Gathering Strength

The Arnold returns to Columbus for its 25th year

Ladson-Wofford had planned to compete in the 5K Pump & Run at the 25th annual Arnold Sports Festival. Registration was closed before she had a chance to sign up, but you’ll be able to see a couple other New Albany residents compete.

This year, the Arnold runs Feb. 28-March 3. Events take place in and around downtown Columbus.

A total of 45 sports and events, from bodybuilding and weightlifting to mixed martial arts and archery, make up the Arnold agenda this year.

New in 2013 are the Arnold Scottish Highland Games, featuring such competitions as the Scottish hammer throw and the caber toss; the Arnold, Champions & Legends Sunday Morning Showcase, an information session and Q&A with event founder and namesake Arnold Schwarzenegger and the winners of several festival competitions; and the Arnold Party with the Pros, the official after-party for the Arnold at the new Hollywood Casino Columbus.

That’s on top of the usual highlights, which include the Arnold Fitness Expo, this year boasting more than 700 exhibitors selling the latest in sports equipment, apparel and nutrition; and the Arnold Classic, the professional bodybuilding competition that started it all.

New Albany High School Principal Ric Stranges is planning to participate in the 5K walk/run, which is scheduled for 9:15 a.m. March 3.

“I love this run and being a part of the Classic festivities,” Stranges says. “I run with my 12 year old son and we like to go to the events after the race. It’s a great way to kick off the Spring and it is truly a first class event.” runs, and Saturdays and Sundays are longer walks or runs. During the summer, cycling replaces two of the walk/ run days. Monday is her day off.

New Albany second grade teacher LeNora Angles, who took third place in the Arnold Amateur Figure Competition last year and second place in 2010, is planning to compete again this year, as well.

More recently, she picked up cycling at her brother’s suggestion and running at her trainer’s suggestion. She had initial doubts about both of them, but challenged herself to push forward anyway. After some initial struggles, she’s incorporated both activities into her weekly regimen. Her progress has been swift. At the beginning of the summer, she could barely run a quarter-mile, but now she can manage 4 miles without stopping.

Though there’s much more to her workouts than walking now, LadsonWofford continues to make strides there; she can walk a mile in about 11 minutes and 45 seconds, but thinks she can do better. Her time in the Capital City Half Marathon was 2 hours, 33 minutes.

Ladson-Wofford has also made changes to her diet to further push herself toward physical fitness. She’s ramped up the vegetables and cut down on bread and pizza, and has gotten rid of junk food entirely – even the vanilla wafers she loved so much.

“I really loved those in college, and they loved me back,” she says.

Her determination helped her overcome the initial soreness posed by all her exercise activities and avoid making excuses to get out of a workout. She’s physically stronger, feeling healthier and isn’t noticing the knee problems she was experiencing just a few years ago.

Though her patients’ health problems were part of Ladson-Wofford’s motivation for exercising more, their strength is another part. Kidney disease patients are some of the strongest people she has met, she says. And though some are unhealthy, others are inspiring; she has a patient in her 80s who still walks 2-3 miles each week.

“I learn a lot from my patients,” she says. “I wondered if I could be as strong as my patients.”

Garth Bishop is a contributing editor. Feedback welcome at laurand@city scenemediagroup.com.

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