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Posted on Sat, Jul 30, 2011 : 4:47 p.m.

Man visits Ann Arbor while running across U.S. for Alzheimer's awareness

By Lisa Carolin

Glenn-Caffery_run.jpg

Glenn Caffery (center, wearing hat) was greeted by members of the Michigan Track Club when he arrived in Ann Arbor. He's running across the country to raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease. At far left in the photo is his daughter, Emily Caffery of Ann Arbor.

Photo courtesy of Caitlin Mallory.

Glenn Caffery left the coast of Oregon in May on a cross-country run to raise awareness about Alzheimer's disease.

After running a couple thousand miles through western dusks that he said lasted for hours, through farms and towns in South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin, he ran across Michigan and arrived in Ann Arbor this week. He was joined by members of the Michigan Track Club as he came into town along Huron River Drive.

Caffery made sure to include Ann Arbor along his route so that he could visit his oldest daughter, who lives here.

He wants to bring attention to Alzheimer's, the disease that his father suffered with for 23 years and died from in 2002.

"My private reason for doing this is to work through it myself," said Caffery. "We really need a cure and I wanted to do something about it."

Caffery still gets teary when he talks about his father, who was a healthy athlete when Alzheimer's caused him to lose his cognitive and physical abilities, and altered his personality.

Caffery, who resides in Masachusetts, pushes himself every day, often starting his day at 6 a.m. and running until 11 p.m. His goal is to run 50 miles a day.

He pushes a jog stroller that reminds him of the one he pushed his daughters in when they were toddlers. In it he carries chocolate milk, lemonade, iced tea and some food, along with a sleeping bag, a cell phone, and a tracking device that allows people to follow him en route.

During his journey, which he hopes to complete on Aug. 14 on the coast of Rhode Island, he has camped under the stars and has been the guest of hotel and motel owners who want to support Caffery's cause.

"People have been incredibly engaged in what I'm doing, and I feel the community of people around me," said Caffery. "I can barely walk at night, but I wake up every day feeling a connection to people and that's what motivates me to keep on going."

Caffery says that his family embraced the idea of him doing this run.

"It's exciting, and I wish I could spend time on the road with him," said Emily Caffery, his daughter, who lives in Ann Arbor. "It's been really great to help out making phone calls and doing web support."

"My family has embraced what I'm doing," said Glenn Caffery. "It's cathartic for us."

Caffery says that in addition to the people he meets along the way, he enjoys the day-to-day logistical challenge of planning his route and challenging his body. He is 49 years old and will celebrate his 50th birthday in late August, soon after he hopes to complete his run.

"I know my dad would be proud of me," said Caffery. "He would embrace wanting to stop his grandchildren from getting this disease."

To learn more about Alzheimer's and Caffery's cross-country run, go to his web site, www.alzrun.org.

Comments

FCBarcelona1899

Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 3:30 a.m.

Good job :)

ArthGuinness

Sun, Jul 31, 2011 : 3:12 a.m.

Excellent job, keep it up!