By Erika Alison Cohen
To say Jeff Keeler is an avid cyclist is an understatement. Jeff started riding 2,000 to 3,000 miles a year in the late 80s. He increased his mileage to 4,000-6,000 miles a year, sometimes more, starting in 2009. Then in 2020, he jumped to 7,000 miles a year. He travels to Kentucky most years for a very hilly century through horse country, he rides often on the roads around his home in Michigan, and he travels annually to Colorado to visit his two adult sons with his bike in tow and rides with a friend.
The New England Parkinson’s Ride, however, is different. “Just knowing you are part of a community who suffer from the same affliction that you do and that there are people who are doing it because they have someone they know with the disease, I like that,” says Jeff, who rides the century.
“I am also a little competitive so raising money and being in the top 12 or 13 last year, that was fun.” Jeff has raised over $50,000 since he first joined the ride six years ago. He named his team Strong to Da Finish and wears a Popeye the Sailor shirt. He is the only team member for now, but he created it so people could join if they chose to.
For Jeff, being active is key to his happiness, and he especially likes cycling. “What’s not to like about riding? To me, it’s like being told by my mother to go outside and play. Sometimes it’s the solitude. Not often enough, it’s who you’re riding and sharing the experience with,” he says, explaining he can’t always find a riding buddy to join him. Michigan weather is not always suited for bike riding in the winter, and mall waking with his wife helps, but only a bit. “Exercise is the fruit of life. It makes such a big difference for me. Over the winter I get a bit grumpy. My wife would attest to that,” he says. For this reason, he makes sure to walk 10,000 steps (about 5 miles) on the winter days he can’t ride along with an assortment of stretching, sit ups, pullups and planks.
Jeff comes from a large family and is one of 53 first cousins. Over 100 members of his family get together each July for a reunion and nobody has reported having Parkinson’s except him, though many of them support his ride. For this reason, and because of his good health, he was surprised when he was diagnosed in 2015.
He was having tingling in his left hand, but figured it was nerve damage from smacking his elbow often at work. Also, his hand felt very cold when he put it to his face.
“I was really, really, mad. I’ve always lived a healthy life. I never smoke, I never drink except occasionally socially. … I was not always in the greatest of shape but I was never out of shape,” Jeff explained of his initial reaction, saying his anger lasted about an hour, until his neurologist explained his symptoms were light and “only time would tell.”
Now 66, his symptoms are still minor. He is retired but works part time. He has some shaking, which gets worse with higher brain function, and while his balance is not as good as it used to be, it’s not enough to worry him. His medication reduces his symptoms to almost zero. Over the years, the dosage has increased. For him, the biggest challenge of having Parkinson’s is the need for tight scheduling. If he takes his medication within six hours of cycling, it causes a sharp pain from his butt down to his calves. If he doesn’t have enough food in his stomach before medicating, he vomits severely.
He is particularly sensitive to the first dose of medication each day and finds that eating food high in protein is key. To avoid these side effects, he plans his rides and daily activities carefully. “Nothing has been really hard, it’s just annoying,” he says, explaining his plans for the day of the interview are to go on a bike ride and then a lunch and movie with his wife. “I’ve gotten it down to a pretty good science.”
Jeff feels very lucky that his symptoms have been mild and he can continue cycling. “There is a man here in Michigan I have connected with who has Parkinson’s. From his descriptions, I feel really blessed,” Jeff says. Knowing this motivates him to raise more money. He carries a card in his wallet with his web page on it and hands the card out to people at work, cycling friends, and other people he meets. “I used to worry about what people might say but all they can say is no,” he says, adding that he doesn’t take his relatively good health for granted. “As far as my riding goes, I live in the moment.”
Check out Jeff Keeler’s 2024 Fundraising Page – HERE.
By Erika Alison Cohen
Erika Alison Cohen is a long-time ride participant who lost a close family member to Parkinson’s Disease. She works as a ghostwriter and book editor, with a specialty in financial writing and business memoirs. Besides cycling, she is an avid runner and co-wrote Stories from the Starting Line, a book about running in New Hampshire that came out in 2023. You can learn more about her at eacohen.com.
