Own your healthcare; tips from a brain doc; the great Bernd Heinrich

1. A car accident survivor and older athlete tells us a secret.

“I think the most challenging part for most people is that they want to depend on the physical therapist, the surgeon, the PCPs, somebody else to make them well again. And that’s not their job. Our job is to be the owner of our body, to keep our bodies functioning to whatever capacity we can reach and to enjoy it in the way that expresses who we are."

Paula Franetti, in an exclusive story in Growing Bolder, tells of her comeback from a near-fatal car accident. She took charge.

2. 4 tips from a 101-year old neurologist

This will take no time to read through and I bet provide a tip that makes you say, "I'm sure glad I opened Geezer Jock today."

3. This is a long story on a simply fascinating man, an ultra runner.

He lived deep in the woods of Germany for five years in the 1940s to avoid the marauding Russians and the ravages of post-war Germany. “I had no playmates and never owned a toy. Yet I didn’t feel deprived. Who needs toys after having seen caterpillars from up close and knowing they can turn into moths?”

Many runners know of the legendary Bernd Heinrich, 83. The ultra runner, a Phd, a naturalist, and a champion, lives in a cabin in Weld, Maine.

When you get time this weekend, read about him, if you haven't already. Geezer Jock has opened so many doors for me away from the spotlight-sports I covered for many years, like the NFL, Major League Baseball, and college football. Ultra runners like Heinrich and Gene Dykes and many more are amazing athletes are now on my radar.