Muscular Dystrophy Won’t Stop Jane Herzog from Running Ultras
Jane Herzog doesn’t want to be an inspiration. She just wants to be a runner by any means necessary.
Jun 11 2019
I decided that I was worth it whatever the cost!
The Veloped is more than a walker; it is my freedom buggy. I plan to take advantage of every day with my new Veloped.
My name is Gail. I am a 72 year old woman with a genetic disorder that affects the connective tissue throughout my body. My joints are loose and I have chronic pain. I began to need the help of walking aids about 9 years ago. I use a hiking stick for getting around the house and short walks, but have bought 4 different walkers that all disappointed me. One was supposed to be an all-terrain one, but it wouldn’t even go over an uneven crack on the sidewalk. In fact, I was injured when it caught on an uneven spot and I fell. For the last 8-10 years I have been isolated and unable join others when going for walks to the places I love.
“I wasn’t ready to give up the person I wanted to be, so I continued to look online for other options. ”
I decided that I was worth whatever the cost, because I did not want to settle for the life I had been living. I found the Veloped website and chatted online with one of the developers, who helped me determine that the 12” Sport model would be most appropriate for my needs.
I got my Veloped just in time for a vacation on the Maine coast, where we had rented a house with friends. This is when I realized my life had changed. My Veloped set me free. I was able to walk over rocks, roots, down a hill to the sand, etc. I have a whole new feeling about my life. I don’t feel trapped in this body. You would be surprised how often you are left out, even with friends, when you aren’t the person you were before. While in Maine, I went for long walks everyday, whenever I felt like it. It became a joke with my husband and friends that I would just diasppear with my “hot wheels.” I was able to go walk uphill to a lighthouse at the high point of an island, and to walk over rocky coasts. I felt like the star attraction: wherever I went, the Veloped attracted attention. Whether for themselves or for someone else, people wanted to know what the Veloped was, where I got it and the website where they could get more information.
The Veloped is more than a walker; it is my freedom buggy. I plan to take advantage of every day with my new Veloped. Several years ago, we had to move from our 2-story house because I could no longer deal with the stairs. We moved to a new area, but I have not previously been able to explore it . I will now. Whenever we go to a new place—parks, the shore, etc.— I have hope. And of course I will now be able to watch my grandchildren play soccer, etc.
“For several years we have rented a house at the beach for Thanksgiving, as a gathering place for all of the members of our family. I have never walked on that beach, but I will this year! ”
As I said I am worth the best of the market, but we are all worth it. To bring back part of your life is so worth it. It is wonderful to look forward, not backward. Don’t get me wrong — I was making a new life for myself. I started learning photography, and I dabbled at some writing. We all have to reinvent ourselves as we age, but I got to turn back the clock. A blessing.
