Just what the doctor ordered

Kaitaia octogenarian John Somerville trotting over the half-marathon finish line at the World Masters Games, having hardly broken a sweat.

Kaitaia man John Somerville might well have been thinking of his GP on Saturday as he jogged across the half-marathon finish line at the World Masters Games in Auckland.

It was Dr Norma Nehren, at Te Hiku Hauora, who informed him some four years ago that the then 77-year-old could consider himself pre-diabetic.

It was never going to be a matter of avoiding diabetes by losing weight - John has never had much, if any, weight to spare - but the spectre of serious health problems was all the encouragement he needed to get to work on his fitness.

Now 81, he showed what he had achieved when he ran in the half-marathon on Saturday, finishing about halfway down the field of 109, fourth in his age group, in a time of 2.53:08.

And he hardly broke a sweat.

"The boy from the bush" had finished the race in much better shape than many, he said, adding what he had seen of the games had impressed him with the degree of professionalism.

He was nowhere near as serious about the event as some in the field - his age group was won by a Russian in 2.29:31 - but he had enjoyed his first half-marathon immensely.
"I can tick that off my bucket list," he said, "but I know I can do better."

His blood sugar level was much healthier now than it had been four years ago, he added (although he did confess to hoeing into some chocolate on his way home from Auckland, a well-deserved reward that had had no deleterious effect).

And he thanked Dr Nehren for setting him on his way, and the organisers of the triathlon he took part in shortly after diagnosis, where he won a gym membership.

And these days, when he isn't busy keeping fit, he takes every opportunity to motivate others to take greater care of their health, particularly their blood sugar levels, by means other than medication.