Debra Cress is one year into her health journey! Submitted photo.

Debra Cress is a long-time volunteer at races and other events in the area. After volunteering with the Girls on the Run program at Enochville Elementary School where her oldest granddaughter was a participant, Debra found a calling. Her daughter, Tonya Kepley, was a teacher and coach for the program and Debra began to volunteer weekly, assisting the teachers and coaches and eventually served as a mentor to many young girls over the years.

The rest of the family includes son-in-law Billie Kepley, another daughter Angie Fink and grandson Korben Fink along with three granddaughters, Kyrsten Kepley, Kadence Kepley and Kassie Fink. They all began to do 5Ks together. Debra said, “Along each trail, we talked and encouraged one another to keep pushing and not to give up. The faster ones of us would finish and come back to run with the ones who were a little slower. My son-in-law, Billie Kepley, continues to be an avid runner.”

On June 25, 2024, Debra’s mom passed away after a vehicle accident. Debra said, “I decided on July 1 to start running/walking at least 10,000 steps a day as a tribute to her life. I have gone as far as 27,000 steps on multiple occasions. Through this journey, I have retired four pairs of Brooks running shoes, the steps and miles have been monumental and each day has been memorable.”

Now 71, Debra said, “At my age, I felt it was important to keep moving. That’s when I decided to challenge myself to do it for a month, which turned into two months and now a year later I am still going strong. I have had a few unusual days. One night, I realized at 11 p.m. that I wasn’t at my goal. My friend Earl took me to the IGA parking lot, and I completed my steps before midnight. Another time during bad weather, he took me to seven or eight different stores so that I could make sure to get my steps in for the day.

Debra took one of the best and most unique approaches to improving her health that I have ever heard of. She decided to regravel her driveway and had multiple truckloads of new gravel delivered. Each morning following breakfast, Debra used a gallon can, hand scooped the gravel into it and then dumped it on her driveway. Many neighbors offered to use their tractors to quickly get the job done.

Debra wouldn’t take the help and said, “This had become my new exercise plan and after three months of perseverance, the task was complete. What a feeling of accomplishment it was!”

She continued, “As a tomboy, I have enjoyed the outdoors all my life. I plan to continue my adventure and see where it leads me. This has been the best spring I can remember with my asthma. Due to walking and being active, I have been able to avoid and prolong various medications and have dropped my weight. It is my goal to live my best life and be as active as possible for as long as I am able! Regardless of the weather, I never give up and continue to push through each day.”

Debra weighed 177.6 pounds last June 30 and, on this June 28, she weighed 161.4. Debra’s food choices have improved, and she also is a proponent of intermediate fasting. Over her lifetime, Debra has also given a total of 97 pints of blood. Her 10,000 steps a day regularly average about five miles, so a good estimate of mileage for the year is just over 1,800 miles. Well done! She added, “I almost wore out Cress Road!”

The next race locally is the Run for the Greenway 5K and Fun Run on July 19.  And past that, the SRR August Prediction 5K at City Park is set for Aug. 23. Look for more information on both these events and others at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org