An avid walker who has completed 35 full-marathons and six half-marathons, Jerry Brien didn’t let a hip replacement slow him down. He finished the recent ThedaCare Orthopedic Care Half-Marathon in the Fox Cities.
“I had one question before I got my new hip back in February: Will I be able to continue my walking routine?” says the 62-year-old Kaukauna man.
ThedaCare Orthopedic Care surgeon Dr. Ken Kleist assured Jerry he would be able to resume his previous activities. “My recovery from surgery went really well. As soon as they let me, I got out there again and started walking,” he says.
The hard work paid off: he walked the half-marathon in 3 hours, 56 minutes and 29 seconds. He wore a pedometer from ThedaCare and logged 32,808 steps.
“The new right hip did great,” Jerry says. “I really enjoy walking these events. I did it last year with a cane and that wasn’t any fun. After I had the surgery, I thought I owed it to myself to get as much use as possible out of my new hip.”
The Community First Fox Cities Marathon Festival of Races is a family affair for Jerry. His two daughters ran the half-marathon while a son-in-law did the 5k and his 6-year-old grandson did the kids’ run.
“After my first grandson was born, I began a tradition of carrying him over the finish line. I’ve done that six times now. This year, I have another grandson so he was a part of it too. Carrying them across is quite the experience,” Jerry says. “It’s a great time for all of us.”
Jerry walks as much as possible and is already looking forward to next year’s race.
“My hip is ready,” he says. “Getting a new hip doesn’t mean you can’t do anything. It really has helped me get back all the things I enjoy, like walking.”
