Nonie Hudnall knows how to keep moving. At 76, she runs four days a week, takes water aerobics five days a week, and lifts weights two or three times a week. She races about once a month, in events ranging from 5Ks to half marathons.
And that’s only part of it. Nonie also competes in hurdles, the pole vault, the pentathlon, and the 2,000-meter steeplechase. In fact, at the 2026 USATF Masters Outdoor Championships, she won four gold medals, three silvers, and a bronze. Her golds included the 5,000-meter race and the steeplechase, plus two relays. She has earned medals at world masters championships, too.
But Nonie wasn’t always a star track athlete. She ran road races and marathons for years before taking a break and then joining the Atlanta Track Club at age 60, competing in shorter events. Since then, the sport has taken her to competitions across the United States and around the world, including Sweden, South Korea, Finland, and Ireland.
With a schedule like hers, it’s hard to imagine Nonie away from the track. But severe scoliosis and multiple degenerating discs kept her from running for about a year.
Finding a Way Forward
Nonie sought care from John C. Haasis III, MD and his team at Commonwealth Pain & Spine in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Her treatment included epidural injections and nerve ablation.
“I experienced a huge difference, and I was soon back to competing the way I love,” Nonie says.
The improvement reached beyond the track. Nonie was also able to return to yard work and activities with friends.
Care That Made an Impression
Nonie remembers how she felt at her first meeting with Dr. Haasis.
“I was impressed with his upbeat demeanor, his medical expertise, and his caring approach,” she says. “Everybody treated me with care and respect. The whole Commonwealth team was amazing.”
Today, Nonie’s training includes speed work, hills, and long runs alongside water aerobics and weight training. She knows setbacks can happen, but she has a message for others living with pain:“ Don’t give up! Despite some setbacks in competing, I found so much improvement through Commonwealth. It has made a positive difference in my quality of life.”
For Nonie, getting back to the starting line means more than winning medals. It means being able to keep doing what she loves, on the track and in everyday life. She's also inspiring others, including her care team at Commonwealth.
"Nonie is truly an inspiration. As a former collegiate runner currently training for my first marathon, I find her story especially motivating. Nonie is a wonderful example of how age does not have to be a barrier to pursuing your goals and achieving great things," says Ann Haynes, a former collegiate runner nurse practitioner and part of Nonie's care team who is training for her first marathon.
"I hope her journey inspires others to keep challenging themselves, embracing new opportunities, and continue to chase their dreams at every stage of life."
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