Sub 45 before 45
“By mile 18 my legs did not want to run anymore. The only thing that kept me going was knowing my family and friends were waiting for me at mile 20-22. I forged on for them. After I crossed the finish line, my legs went limp.”
I just read your story of The SidePorch, and it had me in tears again. My heart ached because of the disappointment I felt after crossing the finish line. And your story of your grandfather open up the floodgates. My father passed in July of this year and I wanted him to see me achieve my goal. I woke up this morning wanting to forget Sunday. But then my training partner sent me a text "Is this you? Did you go to the medical tent?" Thank you for being out there to capture all the emotions of a marathon.
I'm 43 years old, a wife, mother of 12yo twins (boy and girl), and a brain aneurysm survivor. I’ve always thought running a marathon was the dumbest thing you can do to your body; Sunday's marathon was my 13th. I never had the desire to qualify for Boston until 2014. After three failed attempts an injury to my left knee after Chicago marathon, I was on the "injured" list and couldn't run until February 2015. However, another setback which I thought I would never be able to run again, on March 8, 2015, I suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm while in California for my nephew's wedding. Made it to the first hospital where I was diagnosis with behavioral issue (whilst unconscious), was in a coma for five day, ten plus hours brain surgery (pica pica bypass), and finally woke up on Friday the 13th. One of the two neurosurgeons, Dr. Jonathan Russin, who saved my life ran with me and my husband; my "comeback" marathon with me on February 14, 2016. I ran the Los Angeles Marathon to thank all the nurses, medical team, and to raise awareness for Brain Aneurysm Research through Keck Medicine of USC.
The doctor and I ran it again this March 2017 and I will return next year for a three-peat to run with Dr. Russin and continue to raise awareness and share my story. #RunLAwithKathy.
My goal is to "Sub 45 before 45". So Shelli, my training partner and I ran the Wineglass Marathon in September. She's up in Wilmington but would drive down to Newark just to run with me on our long Sunday runs. I've only met her for a year when we carpooled with a mutual friend to Steamtown Marathon in Oct 2016. Wineglass was by far my the best marathon experience, not because I PR'd but I was so close to attaining my goal. It gave me the confidence which I've lacked for years. I could actually do this; my time 3:45:42. Even with the 42 second, I was still so elated!!! Taking a gamble after just running a marathon 7 weeks before, I registered for Philadelphia. From the road closures to finding a parking lot, rushing to the race, to not starting together as we planned, things sorta fell apart for me. She managed to catch me at mile 9 after starting later than me (she's older, wiser, and a talented runner), then after her huge fall at mile 14, she sped up, and the relentless winds split us up again. By mile 18 my legs did not want to run anymore. The only thing that kept me going was knowing my family and friends were waiting for me at mile 20-22. I forged on for them. After I crossed the finish line, my legs went limp. I asked the aid staff to help me walk but they said, “NO no, you can’t even stand. Sit in the wheelchair and let us help you and check you out”.