Running with Passion and Purpose

The rain changed over to snow. Wind gusts were gusting and Tom and I were deciding whether or not to 1. Go out on a run at all. 2. Just drive the course for the Boston Volvo Village 5K Road Race and run closer to home. 3. Drive the route and then run it.

We decided to at least drive the course of the race that I am running on Thanksgiving morning to benefit the Greater New England MS Society.
As the snow became more steady and was mixed with rain, as the winds picked up, something picked up inside of me and I told Tom that I had to get out there and get my run on today.

I thought about the veterans with MS that I worked with at the VA. Several of my friends live with the challenge of MS. My dear friend John Young is racing the New York City Marathon today. He is chasing the Unicorn hoping for a Boston Qualifier. I promised him that we would run together and I would be sending him energy while I was out on my run this morning. I thought of my friends running New York especially Amy Yok-Ming Wong race walking with Joyce Chu who lives with Parkinson's Disease. Joyce fell during her training and had surgery but she vowed that she would be out there for her final NYC Marathon running for Team Fox for research for Parkinson's Disease.

Living with a neuromuscular condition can really bite sometimes. I know how fortunate I am to be able to go out there and run. Was I going to let a little (okay well maybe a lot) of wind and snow and rain stop me from doing my run? Absolutely not! Fortunately Tom is as crazy as me and agreed to do the run with me.

I felt invigorated being out there in the driving snow. Fortunately, I had gone to Marathon Sports Brookline for warm weather gear. I especially love my Saucony gloves that convert to mittens. They're called glittens:



Last year we bought matching Janji hats because we believe in running for another and they keep us warm and dry:



I layered with my Sugoi pullover and running tights.

The snow pelted us in the face and our jackets were soaked before the one mile mark but there was no turning back. We braved the winds and the snow stopping for a moment in the bus stop shelters to catch our breath and hydrate. We tried to navigate puddles but since it had been raining since yesterday and leaves had stopped up drains there was no way around the puddles; sometimes splashing through an obstacle is the best way to go.

As I ran through puddles, as my hands were cold and at times the snow stung my eyes, I felt strong and determined to do this training run today. I was able to do it. My body was able to hold its temperature; pretty amazing given that with a spinal cord injury, it's been a challenge to regulate my thermostat. I loved the course which is relatively flat thank goodness.

I'm hoping that today's training run will inspire you to donate to my run to benefit those living with MS and to fund much needed research to find a cure for MS. I know that when we find the key to one neuromuscular condition, we open the door to discovery of treating other conditions.

Here is the link to my personal page. Any amount is greatly appreciated.

It's amazing what can happen when you run with passion and purpose!

ps John Young got his BQ today!


The first 7 years of my healing odyssey are chronicled in Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility available on Amazon. I donate 50% of royalty payments to The One Fund Boston to help survivors and their families who were affected by the tragic events of 4/15/13.



My 2nd book, "Journey Well," is coming soon. 50% of book proceeds will be donated to AccesSportAmerica to help them continue their life changing programs: