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Health Matters Observer

FEBRUARY 2021

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Equine therapy programs provide an opportunity to flourish . PAGE 2

BUSY AS A BEE

DEPRESSION UPS RISK

PICTURE OF HEALTH

PAGE 4

PAGE 8

PAGE 11

Why tending a garden is good for the soul.

How mental health impacts your heart.

Woman races in remembrance of her father.

HEALTH MATTERS

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FEBRUARY 2021

WANT TO RIDE?

SMART bases its therapeutic riding program on good horsemanship, sound riding techniques, and therapeutic and hippotherapy standards. Lessons challenge riders physically, cognitively and emotionally. SMART charges $60 an hour for group riding therapy and $75 every half hour for individual lessons. Those interested may email SMART@SmartRiders.org or call 322-2000.

RIDING FOR RELIEF File photos

A carriage option is offered for clients who cannot mount a horse.

SMART offers a place for clients to relax and build healthy routines during the pandemic.

BRYNN MECHEM STAFF WRITER

hen Amy Hammon watched her 3-year-old daughter, Elle, ride on a horse that was 15 hands tall, she wasn’t nervous. She was elated. Elle, who has a seizure disorder and is unable to go to school, is often soft spoken. However, after Hammon began taking Elle and her two other children, who

also have disabilities, to Sarasota Manatee Association for Riding Therapy for regular sessions, she was able to communicate more effectively. “My 3-year-old — who is not self-confident, who is quiet and very demurred and doesn’t speak — got on the horse, rode the horse and actually learned to say, ‘Whoa,’ which for me was priceless,” Hammon said. “To see her connect and ride with no fear, it just brought tears to my eyes.”

Hammon, who has been involved with SMART for about six months, said the organization has become a haven for her family. Staff members have helped her children, who are on the autism spectrum, learn how to handle anxiety and implement a routine and order into their lives. According to the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association, equine therapy can treat a variety of diagnoses including behavioral issues, attention

deficit disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, depression, anxiety and communication needs. Although Hammon said the programs are great for her children, they also can help people who are struggling with anxiety or depression, particularly as a result of COVID-19. U.S. Census Bureau data from 2020 found that for every 100 adults, 34 have shown symptoms of anxiety, depression or both throughout the pandemic. The findings were a large jump from previous years, and in some cases, the number of people showing symptoms doubled from 2014. “We could all use it to feel better about our life right now,” Hammon said. “I mean, COVID-19 has hit people hard, and it’s made us change and rethink our life goals, and this can really help you work through that.” SMART is certified by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, which means it follows a set of safety standards to do its programming.

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Clients work through various mounted activities to boost their cognitive functions.

Courtesy photo

Above: Clients use mounted programs to build muscles and confidence. Left: Nineyear-old John, Amy and 6-yearold Juliahna Hammon regularly attend sessions to help implement a routine in their lives.

“We have students that are immobile, and when they’re sitting on top of the horse, they are equal with everyone else,” Arnold said. “There’s no one looking down on them, and that can be a big boost to their confidence.” No matter what program clients choose, Arnold said the benefits and skills for people of all ages learned during therapy go hand in hand with the acquisition of basic living skills. “Whether it’s learning how to express their emotions or how to use proper body mechanics to control the horse, all of it builds on their abilities, and it’s a big deal for them,” Arnold said. Aside from the targeted benefits, Hammon said SMART offers her children, who often can’t compete in team sports, a place to feel welcome. “Having your child love something and having your child be loved by something is unmeasurable,” she said. “Having your child feel successful and independent and self-confident, that is every parent’s dream.”

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and need of the client. The groundwork programs focus on practicing activities, such as feeding or grooming the horses. These activities allow individuals to choose an activity that might be outside their skill level and talk through any feelings stimulated by the activity. Performing the activities on a weekly basis allows clients to have an activity schedule, which often might be avoided in day-to-day life. However, a sense of structure can help foster a responsible and confident client. Mounted activities allow clients to build up muscles and muscle memory to achieve specific goals in their lives. For example, if clients have a long-term goal to ride a bicycle, they will work on strengthening core muscles and building their balance, so they can take those skills to a bike. Sequential mounted activities, such as weaving through cones or maneuvering over a cavaletti, are good for clients who have different abilities because it builds selfconfidence, Arnold said.

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SMART horse leaders often work alongside occupational, speech and physical therapists to help clients meet both short-term and long-term goals. Through various programs, clients build muscles while riding, overcome anxiety through grooming routines and work on their speech while reading to the horses. Terri Arnold, a volunteer coordinator of SMART, said horses often can offer a safe space for clients to open up in ways that traditional therapy often doesn’t. According to the International Equestrian Federation, horses have several unique traits that make them a top choice for animal-assisted therapy. Horses are nonjudgmental, which allows clients to explore their emotions without fear of judgment. Horses also are keen observers and often mirror a client’s behaviors or emotions, creating a sense of understanding between the animal and client. “Horses are amazing in that they live in the moment and don’t judge,” Arnold said. “If someone’s having anxiety, just coming up and grooming or putting their hands on the horse and taking a breath is extremely helpful.” Therapy sessions with horses can help clients improve their physical skills as well as develop traits including empathy, confidence, self-efficacy, emotion regulation, positive self-image and trust in others. Although most people think equine therapy always involves a mounted session, Arnold said it can involve more than just riding a horse. In fact, in some sessions, clients won’t touch the horse at all. SMART offers a variety of unmounted and mounted sessions depending on comfort level

FLORIDA’S TURNPIKE

HEALTH MATTERS

YourObserver.com

FEBRUARY 2021

Gardens provide escape from COVID-19 Two lifelong gardeners explain how their favorite hobby provides a soothing presence in their lives. BRENDAN LAVELL STAFF WRITER

Brendan Lavell

Lori Walker stands with her Brazilian red cloak in the garden outside her lanai. Walker says gardening is her sanity, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

TAKING YOUR HEALTH TO THE NEXT LEVEL

rom sourdough baking to pottery making, people have been searching for new hobbies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Another activity that has become more popular is gardening. The Observer spoke with two lifelong gardeners about why tending to a collection of plants can be good for the heart, mind and soul. Former Lakewood Ranch Garden Club President Lori Walker, who has been gardening since she was 6 years old, said it is her sanity, especially during pandemic. She said several hours often pass without checking the time when she is tending to the garden on her lanai. Walker likes that she can always see the results of her work and called gardening a calming and tranquil activity. “It’s a sense of satisfaction, a job well done,” Walker said. “When you stand back and say, ‘Oh, maybe tomorrow I’ll have to come and do a little bit more over here.’ But eventually, it’s perfect. And that’s why it gives me great pleasure.” Gardening is an excellent way to forget about the pandemic, said Longboat Key Garden Club President Susan Phillips, who has been gardening her whole life. She said it’s one of the few parts of her life, along with cooking, that have remained normal during the pandemic. Even when going for a walk, she takes a face mask with her in case she has to pass someone on the sidewalk, and when going to the beach, she still has to social distance. “I don’t have to wear a mask or gloves or social distance with my plants,” Phillips said. “When I’m out in the yard working, it’s the furthest thing from my mind. It is an escape. A happy, healthy, constructive, enriching activity. It’s just wonderful.” Phillips said she enjoys gardening because it’s a constructive activity that requires gardeners to provide a certain amount of nur-

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ture, which she believes creates positivity in her life. She thinks taking care of plants while gardening gives her a better perspective. It forces her to be more giving and understanding, traits she can carry over into her interactions with people in everyday life. “Everything has to be cultivated, nurtured,” Phillips said. “You have to spend time tending to it. And that’s relationships or work or your pets, your gardens. Anything.” She said there’s something exciting about simply watching her orchids bloom — she calls it a gift. There’s something powerful in simply fixing a plant that is struggling to grow. Phillips gave the example of pruning a plant that has become clunky-looking and has shed too many leaves. You cut away the dead and overgrown parts, and the plant grows back healthier. “It’s almost curative sometimes,” Phillips said. “Gardening not only to the plant itself but to you inside.” Walker, meanwhile, said providing life to her plants through the care she gives them makes her feel like a mother, adding that it’s evident when she neglects them. She doesn’t think about her own problems while she’s gardening because she has to think about her plants’ problems. Phillips also said gardening provides quiet time that is soothing and even meditative for her. When she’s tending to her garden, she’s able to clear her head of everything else and focus only on her plants instead of work, COVID-19 or family problems. Soaking in the fresh air and sunshine doesn’t hurt either. Phillips believes gardening is an excellent way to get closer with nature. Walker agreed and thinks it’s especially important to stay in touch with nature in today’s world, where people are more inclined to stay indoors. She believes part of the satisfaction of gardening is getting your hands dirty. She doesn’t even mind cleaning her finger-

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“It’s a sense of satisfaction, a job well done. When you stand back and say, ‘Oh, maybe tomorrow I’ll have to come and do a little bit more over here.’ But eventually, it’s perfect. And that’s why it gives me great pleasure.” — Lori Walker

nails of dirt afterward. At least, not that much. “I do wear gloves, but every once in a while I go, ‘Oh well, I’ll be careful,’” Walker said. “Yeah, right.” Phillips recently brought nature to her garden in a unique way. She was walking through the woods in one of her friend’s neighborhoods when they spotted some wild aloe plants. The two of them harvested the plants, and Phillips took them home and planted them in her yard.

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“Instead of them living out in the wild and kind of underappreciated, I’m looking at them every day,” Phillips said. “And I remember doing that little project with my friend. Those aloe plants have, since that, created these offshoots. And where I planted one, I now have seven of them. And they’re healthy and beautiful. And they came from that little walk I took. “I saw something beautiful that was being underappreciated, and I brought it home, and they’re thriving. Now when I walk, I look for little treasures like that.” Phillips said that people who don’t have a way to garden outside — whether they live in an apartment complex or somewhere the landscaping is controlled by someone else — can still find ways to enjoy the power of plants. She recommended setting space aside for plants in the corner of your kitchen or dining room or balcony. Even taking a walk in a community garden, she said, can help people appreciate nature in a different form.

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Lori Walker also has foxtail ferns, ixora shrubs and pygmy date palm in the garden in front of her house.

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FEBRUARY 2021

STEPPING IT UP

Older adults have boosted their fitness routines since the pandemic began.

MARK BERGIN STAFF WRITER

hen the COVID-19 pandemic forced gyms, yoga studios and other fitness centers to close in March 2020, people worldwide had to look elsewhere for exercise. In doing so, most fitness routines dropped dramatically, a U.K.-based study found, with one exception: The only age group to have increased physical activity since before lockdowns was people 65 and older. The study focused on physical activity before, during and after the initial pandemic lockdown. The research tracked the longitudinal weekly minutes of physical activity of more than 5,000 people using an app from January to June 2020. Older adults were the quickest to regain and then improve upon their pre-lockdown physical activity. Although the study cannot confirm any causes of the change of activity, one author of the study told The New York Times, older adults’ increase was likely because of a greater concern for their immune system due to COVID-19, motivating them to move and be outdoors more, as well as more free time on their hands compared to younger

adults with more child care, work and other responsibilities. In mid-May when The Paradise Center in Longboat Key reopened, Executive Director Suzy Brenner said there was strong attendance at the facility with several safety measures in place. “Not only did we have decent turnout, but I think we probably had our best summer ever,” Brenner said. “We increased our exercise offerings to include tai chi and qi gong and hula dance classes. And so many people came to try anything and everything because a lot of us were desperate for human interaction and a way to do it safely.” Brenner said The Paradise Center has filled a void for many people living in condominiums whose gyms closed because of the pandemic. “The social interaction is such a huge part of life,” Brenner said. The craving for human connection prompted downtown Sarasota resident Jane Reed, 73, and several of her friends in their 80s to attend a weekly yoga class hosted at Sarasota’s Bayfront Park by Sarasota resident Erin Hurter. Hurter, who was working as an industry development manager on behalf of Visit Sarasota County, began teaching the classes in May after seeing how the pandemic was affecting local busi-

Mark Bergin

Since May 2020, Erin Hurter has offered free yoga classes on Tuesday evenings at Bayfront Park in Sarasota.

“I’m constantly saying: ‘This is not your neighbor’s yoga practice. This is not my yoga practice. This is yours.’” — Erin Hurter

ness owners. “One thing that I taught and know because of yoga is that we can’t change what’s happening in our world, but we can change our reaction to it,” she said. “That’s kind of the premise of exactly how this started.” “Doing yoga outside is magical, and Erin is just a fabulous teacher,” Reed said. “Being out in the

air where we don’t have to have a mask on, and we can social distance, and we can also be working all of our muscles, all of our joints and breathing in this great air with this beautiful, beautiful Sarasota Bay behind us, how could it get better than that? And watching the sunset?” Reed also expressed her appreciation for Hurter’s instruction, which offers a variety of different modifications in many of the yoga poses. “This is good because it’s not having to run or do something that requires a lot of the workout,” Reed said. “You’re doing it at your own pace, you’re doing what you can do, and then you’re building

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FEBRUARY 2021

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Reed mentioned the importance for people to stay active. “As we age, if we can move, and if we can keep moving in some way, we are going to manage to stay healthier all the way around,” Reed said. Brenner agreed. “[The mental side is] absolutely just as important as the physical side,” Brenner said. “The best thing you can do for that is to get out and about, get out of your head space and be with other people and just have fun.”

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on that.” Hurter attributes her instructing abilities to what she calls “the gift of gab.” “I talk the entire time, and so I can say, ‘This is modification one, two [or] three,” Hurter said. “I can give different modifications, and throughout the beginning of the class, the end of the class, throughout the class, I’m constantly saying: ‘This is not your neighbor’s yoga practice. This is not my yoga practice. This is yours.’” Laura Horner, 54, said she considers herself more of a runner than a yogi. “I needed a different kind of stress relief, and I don’t normally do yoga,” Horner said. “I hadn’t done yoga in years, but I needed to do something for myself that brought up that mental refresh as well.” Horner considers the yoga classes as a welcome break from her role in the health care industry. “I always am so grateful after I come down here and experience this,” Horner said. “My husband notices a difference when I get home.”

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he human heart is arguably the most critical organ we have, the center piece that pumps blood to every part of our body and keeps us in moving shape. There are all sorts of issues that can come with that, though. Dr. Chippy Ajithan understands matters of the heart. The Sarasota Memorial Hospital staff physician, who works at the Sarasota Memorial Medical Arts Building, has been a specialist in cardiology for two decades. The cardiovascular field is defined by immediate observable metrics, the way a heart is damaged by external factors and how it can degrade. That’s how Ajithan started in her field, but as time has gone on, she has a new opinion: The entire human being needs to be treated as an entity to bring about better health. She said we should consider how mental illness and damage can translate into the physical realm and affect our hearts and bodies. There’s preliminary evidence to support her beliefs. A November 2020 American Heart Association study found that people with depression were significantly more likely to have worse cardio-

vascular health. The AHA survey, which included more than 4,000 people, screened for depression and cross-referenced it with weight, diet, smoking habits, physical activity and other factors. The research indicated people with severe depression were three times more likely to have heart disease than those without depression, and people with mild to moderate cases were 1.4 times more likely. “So much of our psychological health has been linked to disease,” Ajithan said. “The concept of how depression, chronic stress, anxiety, having sort of this pessimistic and dissatisfied view on life, anger — all of that relates to disease. And how having the opposite by being optimistic, having resilience and finding gratitude … makes a positive impact.” The traditional culprits of heart disease are well known, which isn’t to say people follow healthy habits. A history of smoking, diabetes, poor eating habits, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a sedentary lifestyle can all lead to heart damage. Ajithan has seen patients come in for years with heart disease and damage, and she can tell pretty quickly if one of the aforementioned facts is playing a part. Having more of these risk factors exponentially increases the possibility of disease, and Ajithan said she has been seeing an increasing number people coming in with these many factors. She said people’s struggles with heart disease and risk factors are clearly not getting better and, if anything, are getting worse. She

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— Dr. Chippy Ajithan

attributes that to a growing population dealing with high levels of stress, which can lead to turning to quick, easier foods that are higher in calories and relatively less healthy. “Modern life has spiraled into this current existence of not having time, being overworked and being overwhelmed,” Ajithan said. “And we let our health go.” She’s starting to combat that by encouraging a mindfulness and all-encompassing health plan that considers mental hardships. On her end, that requires sitting down with patients and learning more about them, something that could be overlooked with a different approach. She remembers one patient who had a family history of premature heart disease but made sure to eat healthy and even run in marathons. All the same, Ajithan said, the patient had relationship that went badly, which led to addiction and a spiral that ended in a heart attack. Physical symptoms were no doubt part of the reason for the heart troubles, but Ajithan said the difficult personal conditions were a factor as well. “We know [physical symptoms] to be tried and true,” she said. “When something is very black

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and white, and when you have five minutes per patient, you focus on that, and you move on. “But it’s so varied with things [that lead to physical issues] that you would never imagine. These are individuals that look like they are completely put together. Until you ask, you don’t know.” What’s required from patients, in her eyes, is a willingness to confront those mental issues they might not want to. Repression can be an easy out, but it can also lead to bottled emotions that can damage your entire body. Eating healthier and finding diets that can combat certain cardiovascular issues are also critical. For those looking to go another way, meditation can bring a sense of peace that can combat depression and anxiety. As for exercise, which can help with both physical and mental strain, Ajithan wants people to think about high-intensity interval training, which involves a quicker but more demanding level of exercise. She said depression and anxiety can cause physiological symptoms that trigger our sense of flight or flight, and that kind of heightened alertness can suppress your body and immune system from healing when fighting illness. Instead, trying to stay in a positive mindset can be much better for your body. “Wellness is true psychological and physical well-being where there is a true sense of resilience, optimism, purpose, happiness and joy to your life,” she said. “No matter what happens to you, you have the ability to deal with it in a very healthy manner.”

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SCBC led the charge in discovering how transfusing plasma that contains COVID-19 antibodies into a person still fighting the virus can provide a boost to the patient’s immune system and potentially help them recover. Individuals who recover from COVID-19 have developed antibodies to the virus that remain in the plasma portion of their blood, and the convalescent plasma of these individuals has proven to be an effective treatment! One out of five COVID-19 patients needs convalescent plasma. SCBC is the ONLY community nonprofit blood center that provides convalescent plasma for Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Manatee Memorial Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center and eight other local hospitals at NO COST.

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Upon learning this information, Ron jumped into action. Beginning in April of 2020, he became a frequent donor of convalescent plasma. Plasma donations can occur as often as every 14 days. To date, Ron has donated twelve times! Each donation helps in creating four doses of treatment for the local supply.

SCBC asks you to join Ron and is calling on COVID-19 survivors to donate convalescent plasma to help treat life-threatening cases of the virus. Each time you successfully donate convalescent plasma you’ll receive a $50 Amazon gift card.

Potential convalescent plasma donors must schedule an appointment at 941-993-8119 or email covid19@suncoastblood.org.

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NEW YEAR, NEW ADVICE

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. Everyone is going to have struggles. Almost all goals take time. Just continue going forward.”

Resolutions don’t have to be an exercise in futility with this advice. RYAN KOHN SPORTS REPORTER

ulie Simons found herself once, like many Americans, attempting to start the new year healthy. Simons joined a gym, one that required a six-month contract plus a monthly fee. She started the year strong, going to two advanced classes on her first day. Simons said she felt great — until the next morning, when soreness overtook her body. She could barely get out of bed, she said. Her body ached for a week, and that wasn’t all. “The emotional pain lasted longer and hurt worse,” Simons said. Simons said she was mad at herself for not going to the gym, but she simply couldn’t. This created a cycle: The more she berated herself, the less motivation she felt to exercise. Now Simons, a clinical social worker in Lakewood Ranch, is offering tips to people currently working on their New Year’s resolutions, in the hopes that they avoid the pitfalls Simons did not. Simons said people should

“People should keep a log of their attempts and record what worked, what did not and what could have been done differently. This turns each attempt, success or failure, into a learning opportunity, to make sure things are always improving.” “find their want,” meaning they should deliberately focus on what they do want to do instead of what they don’t. They should also be aware of why they want what they want, for intrinsic motivation is a powerful tool. A person’s reason should be specific, she said, and it should be written down and consulted in low moments.

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Julie Simons says failure should not stop anyone from continuing to moving forward because failure is a great learning tool.

Diane McKay says people should think about the obstacles in the way of their resolutions before starting to make changes.

Simons also said to view failure as nothing more than a data point. People should keep a log of their attempts and record what worked, what did not and what could have been done differently. This turns each attempt, success or failure, into a learning opportunity, to make sure things are always improving. Diane McKay, a clinical psychologist in Sarasota, said the COVID-19 pandemic has created even more challenges than normal for people looking to change their routines. For one thing, schedules are all out of sorts. People might be spending more time at home to avoid large crowds, which means less time at the gym, etc. For those looking to exercise more, this can seem like a damper, but it does not have to be. Any progress at all is much better than no progress, McKay said. If all you can do for now is pushups at home and a jog around the block, that’s great. Plus, the pandemic might cause you to eat out less and instead cook healthier meals in your own kitchen. There’s a positive and negative to everything, McKay said. People just have to seek out the positives.

McKay also said people should take time to think about any obstacles that might get in the way of their goals. Being aware of obstacles can make overcoming them easier, McKay said, but people too often skip this part. When they run into challenges, they shut down. “Our brains like routines,” McKay said. “It uses less energy. Doing new stuff competes with the old stuff, and the old stuff is comfortable. This familiarity can prevent new learning. Even when the things you’re learning are simple, you can struggle with them because they are new. “We can’t always explain why things are hard for us. This is why.” This is why McKay, like Simons, stresses the importance of embracing failure. Focus less on one big outcome and more on specific, smaller goals that will combine to achieve your bigger goal — “limit junk food consumption to one time per week” is more easily achievable than “lose weight” and will eventually lead to a similar conclusion when combined with other goals, such as “Do not consume meat on Mondays.” And if you mess up? That’s OK. Just start again. “Don’t be so hard on yourself,” McKay said. “Everyone is going to have struggles. Almost all goals take time. Just continue going forward.”

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FEBRUARY 2021

Lakewood Ranch woman runs for funds Arbor Grande’s Donna Marino uses passion of running to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in honor of her father. LIZ RAMOS STAFF WRITER

n Dec. 15, Arbor Grande’s Donna Marino celebrated accomplishing a goal she had been working toward all year long. By the end of her run around Lakewood Ranch, Marino had run more than 1,000 miles in 2020. “When Dec. 1 came around, I was like, ‘Just don’t let me get hurt,’” Marino said. “That’s what I kept thinking because the only thing that would hold me back would be an injury because we don’t have to worry about snow and ice here. Once I finished it, it was so cool.” Marino runs with members of the Lakewood Ranch Running Club three times per week, meeting at 5:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and at 6 a.m. Saturdays. She runs about 20 miles per week. “There’s truly nothing like that feeling when you finish your run,” Marino said. “It’s just such a good feeling when you start your day like that.” Marino started running 25

years ago after reading an article about the Boston Marathon in Time magazine. She would take her son, Peter, who was an infant at the time, for a jog on the 1.5-mile loop in her neighborhood. A neighbor then encouraged her to do the second loop in the neighborhood. “I was so surprised,” Marino said. “Like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I just ran 3 miles.’” It wasn’t long before Marino was running 10Ks, half-marathons and marathons. She has completed 25 half-marathons and three marathons. Marino has traveled to more than a dozen states to participate in races, including Georgia, Alaska, Oregon, Texas, Virginia and Tennessee. “Once you start looking at [races], you want to do all of them,” Marino said. Marino started racing in 2004 in honor of her father, Daniel DePasquale, who died from leukemia at 43 years old. She would fundraise for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through her race. Since she started, Marino has raised more than $120,000. “Every year I’d say this is my

ABOUT DONNA Age: 60 Residence: Arbor Grande Occupation: Recruiter for Arrow Electronics Favorite food: Pizza Best advice: Use My Fitness Pal, a health and fitness app, because it tracks what you’re eating.

last race, and then another race would come up,” Marino said. “It’s life-changing. It’s truly life-changing.” Marino was 8 years old when DePasquale died just 15 months after he was diagnosed. “I always say when I’m tired of fundraising someday, there’s a little girl who’s 8 years old, and she’s going to hear her father has cancer, and I want her to have a better outcome than I did,” Marino said. “Until there’s a cure, I’ll keep fundraising.” During the pandemic, running has been a chance for her to connect with some close friends in a socially distant and safe environment, which makes waking up at 4:45 a.m. easier. “It’s a chance to catch up, and everything’s uninterrupted,” Marino said. “You’re not checking email, you’re not answering the phone, you’re not folding

Liz Ramos

Arbor Grande’s Donna Marino has earned dozens of medals for participating in more than 28 races over the past 25 years.

“Every year I’d say this is my last race, and then another race would come up. It’s life-changing. It’s truly life-changing.” — Donna Marino

laundry. You’re just there on the road, and it’s so beautiful here.” Marino said she loves running with some of the more than 80

members of the Lakewood Ranch Running Club because of how supportive the members are and the different levels of running in the club. Although several races were canceled because of the pandemic, Marino was still able to complete a few. She ran in a Disney half-marathon at Walt Disney World, the Mindful Triathlon in Lakewood Ranch and the Skyway 10K in Tampa. Marino also virtually ran with her daughter, Angela, in Sydney, Australia’s City2Surf 14K. She would call Angela during her morning runs as Angela would be training in Australia.

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