Tip Of The Week

An Inspiring Story: The Dipsea Demon

If you are looking for motivation at the start of another year you can't go past Jack "The Dipsea Demon" Kirk for inspiration. If, over the last year, you have hit a road block and found your activity levels drop off for one reason or another then you too need to read this. Why? Well, the Dipsea Demon probably said it best:

"You don't stop running because you get old. You get old because you stop running"

Lifestyle Programs

Jack Kirk, also known as the Dipsea Demon has become a legend for all of the right reasons. One of those reasons is holding the world record for the most consecutive running of any foot race. The Dipsea Race, first run in 1905, is run every year in June and covers 7.4 miles (almost 12 km's). Jack Kirk completed the race a word record breaking 67 times, spanning from 1930 and continuing until 2002 when Jack was 95.

The Race

First run in 1905, the Dipsea is the oldest trail race in America. The course covers 7.4 miles (almost 12km's) in Mill Valley, North California. Whilst the distance is a little under 12 k's what makes the race challenging is the 671 stairs facing runners at the start, the gruelling traverse across the top of Mount Tamalpais followed by a dangerous descent down a steep ravine towards Stinson Beach. All up the ascent equates to a 1362-foot climb (415 meters) with the peak at the appropriately named Cardiac Hill.

The Man

Jack "The Dipsea Demon" Kirk achieved this feat an astonishing 67 times and won the event twice, at age 44 and 60 and received the best time award for two races. Jack completed each race dressed the same, trousers, shirt, beanie and old fashioned ladies tennis shoes. The way Jack Kirk lived his life made the man unique. He slept in old VW Bugs on his 400 acre property, 40 miles outside of Yosemite. He was a dedicated naturalist, well versed in Botany, Geology and Astronomy and lived his lifetime as a vegetarian, raising most of his food on his property.

Jack Kirks attitude was what probably set him apart. Jack was famous for his saying "more fun" which he would state with every challenge and new opportunity he encountered. He was a renowned story teller with many a tale to tell.

Jack Kirk died at the age of 100, in 2007, 3 years after falling and breaking his hip resulting in a double hip replacement. This ultimately took away his much prized independence, requiring him to rely on others in the hope of restoring his health. In the end it may well be that he didn't stop running because he got old, he got old because he stopped running.

What can we take from Jack's story?

That's up to you. It might be the fact that Jack was able to complete the Dipsea Trail well into his 90's while many of us struggle to be active at a much younger age. It might be the way he lived his life, not wasting a thing, and working with his land rather than on it or taking from it. Or it might be his ability to enjoy his lot in life, find the fun where ever he may be, ever the optimist. Or the fact that he lived to 100, with a high level of quality of life up until his later years when he began to lose his independence.

What ever it might be, each time we hear a story like this, whilst inspiring, it tells us nothing new. Our lifestyle is the key when it comes to our health, our happiness and even our ecology & environment. We have the tools, its how we chose to use them that matters. What will be your lifestyle for 2010?

Australian Lifestyle Medicine Conference

If you are a member of the Australian Lifestyle Medicine Assiociation (ALMA), work in the area of allied health or primary care or just interested to know more about this unqiue area from the leaders in Lifestyle Medicine check out ALMA's National Lifestyle Medicine Conference set for March 2010.

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