Dauphin County Edition
June 2014
Vol. 16 No. 6
In It for the Long, Long Run Athlete, Cancer Survivor Ran First Marathon at 51 By Chelsea Peifer Some people spend months or even years training to run a marathon. After all, the 26.2 grueling miles require the human body to be in topnotch condition. But after beating cancer in her late 30s—and with a long-running commitment to exercise driving her—Karen Charlesworth decided to go for it, running her first marathon at age 51. While the now 59-year-old Harrisburg resident said that she was “definitely sore the next day,” Charlesworth strives to always try something new, and the marathon was just one of many adventures she seeks out each passing year. “I love running with others and getting them to the finish line, especially newbies,” she said. “I will run at their pace, regardless, and talk with them to divert their uncomfortable feelings with the first run they have done.” Since surviving colon cancer at age 37, Charlesworth is incredibly grateful for her life, and she hopes to make every year special. Initially, Charlesworth’s doctor misdiagnosed her as having depression, but she knew that wasn’t the case. Always energetic and in tune with her body, Charlesworth could tell that something was amiss because she no longer had her normal energy level. She was becoming out of breath just walking from parking lots and into please see RUN page 15 Athlete and cancer survivor Karen Charlesworth ran her first marathon at age 51 and hopes to inspire others to take control of their own health.
Inside:
A Salute to Our Veterans of D-Day page 4
Men’s Health Resources page 7