| I have worn a prosthetic leg since the age of two, as the result of a lawnmower accident that occurred one week before my second birthday. However, my physical challenges began the day I was born, due to a brachial plexus injury to my shoulder at birth, resulting in life-long limited mobility of my right arm. My medical issues continued throughout my childhood, including an injury which nearly severed my other foot at age six, heart surgery (patent ductus arteriosus repair) at age seven and into my early adult years. Through all of these physical and medical challenges, I have been blessed with a full life and wonderful family and friends. Thanks to my parents, I grew up with a positive attitude and the belief that I could accomplish anything I wanted. Thanks to God, I have accepted that these setbacks happened for a reason and know he chose me for something special. I have experienced times of frustration and self-consciousness regarding my physical differences. Thankfully, I discovered that long-distance running is something I enjoy and am able to do, and it has restored my self-confidence. After watching my husband Brian finish a few 10Ks, I decided in 2003 I wanted to give it a try, and he encouraged me. The custom urethane liner from OttoBock that I’m fitted with allowed me to run without pain, but my gait was very awkward trying to run with a prosthesis designed for walking. However, I managed to complete my first race, a 10K, in July 2003 and worked my way up to longer race distances, including my first marathon in April 2004 and then 50Ks. Using the Jeff Galloway run/walk method, I have been able to increase my endurance and stay injury-free. I qualified for the Boston Marathon through their mobility impaired division and in 2005 became only the third female in history to complete the Boston Marathon on a prosthetic leg. By April 2006 I had completed over 30 races, including two 50Ks, four marathons, and seven half-marathons. Jim Hughes at Atlanta Prosthetics & Orthotics agreed to sponsor me with a carbon-fiber running leg that would allow me to run more efficiently. Since then, I have completed over 80 races, including 18 marathons/50Ks. The self-confidence I get from long-distance running carries over to other areas of my life, and the fulfillment from being told that I inspire others helps keep me going. My message to others is that you are stronger than you think you are, and you can overcome obstacles if you just push yourself a little beyond your self-imposed limits and my motto is “If I can’t run fast, I’ll run far.” My ultimate athletic dream is to do a 24-hour race, which will be the perfect opportunity to see how many miles I can run. Several years ago while researching ultra-running events, I found a race in Minneapolis called FANS 24-Hour and have always dreamed of doing this race. Having support from the Project Athena Foundation will give me the opportunity to achieve this athletic dream in June 2010. I am so excited, and I hope you can be a part of this by making a contribution to Project Athena Foundation. Thank you so much for helping turn my dream into a reality!
Event: FANS 24-Hour |
