Running All Over The World

Our Race Against Early-Onset Alzheimer’s

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When Anthony’s life partner, Catherine Popp, received the devastating diagnosis of Early-Onset Alzheimer’s, Anthony faced the challenge with the same tenacity and grit that had propelled him through life’s hurdles before. From overcoming a learning disability to becoming one of the few African American pilots and navigating the complexities of single parenthood while maintaining a demanding career, Anthony was no stranger to adversity. But nothing could prepare him for the journey ahead.

Rather than succumbing to despair, Anthony and Catherine embarked on an extraordinary adventure, traveling the world as nomads for eight years. Running became their shared passion, a way to seize each moment and defy the disease’s relentless advance. With unwavering optimism, they believed in the promise of a cure just around the corner.

As the disease progressed and the cure remained elusive, their journey shifted. The fast pace of foreign races gave way to a slower rhythm, adapted to Catherine’s changing abilities. Yet, Anthony remained steadfast in his commitment to make every day meaningful for both of them.

In this deeply personal and profoundly moving account, Anthony chronicles the second five years of their journey. With honesty and vulnerability, he shares the highs and lows, the triumphs and setbacks, and the invaluable lessons learned along the way. “One Footstep at a Time” is not just a story of survival: it’s a testament to the power of love, resilience, and the indomitable human spirit in the face of life’s greatest challenges.

A portion of the proceeds on the sale of this book will be donated to organizations providing support to Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers

When my partner Catherine and I were in our fifties, we found out in short order that I needed a heart-valve replacement, and she had early onset Alzheimer’s. We both have a history as endurance athletes, so our reaction to this news was to sell our home, retire from our jobs, and become nomads, running marathons and half-marathons all over the world.

My book Running All Over the World, adapted from a blog I wrote during our travels, is a nonfiction account of our five-plus years of flying, running, walking, sailing, and sightseeing from Atlanta to Antarctica and back again. Part travelogue and part-medical memoir, it transports readers to exotic places like Madagascar, Bhutan, and the Great Wall of China while at the same time offering a day-to-day look at what it means to have nothing but what’s in your suitcase.

It’s also an offbeat love story, recounting the trials and tribulations of an ex-pilot with a passion for vistas and logistics and a woman so tough she walks a half-marathon in the Australian Outback mere weeks after breaking her ankle. During our years as nomads, we pushed our physical and mental limitations as often as we could—and we finished every race we ran hand in hand.

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