3-Day inspiration in 13's perspiration

I volunteered to run an aid station for a 15m/50k ultra run (runners could choose between one lap at 15 miles or 2 making it a 50k) this weekend. At first, I was disappointed to be missing my training walk, but by the end of the day I felt so blessed by what I'd witnessed that I can't imagine a training walk being a better way to prepare for the 3-Day.

Ultrarunners are incredible. I was amazed by the physical prowess, insane determination and overall dedication to athleticism that I saw on display. But, mostly, I was impressed by the slowest "runner" out there: Number 13.

You see, Number 13 was the last one to visit our Aid Station at mile 5 - more than 3 hours into the race. In fact, several runners had passed by our station a second time before 13 showed up.

I could see right away that she was having problems. I walked out from my shady pavilion and met her beneath a tree. She was ashen, but talking lucidly. She was complaining about the course - a rocky trail that involved climbing up muddy inclines using ropes at some places. Having run marathons before, she was shocked at the difficulty she was having.

But what shocked me was that she was no spring chicken. In fact, I later found out, she was 63 years young.

I'd be lying if I said we weren't worried about her. She'd been out in the heat for hours and only had a small water bottle. Plus, it was obvious she wasn't prepared for the physical challenge she had undertaken.

But it was when I heard her mutter under her breath, "If cancer can't stop me, this can't" that I melted for her and became her silent cheerleader. I also understood the stubbornness that made her bark at us every time we tried to talk her into sitting, resting, and quitting.

We talked her into sitting and resting, but the quitting part was a much harder sale.

Once she had rested a bit, she looked up at me, read the "End Breast Cancer" shirt I was wearing and told me that she was a survivor.

Wow.

At that moment I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.

It wasn't until later, after we cleared her to continue on the trail (the next aid station was about 2 miles away and we let them know to keep an eye out for her) that her friend told me the real motivation behind Number 13. She lost her daughter this past year and her daughter had registered for the run. Number 13 was doing it for her.

She finished too - and not even in last place! I was thrilled when I learned that.

I am still so overwhelmed when I think about all this woman has survived. And she still sets out to prove things! After all she had endured, shouldn't she be the one we are doing things for?

Number 13, feel free to rest - you've earned it! This walk's for you!

Why I'm doing this

I've been struggling for months with how to explain why I am participating in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. To stress to friends and family why I have chosen to train for months in order to walk 60 miles for charity and raise money for a wonderful cause. Finally, I've found the words.

Kevin and I have been dating more than two and a half years and we have seen each other through many difficult times. But when Kevin called me and said, "My mother has breast cancer," I was, for the first time in my life, speechless.

What do you say to your boyfriend when he calls with such terrible news? I asked for any information he had and I prayed the right words would come. We talked about what the doctors told his mom and what would happen next.

This was last December. She has had surgery and is undergoing chemotherapy and, although there have been a few setbacks, she is doing well.

The week we found out that Carol was sick, I felt helpless and afraid - I am a fixer, but I couldn't fix her. I don't have a lot of money, and I can't find a cure for cancer, but I found out that there was something that I could do to help. I saw an ad for the Susan G. Komen event and decided that spending 6 months training for the 60-day walk was the least I could do.

There are times when the training is tough - when my feet and ankles hurt so badly I can barely stand it, but then I think about Carol and the sickness she feels after each round of chemotherapy. I think about Kevin and the desolation in his voice as he said those fateful words, "My mother has breast cancer."

I think about others who have heard those words, or said those words, and I find a new stride. I keep walking and praying that someday we can beat this terrible, terrible illness.

It's been tough to fit fundraising and training into my schedule but I'm doing the best I can. Finals set me back a bit, but now that summer is here, I'm back to my training regimen.

I'll be honest, I feel uncomfortable sharing Carol and Kevin's story. Kevin didn't tell many people, and if you are his friend, this is probably news to you. He isn't comfortable with the attention, but it's important that his friends know what he's been dealing with this year. He knows that I have written this and am sharing it.

The Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure is only 3 months away and I am walking in Carol's name. To do so, I need to raise $2300. It's important to me that I represent Carol and Kevin to the best of my abilities and I need your help.

You can support them and the cause by making a donation. Just go to The3Day.org, click Donate Now, and enter my name to search for my personal fundraising page.

Thank you!

Whoa, Nallie!

Thanks to a blog entry I wrote for my main 50n50 blog, I went to the gym this afternoon more motivated than I expected. I was so motivated, in fact, that I decided to hit the treadmill and go three miles at 4 mph. Bad idea.

It was vastly too much too fast. You see, there has been a lovely thunderstorm sitting on Kansas City this week, and more importantly, my chest. I stayed home sick yesterday because I was having such a hard time breathing.

I felt much better today. So much better, in fact, that I forgot about my oxygen issues and was huffing and puffing before I even reached a mile! I eventually slowed it down to 3.6 mph for the duration and checked my heart rate several times: 156, right where it should be for the cardio workout I was after.

I made it through my workout, though, and am glad to add 4.01 miles to my log!