MARATHONS ARE HIS ROAD TO RECOVERY.Byline: - Nicole Sunkes By the time you read this, John Ball will have run his 10th straight Los Angeles Marathon The Los Angeles Marathon is an annual marathon held in Los Angeles, California since 1986. It was inspired by the success of the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles. The race starts at about 8:15AM and runs through Downtown Los Angeles, Koreatown, the Crenshaw district, and , raising thousands of dollars for Parkinson disease Parkinson Disease Definition Parkinson disease (PD) is a progressive movement disorder marked by tremors, rigidity, slow movements (bradykinesia), and posture instability. along the way. The 60-year-old Whittier man runs with Team Parkinson, an organization he co-founded five years ago that raises money for Parkinson disease research through marathons across the country. Ball was diagnosed with the brain disorder 22 years ago. ``Marathons took me out of my personal isolation with Parkinson,'' said Ball. ``I was very much isolated as far as knowing anybody else with Parkinson disease.'' This year, the organization had more than 100 athletes sign up for Sunday's marathon and joint Emerald Nuts 5K Run/Walk. The goal was to raise about $150,000 for Parkinson disease research. Team Parkinson is the official charity of the San Francisco Marathon The San Francisco Marathon is an annual marathon, which has been held since 1977 in July or August in San Francisco. The next event will be held on Sunday 29 July, 2007. and the Lilac Bloomsday Run The Lilac Bloomsday Run is an annual timed road running event in Spokane, Washington, held the first Sunday of every May since 1977. The course is 12km (7.46mi) long. The course starts in downtown Spokane and heads northwest along the far west end of town, passes by Mukogowa Ft. in Spokane, Wash. Runners in marathons all over the country raise money for Team Parkinson as well. To find out more about Team Parkinson, visit the organization's Web site at www.teamparkinsonla.org. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: John Ball of Whittier, seen here finishing a race in 2003, has helped to raise thousands of dollars for Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease or Parkinsonism, degenerative brain disorder first described by the English surgeon James Parkinson in 1817. When there is no known cause, the disease usually appears after age 40 and is referred to as Parkinson's disease. research through his running. |
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