Sep 13, 2006 - 02:06:25 CDT
Bismarck Tribune
By VIRGINIABy VIRGINIAGRANTIER
Early last year, he was still 270-plus pounds, had back problems, numbness in his legs, was on his way to diabetic problems and was still living on a diet that went like this:grease and soda, not necessarily in that order.
Breakfast was three soft drinks. Lunch, a cheeseburger and fries. Supper, fried things, mainly. More soda in the evening and to top the day - an evening bacon-and-egg sandwich snack to eat while watching television sports.
The law school graduate, now a jail administrator, exercised - his mind.
But that was about 18 months and some determination ago.
At 3:30 p.m. today, Mark Fox, 43, of Parshall, more than 65 pounds lighter, will get into the water and head south.
He'll swim into a southerly wind and current as he strokes his way toward the 4 Bears Bridge. When he reaches the bridge after 21/2 miles of this, he'll then turn toward the marina and swim another half-mile. Three miles total.
Fox, an enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, is trying to make a statement about a couple of things. About health and other issues on Fort Berthold Reservation, where he grew up.
Fox, who is 6 feet tall, now weighs about 205 pounds and runs, bikes, has competed in a triathlon, road races and a mile-long swim, and has changed his eating habits.
His diet is now mainly fruit, vegetables, nuts, granola bars, lots of water during the day and a hearty supper of such things as roast beef, soups and whole-grain rice. He has regained a craving for natural sugars, loves apples.
"If Mark Fox can do it, anyone can do it," said Fox, who for most of his life wasn't known to be an athletic and/or healthy specimen.
On the reservation, people can get depressed easily, "pounded by problems,"he said. "So when they see somebody pull themselves out of that, they get motivated."
Fox said he's noticing that some people around him are making changes now, such as walking for exercise.
He's also fulfilling the promise he made to his mother who, before her death about four years ago, made him promise to take care of his health.
He didn't fulfill that promise right away. When his doctor told him his back-pain problems were because of diet and no exercise, and that he should make changes instead of have surgery, Fox responded that his back hurt too much to exercise.
But last April, no more excuses. He told himself the time had come.
"I made radical changes to my life,"he said.
He said it was slow. He started doing a little walking, then running, then swimming. First, it was about eight to 10 laps at the Minot YMCA, then 17 laps, which was a half-mile, then even more.
In July, Fox completed a mile-long swim along the length of the 4 Bears Bridge to raise awareness about methamphetamines on the reservation and to challenge local residents to make health changes.
For this swim, event sponsors have pledged various dollar amounts for every half-mile he swims. The money will go to a local group called Stop Youth Drug Endangerment.
"I was swimming and running anyway, so (I decided), why not try to make hay out of it, benefit someone else?"
Also, he wants to raise awareness about the continuing concerns about repatriation issues, about American Indian graves and artifacts being disturbed along the Missouri River.
"If people want to understand why we get so upset when this happens, they need to imagine how they would feel if I went to the grave of their closest deceased relative, like their mother or father, dug them up and put their bones on display or in a museum vault," he said.
Fox said today's swim will be a challenge. The farthest swim for Fox so far has been 21/2 miles, and that was in an indoor pool.
After his plan of accomplishing today's longer swim, he has another plan.
For those who come to cheer him on, there will be free burgers and brats at the marina at 5 p.m.
Fox plans to eat some with everyone else. And some of the ice cream that is expected to be there, too.
Even with this new life of his, he still treats himself. And thinks this is a good day for a dietary respite.
The apples, granola bars and water can wait until later. Especially the water.
(Reach reporter Virginia Grantier at 250-8254 or at virginia.grantier@;bismarcktribune.com.)
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