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Across the Fence:  99 year old finishes two mile Women's Run!  |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
 Posted - May 07 2011 : 8:14:46 PM
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What an awesome lady! I want to be like her when I grow up! Isn't she awesome?
http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/article_20006bdc-0c46-541d-95b4-8c4a36701054.html
Ninety-nine-year-old Mary Denton has a bucket list of three things she wants to do before she turns 100 in October.
Denton, a tiny, white-haired Billings woman, cut that list to two on Saturday when she crossed the finish line of the Montana Women's Run.
Denton was the very last to finish the two-mile course, one hour and 8 minutes after she started. But nothing deterred her from the goal that she set for herself.
"I'm always saying I'd like to do this or that, and most of the time I do," Denton said after she crossed the finish line.
Three generations of family accompanied Denton, lending a hand along the way when she needed it. She walked slowly but steadily, holding onto a walker to keep her balance.
Occasionally Denton used bottled oxygen to give her a lift. And twice she agreed to a brief rest, allowing herself to be pushed in a wheelchair.
But she walked the majority of the two miles by herself and was determined to finish on her own two feet. She completed the walk to applause from bystanders.
Denton comes from sturdy stock. Her sister, Toni, who died at age 102, wanted to go on a helicopter ride for her 102nd birthday and that wish came true.
Denton herself has never shied away from excitement in the sky.
"When she was just a young girl, a pilot gave her a ride in a biplane over the farm," said her daughter, Charliene Price. "She didn't tell her parents."
Denton grew up in Michigan, Price said. She moved to Montana in 1981.
For much of the past decade she has lived at St. John's Lutheran Ministries in assisted living. This is the fourth time she has walked in the Women's Run, one time not long after she underwent her second hip-replacement surgery, in 2003.
She was unable to finish the walk in 2004, Price said. That made her all that more determined to get all the way through it one more time.
Granddaughter Mary Palmer, who took part in the Women's Run for the first time Saturday, said Denton is one of the most compassionate, uplifting and positive people she's ever known.
"People at St. John's love her," Palmer said. "She doesn't complain and she always has a smile for you."
A year ago Denton was diagnosed with diverticulitis, which put her into full-time nursing care at St John's. But Denton loves to walk, and a physical therapist helped her to start walking again, boosting her stamina.
She's back to walking a mile, usually without the help of an oxygen tube, Palmer said.
"She's just an amazing lady," she said. "She's a fighter."
Denton walked the course in white pants, a white sweater and bright-pink gloves on her hands. Occasionally she'd make a comment to Price or Palmer or the others.
"I like to pace myself, I think that works better," she said at one point.
Later, when asked how she was doing, Denton said, "I'm not even warmed up yet."
Further along the course, she said the next thing she wants to work on is her balance, "so I can do it without my walker next year."
In the meantime, by Oct. 8, when she turns a century old, Denton has two more items to check off her list: dancing and riding in a hot-air balloon.
No one walking with her on Saturday has any doubt she'll get it done.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
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Penny Wise
True Blue Farmgirl
1903 Posts
Margo
Elyria
OH
USA
1903 Posts |
Posted - May 07 2011 : 8:45:34 PM
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thanks for sharing!!!!
how awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Farmgirl # 2139
~*~ counting my pennies and biding my time; my dreams are adding up!~*~ |
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embchicken
True Blue Farmgirl
1487 Posts
Elaine
Ocean
NJ
USA
1487 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2011 : 06:24:08 AM
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Amazing - Bless her!
~ Elaine
Farmgirl sister #2822
"Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things." ~Saki
http://embchicken.blogspot.com
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2011 : 06:26:56 AM
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wow alee,that is one tough woman. her family sure looks proud. sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2011 : 06:48:11 AM
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Isn't it great? There is an awesome lesson in this ladies! Get up! Stay moving and motivated! Age is just an arbitrary number and when we start saying "I can't I'm too old-" That is when it becomes our reality. So my new goal in life is two fold- stay active and never again say "I'm too old to do this" whether it is some sort of activity or whether it is shelving my adult mentality to get down and play make believe with Nora for hours at a time. :)
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
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Blessed in Colorado
True Blue Farmgirl
6661 Posts
Debbie L.
Oregon
USA
6661 Posts |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2011 : 07:05:01 AM
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Mary Denton is an inspiration! What a fantastic lesson for us all in determination and stick-to-it-ness!!!! I'll never again say that I'm too old to do something! Thank you Alee!
Annika
Farmgirl & sister #13
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. ~Leonardo DaVinci
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Shi-anne
True Blue Farmgirl
596 Posts
Cheryl
Ada
OK
USA
596 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2011 : 09:50:55 AM
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I love this story, Alee! It is amazing what we can do, if we are willing to try!
http://theprairiemaid.blogspot.com/
Farmgirls don't have hot flashes ~ They have power surges! |
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smiley
True Blue Farmgirl
650 Posts
lea
pea ridge
arkansas
USA
650 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2011 : 8:29:23 PM
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| I was just getting ready to log off and call it a day when I decided to read"one more". What an uplifting story to retire on. Thanks for sharing |
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walkinwalkoutcattle
True Blue Farmgirl
1675 Posts
Megan
Paint Lick
KY
USA
1675 Posts |
Posted - May 08 2011 : 8:43:40 PM
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That is SO incredible! :) Good for her!
Farmgirl #2879 :)
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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gypsy goat
True Blue Farmgirl
673 Posts
mary jo
michigan
673 Posts |
Posted - May 09 2011 : 4:59:19 PM
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very cool! we should all have such determination
farmgirl#1362 whatever you are be a good one-abe lincoln |
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Across the Fence: 99 year old finishes two mile Women's Run! |
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99 year old finishes two mile Women's Run!
