Racers Edge
At the Britannia Community Center, Lee Turner is known as the Bionic Woman. But ask her and shell tell you where she draws her strength. Turner, 66, wrote me a few weeks ago after she read my May 10th column about spectators and the positive influence they have on runners, specifically, and racers, generally.
She credited the many spectators who lined the 42.2- and 21.1-kilometre courses with carrying her across the finish line at her first Vancouver Half-Marathon in 2011. Of course, she was speaking figuratively. Turner ran herself across the finish line.
Kristina, your words simply astounded me. Everything you wrote was exactly how I felt, she wrote. I could not believe the crowds of spectators. Shoulder to shoulder, they were and yelling out my name. You go Lee, you can make it. These fantastic people gave me renewed strength and determination to keep going.
She will never forget the cheers, the high-fives, the handshakes. I have never felt more like a winner and also a celebrity as they were yelling out my name.
Spectators clapped and cheered her on by name. Turner couldnt figure out how thousands of strangers knew who she was. Then I realized that my name was on my race bib.
Turner was born in Tennessee and immigrated to Canada when she was 13. She is a runner who, at age 66 and despite all odds, continues to be active and enjoys hiking, deep water pool running, nordic pole walking, weight-training and biking with the help of her unloader knee braces.
Five years ago Turner developed osteoarthritis in both knees but it wasnt until three years ago that she actually did something to ease the pain. Ben Speicher, who designed Terry Foxs prosthetic, from Vancouver Prosthetic and Orthotics arranged for both knee braces to be custom built for her. These braces help take the pressure off her knee joints so she can continue training with less pain.
Turner started running 30 years ago when her family was worried about her weight. She grew in size and put more than 249 pounds on her five-foot-seven frame. She began running at night so no one would see her.
At first she could run no more than one partial block at a time but as she persevered, running became easier. She soon discovered the famous runners high and she was hooked. By following a Weight Watchers program and running regularly, Turner shed the excess and reached her goal weight of 170 pounds.
The 1985 Sun Run was Turners first race. She arrived at the start line dressed in her tennis outfit and her $19.99 Sears Sonic Running shoes, knowing very little about running or racing. Since that day, Turner has fine-tuned her training and running attire and continues to push herself by setting new running goals and achieving new personal bests.
Now there is a large framed photograph of her at the Hastings Community Centre after she carried the Olympic and Paralmpic torch.
At the Britannia Community Centre where she swims and trains, Turner is known for her fortitude. One week after this years Sun Run on April 21, Turner finally had her first knee replacement surgery. But even if she has to walk, which she does with the help of her nordic walking poles, Turner is determined to never give up.
Because of this replacement, my running days are over, he said. But you know what, Im not going to stop. Im just not going to run any more.
She is no stranger to pain. In addition to her osteoarthritis, she has twice survived breast cancer and participates in charity events to raise money for cancer research. For the past five years, Turner has captained her team at the Relay for Life Cancer Fundraiser at the Richmond Olympic Oval. Her team is called Lee's Flaming Britannia Bruins. Theyre flaming because Turner carried the torch at the 2010 Vancouver Games. The Bruins are Britannias mascot.
When I asked her what inspired her to keep going, she replied, In all honesty I love running. Nothing I have ever done has compared to the feeling I have running. I can get into that Zen state easily where I feel like I can run effortless forever.
Some may think Turner is misguided to push the limits of her body. But there are many, like me, who share Turners passion and can easily understand her desire to prolong this love for as long as possible, no matter the consequences.
With her bionic braces and her habit of dressing up in costumes at events, Turner is hard to miss. So when you see her out training or pole walking in a race be sure to cheer her on.
Kristina Bangma is a coach, personal trainer and writer with a love of riding and racing. Email questions to kristina@kitsenergy.com.
