator: Cindi Wight, 802-773-1822, [email protected]

N June 17-18Pickleball Advance Registration Required by 6/10/16. No on-site registration.

Shelburne (Town Tennis Courts) Sports Coordinator: Beth Thorpe, 802-863-6063, [email protected]

N Jun 25Track & Field Advance Registration Required by 6/20/16. No on-site registration.

UVM-Burlington Sports Coordinator: Barbara Jordan, 802-658-4486, [email protected]

N July 4 5 K Run Registration through GMAA at www.gmaa.net

GMAA South Hero Sports Coordinator: Marti Powers, 802-999-5499, [email protected]

V July 10Trail Run Advance Registration Requested. On site registration accepted.

Smugglers Notch Sports Coordinator: Lisa Crews, 770-871-9994, [email protected],

N Aug 7Triathlon Registration through Racevermont, at www.racevermont.com

Shelburne Health & Fitness Race Director: Rayne Herzog, 802-316-7142, [email protected]

V Aug 13-14Bocce Advance Registration Requested. On site registration accepted.

Oakledge Bocce Courts,Burlington Sports Coordinator: Zander Ponzo, 802-324-1284, [email protected]

N Aug- 27Cycling Advance Registration Required by 8/20 @ midnight. No on-site registration.

Ferrisburg Sports Coordinator: Gary Eley, 802-373-3188, [email protected]

N Aug 27-28

Tennis Advance Registration Required by 8/20. No on-site registration.

Queeche Tennis Courts Sports Coordinator: Donna Griffin, 802-863-3124, [email protected]

V Aug 27-28Regional Games-Southern VT Cycling, Swimming, Triathlon, 5K Advance Registration Requested for all games.

Rutland/Killington Sports Coordinator: Cindi Wight, 802-7731822. [email protected]

N Sept 20Golf Advance Registration Required by 9/13/16. No on-site registration

Vermont National C.C. Sports Coordinator: Gary Eley, 802-802-373-3188, [email protected]

N Sept 30

Basketball Advance Registration Required by 9/23.On-site registration accepted(late fee)

Castleton University Sports Coordinator: Bob Wiley, 802-879-0186, [email protected]

N TBDTable Tennis Advance Registration Required by _____. No On-site registration accepted.

Shelburne Town Offices Sports Coordinator: Bruce Kline, 802-453-2140, [email protected]

N Oct 110 K Run Registration through GMAA at www.gmaa.net

GMAA Shelburne Town Beach Sports Coordinator: Janet Nunziata, 802-999-1698, [email protected]

V TBD Billiards Sports Coordinator: Marti Powers, 802-999-5499,[email protected]


Volunteers Needed to Design Event Fliers & More

Do you have an artistic bent? Are you interested in contributing to the suc-cess of VSGA’s statewide championships? We would love to talk to you about your skills and interests. One of our greatest needs currently is for a graphic designer to design fliers for the 2016 Games. A few hours of your time will ensure that a colorful, easy-to-read flier gets in the hands of the athletes who want to compete.

Interested in seeing some great sporting events? With eighteen VSGA state championship events planned be-tween now and the end of October, we need lots of people to help us welcome athletes, handle registration tables, monitor race courses, and run our events. Prior experience is not necessary; training will be provided and you will be able to choose your assignment. If you have a friend or family member who competes in our events, plan to come with them and help out. We can’t offer all these events without volunteers!

Back to that question about having an artistic bent…we are always look-ing for people to take photos at our events. As you know, there is nothing like good photographs to capture the essence of an event.

To find out more, please contact Janet Nunziata at 802-999-1698 or [email protected].

Three Winter Games were scheduled for February and March and due to a lack of snow we had to cancel all of them! What a way to start the 2016 Games season – but there is always next year.

April is the beginning of the Summer/Fall games season and a lot of exciting things are happening. Since 2016 is a National Games qualifying year we anticipate a large turnout at our events. Barbara Jordan will be focused on the fourteen (14) National games and Marti Powers will take on the six (6) remaining Vermont State games and other recreational events.

For the first time we will be partnering with the Rut-land and Killington Recreation departments to co-host the “Southern Vermont Regional Games” in August. This two day event will include Cycling, Swimming, Tri-athlon and a 5K Road Race. While these games will not be National qualifying events, they will be competitive and promote fun, fitness and fellowship. A big thanks to Cindi Wight and Kim Peters for making this event happen and we know this will open the door for more Regional games in 2017 and beyond. We hope these Regional games will inspire our athletes to participate in our other events during the year.

Alert!! – Alert!! We are working to bring you a new recreational game that will be held in Northern Ver-mont. Things are not completely worked out with this event so check out our website for more information in the next 30 days.

Speaking of our website -- our new and improved VSGA website has been launched! Detailed information on our games will be available as well as Registration in-formation and other “interesting” things. You may even see your picture up in lights…

We are looking forward to seeing old friends and new participants. If you don’t want to participate in the Games, please show up at the events and cheer our athletes on – it really means a lot to them. You can also purchase one of our new High Performance T-Shirts (short-sleeved Green shirt/Gold lettering for $10.00) or (long sleeved White/Green lettering for $15.00). What a bargain!

From the Games CommitteeBy Games Coordinators Barbara Jordan & Marti Powers


Events & Registration Information

One of the goals of the Games Committee is to make finding and registering for events as easy as possible.

Remember that many events require advance reg-istration by a definite deadline. This information will always be on the registration form. Please watch for advance registration deadlines and observe them so you won’t be disappointed!

Find EventsIn print:• The April and November newsletters will include

event schedules with sports coordinator names and contact information.

Online:• The newly redesigned VSGA website offers several

ways to find events online: check the Events page or the Calendar.

RegisterRegister & Pay Online!• Go to the VSGA website for a link to online

registration. This method of registering will use a credit card for the payment of the registration fee. A confirmation of the registration can be downloaded or printed. There will be no additional charge for this easy way to register.

• Once you create an account, your info will already be in the system, making registering even easier.

• REMEMBER: Login using your Email Address (Username) and Last Name (Password) in the Login box. Please don’t add your account again.

Download, Print & Mail• If you would like to register using a paper form

you can print it directly from the VSGA website. To register in advance, fill it out (along with the necessary waiver/release form), and mail it with your check payment to the address specified on the form.

Request forms to be mailed to you• Contact your Sports Coordinator if you don’t have

internet access or can’t go to the VSGA website. Request the Sport Coordinator mail a registration form and waiver. Even if you plan to register on the day of the event, the registration form may have information on it that you will need, and it will remind you to go!

www vermontseniorgames org

The new website homepage has quick links to the calendar, events lists and online registration!

Create an account for easy online registration and payment through the Vermont Systems portal!


Statehousecontinued from p.1

Michelle Immler from Brattle-boro was surprised to be invited for this Salute and felt it was very gener-ous of Lieutenant Governor Scott to honor the athletes. She was so happy to talk with other athletes and find them so fit.

Joe McNamara from South Bur-lington said after the event, “This was great! I especially appreciated the Lieutenant Governor’s message. I brought my two school aged daugh-ters with me and they both really enjoyed the Salute and the opportu-nity to visit the statehouse. I enjoyed chatting with Jack Linn from Rich-

mond for the first time.” Jack and his wife also enjoyed the ceremony, getting to see the statehouse, and speaking with the other athletes.

Barb Jordan from South Burling-ton really enjoyed meeting athletes who competed in sports other than track and field. She also appreciated the opportunity to visit the state-house and to get some visibility for Senior Games.

Margaret Nickerson from North Springfield got a personal tour of the statehouse from her Representative, Bob Forguites, and she enjoyed that tremendously.

Triathlete and road runner, Karen Newman from South Burlington, said, “It was an honor and a privilege

to be at the Salute. It was a pleasure to meet the other athletes.”

When the members of the Ver-mont House reconvened after lunch, they presented VSGA President Gary Eley and other board members pres-ent, with a joint resolution acknowl-edging the accomplishments of our Vermont National Games champi-ons. What a way to end the day!

This was our first Salute at the statehouse but it seems safe to say that it won’t be our last. With any luck, when we gather next to cel-ebrate our Vermont champions from the 2017 National Games, we will include a tour of the statehouse in the afternoon.

Move for Well-being Report By Gary Eley

The Move for Well-being Program continues to be active with 96 participants, in 13 loca-tions, reporting in January. Our newest group is located in Montpelier and is led by Jennifer Lapan, a SASH coordinator. Welcome to your group Jennifer!

This is the fourth year for the Move Program. A generous grant from the UVM Center on Aging has made it possible to provide the incentives that have encouraged seniors to “get up and Move” throughout the state of Vermont. At our awards luncheons we always ask people how they exercise for the Move program and how they feel as a result. Participants tell us they feel better, can walk farther, have better balance, have lost weight and are more independent than before they started exercising. No mat-ter what type of exercise people participate in, the results are the same: they feel better, stronger, more autonomous and confident.

At a recent meeting of the Vermont Senior Games Board, it was agreed that we need to focus our attention on our games and look for another sponsor for the Move program. MOVE will continue as a VSGA program through the end of 2016 and a transition plan is in the works. If you or anyone you know might be interested in learning more about becoming a sponsor of our Move for Well-Being Program, please contact Gary Eley at [email protected].

Vermont’s five “Super Seniors” all aged 80 and over. (L to R) Dudley Bell, Margaret Nickerson, Fran Moravcsik, Flo Meiler, and Barb Jordan. Also in the picture Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott and Hannelore Boerner (in the center back) who was presiding over this portion of the award presentations.


2015 National Results

Name (Hometown) Age Group Event-PlaceLaurie Cote (Essex Junction) (50-54) 5K Cycling Time Trials-8th

Matt Guild (Bellows Falls) (50-54) 1500M Run-Bronze, 800M Run-4th, 400M Run-7th

Joe McNamara (Williston) (50-54) 5K Road Race-Gold, 10K Road Race-Gold

Lee Ann Banks (Jericho) (50-54) 50YD Backstroke-Gold, 100YD Backstroke-Gold, 50YD Freestyle-Bronze

Brian Cain (Montpelier) (50-54) Golf-Bronze

Karen Newman (S. Burlington) (50-54) Triathlon-Silver, 5K Road Race-5th, 10K Road Race-5th

Andre Sturm(Essex Junction) (50-54) 20K Cycling-6th, 40K Cycling-4th

Jim Flint (Craftsbury) (55-59) 10K Road Race-5th, 5K Road Race-7th

Alan Lesage (South Burlington) (60-64) 20K Cycling-5th

Arlene Silva (Montpelier) (60-64) Tennis Singles-8th

Marvin Carpenter (Richmond) (60-64) Racquetball Doubles-6th

Stephen Hennessey (Essex Jct) (60-64) Racquetball Doubles-6th

Bonnie Rivers (S. Burlington) (60-64) Pickleball Singles-8th

Faith Hadden (Fairfax) (65-69) Tennis Mixed Doubles-8th

Michelle Immler (Brattleboro) (65-69) Tennis Singles-Gold, Tennis Doubles-Silver

Linn Syz (Montpelier) (65-69) Tennis Singles-7th

Nicholas Hadden (Fairfax) (65-69) Tennis Mixed Doubles-8th

Jack Linn (Richmond) (70-74) Racquetball Doubles-Bronze

Peter Mitchell (Jericho) (75-79) 10K Road Race-6th, 5K Road Race-6th

Barbara Jordan (S. Burlington) (80-84) 50M Run-Gold, 100M Run-Gold, 4x100M Relay-Gold, High Jump-Bronze, Long Jump-Bronze, Triple Jump-Bronze

Flo Meiler (Shelburne) (80-84) 100M Run-Silver, 4x100M Relay-Gold, High Jump-Gold, Long Jump-Gold, Triple Jump-Gold, Discus-Silver, Hammer-Silver, Javelin-5th, Shot-5th, Pole Vault-Gold

Francesca Moravcsik (S. Burlington) (80-84) Hammer Throw-5th, Discus-5th, Javelin-6th, Shot-6th

Margaret Nickerson (N. Springfield) (80-84) 50YD Freestyle-4th, 50YD Breaststroke-5th, 50YD Backstroke-7th, 200YD Backstroke-7th, 100YD Freestyle-8th, 100YD Backstroke-8th

Dudley Bell (E. Burke) (80-84) Racquetball Doubles-Gold, Racquetball Singles-5th, 4x100M Relay-Silver, 400M Run-8th, Team Basketball-4th


Consider these two scenarios. Scenario One: You are playing golf. On the first tee, your mind is relatively quiet, without expectations. You swing fluidly and the ball goes straight and far. You say to yourself, “Wow, if I hit it that far without trying so hard, imagine what I can do if I try harder.” On the next swing, your arm flexes, your hand tightens, and your timing is knocked out of its rhythm. You make a poor swing. As the round wears on, your level of effort increases and fluidity decreases.

Scenario Two: You are running a race and you hit the wall, your body feels dreadful, your muscles are tighten-ing, and your mind is talking to itself, “Oh my god, how am I going to finish this race? I am going to throw up, or pass out, or just collapse.” The more your mind talks, the tighter you feel. You are now running in a cloud of malaise, anxiety, and tension.

The presence of self-talk and self-conscious attempts control are common to both of these scenarios. From both a performance and enjoyment point of view, trying to muscle or talk our way through an athletic event is a mistake. Success comes from allowing our bodies to do what they have been trained to do. This requires confi-dence, letting go, and an ability to catch ourselves in the process of forcing our way through the event.

Neuroscientists have identified two major modalities of the mind. The first is called the default mode network (DMN) and it is active when we are engaged in self-ref-erential thinking, daydreaming, and otherwise talking to ourselves. The other mode is experiential and tuned into our senses and the internal milieu of our bodies. Mindfulness meditation practice can help us to extricate ourselves from the DMN and develop an intimate con-nection with our breathing bodies. The ability to make this transition from story to the body can enhance our athletic performance and also make that performance more enjoyable.

I have been practicing meditation for over thirty years, and specifically mindfulness meditation for over twenty-five. I have found mindfulness practice to be a valuable asset in any athletic activity, including training. I’ve written a book, Swing Like You Don’t Care on how to apply these principles to golf and other books on the topic of mindfulness applied to life more generally.

Mindfulness is also proving to be an asset for my discus training. When I pay attention to my breathing, I stay in my body. When I stay in my body, I release my-self into the moment. When I release myself into the mo-ment, throwing becomes dance rather than an effort. Or, rather, I make a more graceful effort through an inten-tion grounded in confidence, faith, and trust in myself and the training that I’ve done to prepare for this mo-

ment. I am also trusting the laws of physics rather than trying to control the throw through my fearful or over-eager DMN. Such trust helps to deactivate interfering self-talk and just lets the unself-conscious motor cortex execute its neuromuscular knowledge. In other words, I just have to get out of the way and let my body do what it knows how to do.

I also trail run with my dogs and I know the inter-nal self-talk that can accompany ascending a steep hill. Instead of engaging with thoughts of how awful I feel, I turn my attention to the actual physical sensations in my body in that moment. There is heavy, rapid breathing, heat, and an array of sensations from the exertion. As long as I can assure myself that I am not in any danger (e.g., from heat exhaustion), I can view these sensations as neutral rather than unpleasant. They are unpleasant, but if I don’t tell a story about their unpleasantness, I don’t have to feel anguish. They can just be there and my attention can follow them as they change from moment to moment. That way, I’ll keep running, rather than stopping and feeling sorry for myself. The dogs appreci-ate it too; they like to keep it going!

“Mindfulness” continued on p.13

Feature Article:

Mindfulness and SportsBy Arnie Kozak

Photo by Brett Lohmeyer (Flickr)

Photo by double : zanzo (Flickr)


The cycling competitions are 4 events stretched over 5 days. In Min-neapolis, MN, we had 6 Vermont starters, almost double the number compared to Cleveland, OH in 2013.

For cycling, there are 40k and 20k mass start road races, and 10k and 5k individual time trials (TTs). A time trial is an individual race against the clock, with racers start-ing in 30 sec intervals.

The Minnesota State Fairgrounds provided the perfect setting for the road races with slightly roll-ing, exciting courses featuring wide roads, good pavement, and excellent viewing opportunities for spectators. A lap was about 3 miles long, with multiple turns and side loops, and spectators near the start and finish could see the race go by three times per lap.

The Green Mountain Bicycle Club (GMBC) and its 1k2go race team had 3 starters for the road races: Al Lesage and David White in the 60-64 category, and Andre Sturm in the 50-54 category. The road races had perfect weather on both days, with a slight tail wind towards the finish. The speed was in all races consis-tently high, so that most races ended in a field sprint.

Day 1 was the 40k road race. In the 60-64, Al Lesage and David White held their own very well, often to be found at or near the front of the field. In the end, they finished with the field in 19th and 20th place.

In my own 50-54 field it started so fast that I did not know if I would even make it to the finish. Eventually it settled for a consistent but high paced tempo. In the final field sprint I finished 4th, so close but oh so far from the medals. However, podium presentations are 8 deep, so a nice opportunity to represent Vermont, GMBC and 1k2go.

The next day was the 20k race. Advantage of day 2 of racing is that now everyone knows the competi-tion and the course.

Al Lesage and David White in the 60-64 field had discussed several strategies to become proactive and try attacks themselves to avoid a mass sprint. Despite multiple at-tempts, in the end it came down to a field sprint again. Things went much better than the day before, and Al finished an awesome fifth place, and David improved his result for a 16th place!

In the 50-54 race the pace was very high from the go again. With

1k2go (pun intended) I was right at the wheel of the eventual winner, but it was like following an ever acceler-ating motorcycle, and I barely man-aged to hang on for sixth place.

So there were two podium presen-tations with Vermonters involved, excellent result.

After the road races there was a day off from competition. In the eve-ning there was the official “Celebra-tion of Athletes” event at the CHS baseball stadium. New this year was the Parade of Athletes: at the begin-ning of the event athletes from the participating states march into the stadium behind their state flag, very much like the real Olympics. The Vermont delegation to march was pretty small, but the cyclists had a dominant showing and literally held the Vermont flag high. David, Al and myself; Dorothy Pumo from South Burlington, Laurie Cote from Es-sex Junction and Susan Corjay from Colchester, who all would participate later in the TT’s.

The TT’s are an out and back event, with a turnaround at the half way mark. Mass start bike races have the inherent risk of crashes and are not every ones cup of tea. Individual TTs are a bit safer, hence there is a different and often larger number of starters than for the road races.

“Cycling” continued on p.11

Recap of the Cycling Competitions at the 2015 National Senior Games in Minneapolis

By Andre Sturm

GMBC/1k2go Vermonters Al Lesage, Andre Sturm and David White after the road races

Al Lesage (1st) and David White (4th) at the front of the 60-64 race


Health Tips:

Staying Sharp with the MIND DietBy Emily Seferovich, Master’s Level Student in The University of Vermont’s Dietetics Program

Department of Nutrition & Food Sciences

Many of us turn to dietary mea-sures to improve our blood pressure or cholesterol, but did you know that a new diet might help reduce risk for Alzheimer’s Disease? Just a few short months ago, researchers at Rush University Medical Center published a study demonstrating that a new diet may curtail age-related cognitive decline. Participants who adhered to the pattern decreased their risk for Alzheimer’s by 54%! The diet is called the “Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay” … for our sake, we will sim-ply stick to its much catchier (and common) title: MIND. For those of us who find it challenging to adhere to specific eating patterns, you don’t necessarily need to rigidly stick to the MIND principles to reap the benefits. Individuals who chose only to adopt certain aspects of MIND still reduced the likelihood of devel-oping Alzheimer’s by 35%.

MIND Benefits:The brain-boosting MIND eat-

ing pattern is a hybrid of the blood pressure-reducing DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet and the Mediterranean diet, hailed as the “golden standard” of eating plans. In addition to its dem-onstrated effects on cognitive func-tion, the MIND approach has poten-tial to reduce risk for cardiovascular conditions such as high blood pres-sure, heart attack, and stroke. MIND foods include an assortment of nutrients that slow cognitive decline, decrease stress caused by oxidation, and the build-up of plaque in the brain, and help to reduce inflamma-tion. All of these important func-tions build on each other to reduce the risk for Alzheimer’s Disease, cog-nitive decline, and dementia.

So what does MIND actually look like?

The MIND approach has 15 pri-mary dietary pillars, including ten “brain-supportive” and five “brain-harmful” foods.

Eat at least one serving of veg-etables and a green salad daily, and try to include one daily serving of nuts (a serving of nuts is equal to 1 oz, or 2 tablespoons). Berries (espe-cially blueberries and strawberries) are particularly beneficial – two or more servings are recommended per week. MIND includes three daily servings of whole grains, and 3-4 weekly servings of beans (this in-cludes legumes, such as black beans, lentils, or chick peas). One serving of fish and at least two servings poultry are recommended weekly. Olive oil is the preferred fat when following MIND, and followers are encouraged to eliminate stick margarine. For those who enjoy it, one daily glass of wine is recommended with a meal. Beware of The five “harmful” MIND foods. They include red meats, but-ter, cheese, pastries, sweets, and fried or fast food; try to reduce your intake of these foods.

A word of caution: if you have kidney disease or diabetes, MIND principles may need modification

to meet your dietary restrictions, otherwise most people can follow the MIND pattern. Talk with a regis-tered dietitian or your doctor if this applies to you.

Wrapping it all up:While no diet can reverse the ef-

fects of time, MIND helps to remind us (and curiously, may help us to remember) just how significantly our eating patterns drive the forces of health and wellbeing. With the po-tential to reduce risk for Alzheimer’s Disease, cognitive decline, and de-mentia, while also staving off other chronic health problems, the MIND diet is a healthy, simple, and cost ef-fective way to help maintain mental cognition as the years pass us by.

If you’d like to learn more about the M.I.N.D. diet, please visit: https://www.rush.edu/news/diet-may-help-prevent-alzheimers.

Photo by Jules (Flickr)

Photo by Maira G

all (Flickr)


2017 National Senior Games

The National Senior Games will be held in Birmingham, Alabama on June 5-15, 2017.The top 4 competitors in each age group in each event (50-55, 55-59, etc.) at the 2016 Vermont Games will qualify for the Nationals. For more information and a schedule of events go to www.nsga.com

2017 NATIONAL SENIOR GAMES PRESENTED BY HUMANA TENTATIVE SCHEDULETHUR FRI SAT SUN MON TUES WED THUR FRI SAT SUN MON TUES WED THUR

CONVENTION CENTER 1-Jun 2-Jun 3-Jun 4-Jun 5-Jun 6-Jun 7-Jun 8-Jun 9-Jun 10-Jun 11-Jun 12-Jun 13-Jun 14-Jun 15-Jun

SPORT

Badminton P X X X X X X

Basketball P X XP X X XP X X X X

Horseshoes P X X P X X

Pickleball P X X X X X X

Shuffleboard P X X X XP X X X X

Table Tennis P X X X X X XJudo DEMO Weigh in X

SPORT

Archery P X X P X X P X X

Bowling P X X X X X X

Cycling 20K/40K 20K 40K R

Cycling 5K/10K TT 10K TT 5K TT R

Golf P X X X

Race Walk 1500 X

Race Walk 5000 X

Racquetball P X X X X X

Road Race 5K/10K 10K 5K

Softball P X X X PX X X X R

Swimming P X X XP X X X

Tennis P X X X X X X X X X X X R

Track & Field P X X X X X

Triathlon XVolleyball P X X XP X X X

as of 3/02/16

SCHEDULE IS

SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Cycling Continued from p.9

Day 3 was the 10k TT. Dorothy Pumo was very happy to achieve her goal to come in under 19 minutes and finished with 18:47 in 10th place in the 60-64. Laurie Cote in the 50-54 unfortunately dropped her chain, and finished in 21:08 also in 10th place. In the 60-64 men, David White went first. His o-tone: “I left it all out there. It feels like the best TT I’ve ever done, so I feel great about it! My time: 15:02 -- good enough for 12th place out of 47 finishers.” Al Lesage could not get his heart rate up as he would have liked but still finished with 15:12 in 17th place. Excellent result he can be very happy about!

The fastest time of the event came in my 50-54 age group with 13:18. I finished in 14:57 in 9th place.

Day 4 was the 5k TT, half the distance and twice the

pain. Dorothy Pumo finished with 9:35 in 13th place in the 60-64. Susan Corjay from Colchester started in the 55-59 and finished in 13th place. Laurie Cote in the 50-54 kept her chain on today, and finished in 8th place, representing Vermont at the podium ceremony!

In the 60-64 men, it was a tight race between David White and Al Lesage. Both rode 7:47, with David being 0.3sec ahead. That was good for 14th and 15th place. The fastest time of the event came in the 50-54 group with 6:45, my own 7:35 were good enough again for 9th, 2 sec off the podium ceremony.

In the 2015 National Senior Games, the Vermont cyclists had an excellent showing with 4 podium cer-emonies. So hopefully in Birmingham 2017 will be even more participants!


Profiles of Senior Athletes

Arnie Kozak: Senior Athlete & WriterArnie Kozak is an author, mindfulness meditation teacher, workshop lead-

er at Kripalu and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, licensed psychologist, and clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at UVM.

He recently uncovered his old high school disk while preparing to move. He had known success in field events, especially the shot put, growing up in New Jersey. However, he feels his experience throwing the discus was some-thing he “had left on the table”. Exploring his options, he discovered the Vermont Senior Games and proceeded to train for the upcoming season. He is not starting from the couch, how-ever. He has participated in several triathlons, regularly does trail running with his dogs including a 14-mile trail race last summer, has practiced yoga since college, and is an avid golfer. When he turned forty he made a plan to do 40 push-ups daily increasing the number to correspond with his age each year. He is now up to 52. This computes to approximately 225,000 push-ups in the last 12 1/2 years. He believes competing will add a new element of purpose to his physical training. Arnie is inspired by his wife, who is an accomplished triathlete—Ironman All World Athlete.

Arnie’s latest book is Mindfulness A to Z: 108 Insights for Awakening Now.

Hannelore Boerner: Our Newest Board Member & Senior AthleteInspirational stories abound in the world of senior athletes but this one is unique. Hannelore Boerner’s athletic

talent and drive carried her through her teenaged years in East Germany, to an escape by herself to the west, and eventually to life as a Vermont citizen, senior athlete, and member of the board of the Vermont Senior Games. She shared the story below.

Hannelore’s early memories include bomb shelters, the Soviet invasion, and Communist rule in East Germany. Philosophical reversal from personal freedom to communist dictatorship created political and personal tensions, with often serious consequences for adults and growing teenagers. To direct Hannelore’s energy and attention in a neutral direction, her mother sent her to the local track club when she was 15 years old. This turned out to be her lucky break since East Germany was the designated track and field country in the political division of Eastern Block sports politics. Two years later she was junior champion in the Pentathlon and Long Jump. Later she attended the Sports Academy in Leipzig. Political problems followed and Hannelore left East Germany illegally.

Through her track and field, she started a new life in West Germany where, without family or friends, she had to take charge of her life. Hannelore received an M.A. from the Sports Academy in Cologne and continued her studies in Political Science at the Free Univer-sity in Berlin.

In 1965 she came to America for one year to be a student at Columbia Uni-versity in New York, and she never left. Skiing brought Hannelore to Vermont where she was an educator and coach in Rutland and Barre and a consultant to the Vermont Department of Education. She became a ski instructor and senior athlete. After qualifying for the National Senior Games at the Wide World of Sports in Florida, Hannelore was coached by former UVM Track Coach and VSGA Board Member, Bill Nedde, and trained with VSGA athletes and fellow Board members, Barb Jordan and Flo Meiler.

Hannelore won a number of Masters Championships and Senior Champi-onships. She was a charter member of the National Senior Games Association and a recipient of the Vermont Leaders in Fitness and Sports Award for Out-standing Contributions to Physical Fitness and Sports in Vermont.

Currently, Hannelore plays tennis, hikes with her dog, enjoys classical mu-sic and works as a guardian ad litem in Orange County Family and Probate Court. She had been on the board of the Vermont Senior Games several years ago and recently re-joined the board, driven by the desire to maintain the integrity of the Senior Games as an organization that allows senior athletes to experience joy, pride, and personal success through quality competition.


Partner Spotlight:

The EDGE

The Edge provides venues this season for swimming and racquet-ball events. The Edge sports and fitness facilities have served the greater Burlington area for 50 years. Currently they operate five centers in Essex, Williston and South Burling-ton, all dedicated to improving lives. Along with swimming pools, state of the art weight training facilities, and enclosed sports complexes for tennis, basketball, racquetball, and squash they have a physical therapy clinic in each location which provides reha-bilitation services.

The Edge’s stated mission is to provide something for everyone from age 8 weeks to age 100+. We are the beneficiaries of their com-mitment to the community as they offered to provide us space and assis-tance for our events without charge. This outreach is reflected in many other ways such as the STARS bas-ketball program for kids with special needs, and hosting charity events.

The Edge offers many programs specifically for seniors. One is the Golden Edge fitness classes designed for active senior members. Classes include Pilates, Functional Strength, Gentle Yoga, Stride and Strong, Cre-ative Cardio, Zumba and Functional Fitness. In the pools, water aerobics and Master swimming classes attract seniors. A basketball program called the Golden Rims operates in Essex for those aged 50+. Currently Pickle Ball teams play in the Essex tennis center. The club offers special lower membership rates for seniors as well

as various payment options to make membership possible.

As the Edge prepares to celebrate their 50 years they are interview-ing those who have lived their lives out as members. Besides the physi-cal benefits gained there many have testified to the social rewards of working out and playing together year after year. The staff takes to heart their mission to serve the Edge community and celebrate the gains people make in their health and well being.

Barbara Jordan, a Vermont Senior Athlete who teaches fitness classes in the Burlington area tells of her early connection with Mike Feitelburg and his interest in fitness long before he became director of the Edge. She was initiating her fitness program with Seniors from Williston Woods.

Mike, who at that time owned Body Works on Williston Rd. volunteered to test the participants both at the beginning and end of the program. Test results validated her strength training program and confirmed her understanding of such training in the development of her fitness program for seniors. It is obvious that Mike’s dedication to fitness has thrived in many ways and in many lives.

We would like to encourage Senior Athletes in the greater Burl-ington area to take advantage of the many opportunities available for both fitness and competitive training offered at The Edge.

More information is on their web site: www.edgevt.com.

MindfulnessContinued from p.8

These two principles—allowing and extricating from self-talk—are essential for any athlete. Whatever your event, you can perform your best by getting out of your own way and permitting your body to do what it knows

how to do. You can accomplish this by paying careful attention to your body. To learn the techniques of mind-fulness meditation, you can visit my website for hours of free guided meditations (http://exquisitemind.com/index.html in the practice section).

Mike Feitelberg, President & Deb Languasco, VP of Sales and Marketing


Burlington Parks, Recreation & WaterfrontCastleton State College

Champlain Valley Table Tennis Club (Shelburne)Cochran’s Ski Area (Richmond)

Green Mountain Athletic AssociationGreen Mountain Bicycle ClubKillington Parks & RecreationKillington/Pico Area Events

Race Vermont Rutland Recreation & Parks

Shelburne Field HouseShelburne Parks & Recreation

Smugglers’ Notch Resort (Jeffersonville)Sodbusters Horseshoe Club (Bristol)

South Burlington High SchoolSpare Time (Colchester)

The EDGE (Essex & Williston)Trapp Family Lodge (Stowe)

University of Vermont Athletic DepartmentVermont National Country Club (South Burlington)

Thanks to Our Sponsors & Partners

Sponsors

Partners

Upcoming Events

Apr 28 BowlingSpare Time Lanes, Colchester

May 19 RacquetballThe Edge, Essex, Vt

May 28 HorseshoesBristol, Vermont

Jun 5 SwimmingWilliston(Sports & Fitness Edge)

Jun 11 Mountain BikeRutland, Vt

June 17-18 PickleballShelburne (Town Tennis Courts)

Jun 25 Track & FieldUVM-Burlington

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE PAIDMONTPELIER, VTPERMIT NO. 358

The Vermont Senior Games Association33 Adams Court, Burlington, VT 05401www.vermontseniorgames.org

Proceeds will benefit: Northeast Disabled Athletic Association (NDAA)

A non-profit public charity working to enhance opportunity and provide support for individuals with physical disabilities who wish to participate in recreational and competitive athletics.

SATURDAY, APRIL 30th 2016 9AM Gutterson-‐Fieldhouse and Bike Path

(8:15AM Registration and Sign-‐in)

$12 Registration Online Pay In-‐Person Day of the Race Register online at our Facebook Page – UVM PT Club 5k AWARDS First female and male for each category, best dressed and most spirit Post-‐Race food and refreshments & raffle Free registration for kids 10 and under

The Vermont Senior Games Association is a member in good standing of the National Senior Games Association that hosts year-round sports and fitness competitions and noncompetitive physical fitness oriented programs, activities, and education for the aged 50+ com-munity incorporating the concepts of fun, fellowship and fitness.

ADDRESS UPDATES OR NEWSLETTER CANCELLATIONS: Please keep the VSGA in the loop if your postal address, e-mail address, or phone number changes. This will prevent you from missing any newsletters or e-mail announcements. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please let us know, that, too, at [email protected] (or the phone number/postal address at the top of this page). It will help the VSGA spend its limited resources in the best possible way. Thank you.

vital times - vermont senior games€¦ · in track and field, there are throwing, running, and...

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