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The Long Run

National Senior Games Association

Official e-Newsletter 

2015 May Edition



Welcome to "The Long Run" monthly e-Newsletter with NSGA association news, National Games updates, athlete features and health and wellness information. Be sure to check our website at www.NSGA.com for up-to-date information.

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Game On!

2015 Games Brackets and Schedules Update

Once registration closes, the next thing many athletes understandably want to know is when competition draws and brackets will be available. We always work closely with our competition chairs and staff to get this information ready as soon as possible for each sport.

 

Please know that sport schedules will be posted no later then by June 15. Please visit the Sports section at NSGA.com to check your sport page for updated schedule information.

 

Remember, the  2015 National Games section at NSGA.com is packed with pages filled with information and links that will answer most of your questions- or point you in the right direction.

 

Book Your Hotel by June 5 to Get the National Senior Games Rate!

Finding the right place to stay at a good price for The Games has never been easier. The online booking program allows you to sort hotels by nearest sport/venue to help find your best option and best rate available with our participating hotels or dorms. There's also transportation and venue/mapping information to assist in your planning. But remember you must make reservations by June 5 to enjoy the special rates our housing partner has negotiated for participants.

 

Keep in mind that when you book your hotel online you are automatically entered to win one of three $500 Mall of America Visa Gift Card Shopping Sprees! (Our thanks to Bloomington Convention and Visitors Bureau for managing the housing program and for donating the gift cards.)

 CLICK HERE to Book Online Now!

 

If you choose to call to make lodging arrangements, the phone number is (844) 203-7888 and the office hours are 8am-5pm Monday through Friday

 

Travel and Lodging Page Offers Options, Money-Saving Info

Want to get a Delta airfare discount, or a link to check Amtrak schedules? Need info on the Metro Transit system and special 7 day Senior Games pass? Looking for a rental car deal, or want to know how the car2go or Bikeshare programs work? The Travel and Lodging page will help direct you to the information you're looking for to make your decisions about getting around during The Games.

 Travel and Lodging Page at NSGA.com

 

The Village: A Health and Wellness Expo and Athlete Experience sponsored by AstraZeneca Diabetes

This year, the official title in the headline above gives an accurate description of what The Village will be all about. When athletes come to the Minneapolis Convention Center to check in and pick up their registration bags, they will be welcomed with an exciting array of exhibits, amenities, entertainment and vendors. This includes the ever-popular official merchandise store with an array of items that will become cherished mementos of being at The Games.

 

The Village is the hub of activity for The Games, and each day will offer something unique to celebrate with special presentations, demonstrations, interactive displays, health screenings, and more. Come meet with a variety of experts, special guests, and vendors representing more than 40 organizations, companies and services in  the Expo area of the Village. Several of our sport competitions will surround the area and add to the festive atmosphere.

Association News

Personal Best Tour Starts Down South

The 2015 Personal Best Tour made its first stop at the Mississippi Senior Olympics Celebration of Athletes in Biloxi on April 17.  More than 150 braved threatening weather to socialize and enjoy the Personal Best presentation with race walker Donna Gonzales. Shown in the photo is (l to r) Biloxi Mayor Robert Deming III, MSO Co-Chair and Biloxi Recreation Director Cheryl Bell, Gonzales, and NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker. If you are curious to see what belly dancing and race walking have in common, read Gonzales' Personal Best profile "Walk Like A Mississippian" and appreciate why she is a great example of Personal Best attitude.

 

Riker acknowledged several athletes we considered featuring and explained that every senior athlete is an example of Personal Best attitude. "I challenge each one of you to recruit one other person to also become active and to consider taking up their own favorite sport as you have done," he concluded.  

 

See fun photos and read more about the visit in our tour blog on the Personal Best webpage.

HUMANA Heroes: Athlete of the Month

Medal Worthy in More Than One Way

Jane Soeten has earned medals as a senior athlete, including one gold and two bronze from the 2013 National Senior Games presented by Humana. Last year, however, she picked up a special medal from a very different field of play when she traveled from Wasilla, Alaska to Washington, DC to receive a Congressional medal for her service in the Civil Air Patrol during World War II.

 

Soeten began as a 14 year old cadet in 1943. "That was typical for teens at that time," she recalls. "We were all trying to figure out how we could contribute to winning the war. All the young men would lie to get into the service if they weren't old enough." She wanted to be a WASP - the colloquial term for the Women Air Force Service Pilots. Before she turned 16, the Tulsa, Oklahoma teen had a single engine flight certificate and experience flying Piper Cub, PT19, and PT22 aircraft. She hoped to take planes across the ocean, but then the war ended. She went on to have a successful career that included 25 years as executive director of a YWCA branch in Tulsa.

 

Like many pre Title IX women, Jane did not have the opportunity to play sports as a youth. "When I was growing up, it was not considered ladylike to play sports," she says. "We had gym in high school, and that was about it. We had to wear bloomers." At 65 her doctor advised her to "use it or lose it" so she entered Tulsa's local Senior Games in track and field. She has been a regular competitor in National Senior Games since 1989, expanding her sport profile to include basketball and racquetball along the way. She particularly enjoyed being part of her Sooner Gals championship women's senior basketball team for many years, and was even featured on the Rosie O'Donnell Show in 2012. "I talk Senior Games like I'm talking about breakfast, lunch and dinner," she quips.

 

In 2013, Soeten moved from Oklahoma to Wasilla, 80 miles north of Anchorage, to live closer to her daughter. She's overcome the challenges of training in an isolated location in novel ways. "I love racquetball. It's a strategy game. You have to watch your opponent and find a weak spot. You try to put the ball where you know they can't return it," she explains. "But the only courts within 80 miles of here are at an expensive membership club.  So I go downstairs and can practice against my garage door. It's not too bad."

 

Soeten has been most successful with field events, and takes a novel approach to keep up those skills. "I have a broomstick for my javelin, a 5 pound dumbbell for my shot put, and I use a Frisbee or a dish as a discus - it helps for the motion and the coordination." Her three 2013 medals, along with a 3rd best all time National Senior Games women's 85-89 hammer throw, testify to her determination.

 

What does the Congressional medal mean to Jane Soeten? "You know, it's really hard to explain what it means, 'cause you think of all the sacrifices made by the whole country in World War II," she says. "Why single out someone like me to recognize when there were so many who sacrificed?"

 

We're always looking for great athlete stories.  Submit yours or nominate a fellow athlete who inspires you at our Athlete of the Month page at NSGA.com!

Senior Health and Wellness

Humana Wellness Tip: A "Berry" Easy Way to Lower Risk of Heart Attack

Here's a tasty tip offered by Heather Sumpter, a Community Health Educator for Humana at Home:  

 

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women according to the American Heart Association. In fact, women are more likely to die from a heart attack compared to men. Luckily, there is some new research that suggests by making a simple nutritional change, a woman can reduce her risk of heart attack by 32%. What is the secret?  Berries.

 

Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Anglia found that women who eat three or more servings of berries will benefit greatly. Specifically, weekly consumption of blueberries and strawberries lowers the risk of a heart attack. These berry types are important because they contain properties that improve blood flow and counter plaque buildup.

 

A serving of berries equals about one cup. This can be easily incorporated in your daily nutrition regime. In addition, berries are low in calories, so you won't break your diet. It can be as easy as adding a serving to a daily smoothie or with yogurt as a snack.

 

You should always consult with your doctor before changing your nutritional habits to ensure this is the right decision for you. Keep in mind that these findings do not imply that berries are a magic pill for heart disease. This simple change should be implemented in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle, including a well-balanced diet and physical activity. Visit the American Heart Association site to learn more about how to reduce your risk of heart disease.

 

NSGA thanks Humana for sharing this article. For more information on a wide range of related topics, please visit The Learning Center at www.Humana.com.

 

Some Facts about Hearing Loss That May Surprise You

Did you know hearing loss can affect people of all ages, from infants, to adolescents, to the elderly? Here are some facts about hearing loss that may surprise you:

 

1. Over five percent of the world's population - 360 million people - has disabling hearing loss.

2. One in five Americans suffers from hearing loss. Eighty percent do nothing about it.

3. One in six baby boomers (ages 49-69) have hearing loss. In people over age 60, that number is one in three!

4. Ten million Americans have suffered irreversible noise-induced hearing loss, and 30 million more are exposed to dangerous noise levels each day.

 

There are many causes for hearing loss. Main causes include:

  • Aging
  • Repeated exposure to loud noises
  • Infections
  • Injuries to the head or ear
  • Birth defects or genetics
  • Ototoxic reaction to drugs or cancer treatment

If you or someone you love has hearing loss, take the next step and schedule a hearing test. Treatment can make a difference!

 

Be sure to visit the Starkey Hearing Technologies booth, #219, at the Village Expo to learn more about hearing loss. Starkey Hearing Technologies is proud to be the Official Hearing Partner of the 2015 National Senior Games presented by Humana.

NSGA Online Merchandise Store

Wear The Games Before You Get to The Games!

July is right around the corner. Get into your zone by ordering a 2015 Logo Tee Shirt to wear while you ramp up your training! 


Visit The NSGA Store at NSGA.com where you will find a wide variety of gear in your choice of sizes and colors.  Get in now and wear it proudly!