MCM & Miles for Mokie

Its hard to believe that two months ago I was deep into my training for the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM). When I found out on Sept 21nd that I had a brain tumor, one of the questions I asked my neurologist was if he thought I could still run a marathon next month. I remember him staring at me dumbfounded for a while before saying that I shouldn't plan on it because I was going to be "very busy" going forward. Well that was a true statement! Doctors appointments, surgery, follow-up appointments, six weeks of radiation 5 days a week. I'm very busy to say the least!

 

Marine Corps Marathon
When I found out that I couldn't run MCM I immediately emailed the race organizers to see if I could transfer my bib to another runner or get a refund. Unfortunately I had missed the transfer date by a few weeks but they informed me that I still had the opportunity to defer for next year's race. I thought about it briefly but decided that I didn't want to pay the transfer fee just to maybe run next year. Right now I'm not sure that I will ever run another marathon again. Not because I don't think I could physically, but just because I don't think I want to go through that level of stress it takes to train, and I'm not sure I want to subject myself to such physical stress on race day. Who knows, things might change, but right now I wouldn't be surprised if 18 fulls was my limit. Only time will tell ...

 

 

My Own Team Mokie Tank!

 

 

Since I wasn't planning on defering my entry I had a bib that could be used (illegally - shh!) and asked a few friends if someone might be interested in running in my place. Enter Awesome Amy! Amy (the Executive Director of Girls on the Run San Diego) quickly stepped up and said that she'd run in my place. With 3 1/2 weeks until race day. With not having run further than a half marathon all year. With having her last marathon several years in her past. Oh yes, Amy is a badass! She ramped up her long run that coming weekend, ran 20 miles the following weekend, and then started her taper. This is obviously not a training plan the experts would recommend, but it worked!

 

 

Team Mokie Pre-Marathon

 

These Ladies are Tough!
(Please notice the run-by bicep squeeze! haha)

 

 

 

 

 

Team Mokie

On Sunday October 28th three of my GOTR friends and my "marathon wifey" Christina from San Francisco all flew out to DC to run the race. Little did I know I'd be running with them in 2D form! Christina  had made a little cut out of me complete with a Glam Runner tutu and my Marathon Maniac number. My friends took turns holding "me" throughout the course while proudly sporting their Team Mokie tank tops. Sniff sniff. When I woke up on race morning and saw pictures of them getting ready to race the tears started flowing. They were tears of happiness that I had such great friends who were doing something so sweet for me, and they were tears of heartbreak over the fact that I couldn't run myself because of all that has happened to me. Throughout this diagnoses over the past few months I have never felt like a victim and have never been angry that I have cancer, but for a few hours that morning I was so sad about what the tumor had taken from me. It took running this race, it took away my feeling of being a healthy person, and it had taken away the confidence of "knowing" that I'd grow old some day. :(

 

 

2D Mokie Ready to Run 26.2

 

 

Christina & 2D Mokie - MCM Finishers!

 

 

I moped around for a bit that morning but luckily there wasn't time to mope all day. Why? Because my other amazing GOTR friends had arranged a tutu-themed Miles for Mokie walk for me down by the Harbor where I usually do my long runs. In addition to this David's parents made the long drive form West Virginia out to DC to cheer my friends out on the MCM course ... AND .. they of course made signs! Between getting automated text updates of Team Mokie's progress and hearing from David's parents each time they saw the girls go by I started to cheer up a bit and get excited that my friends were out there having a great race.

 

 

David's Parents Signs

 

 

 

Miles for Mokie Walk

David and I managed to get ready and get down to the Harbor by 8am that Sunday (look at me all punctual!) to meet up with the group. It was fun to see everyone wearing their Team Mokie Love Shirt and/or a tutu! Annie also made a box of Team Mokie tiaras and a bunch of signs. Mass picture taking ensued, and then we were off!

 

 

Miles for Mokie Walk Start

 

 

Even David Wore a Tiara for Me! Love!

 

 

 

We decided that we'd walk 1.55 miles out and back and make it a 5K. I'm sure we looked like a bunch of crazies walking along the harbor in tutus! The walk was a lot of fun and a really touching thing for my GOTR family to do for me.

 

 

Team Mokie Covered 60 Collective Miles!

 

 

My Cousin Giselle Brought Her Family from LA

 

 

Who's Having Tutu Much Fun?

 

 

Back to Running

Since its now been over a month since my surgery I'm cleared to run! I talked to my oncologist about the risks of running and he said that I should be okay to get started with some light activity. This morning David and I put on our running shoes and I headed out to RUN (not walk) for the first time in 31 days. But hey, who's counting? We hit the trails in Balboa Park and did an easy 2 1/2 miles with a few walk breaks. It felt weird, but it felt great! I'm probably just going to stick to easy 3-4 miles runs for the time being, and just appreciate that I'm getting outside and getting some blood pumping.

 

Miles for Mokie

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in the Miles for Mokie Challenge on facebook. I loved seeing everyone's updates and photos and words of encouragement. It really made me smile over the past month to know so many people were thinking of me and I'm forever grateful for all of the kind words, encouraging wishes, and heartfelt prayers. If we could cure cancer on love alone, I think we'd have this thing beat. Thank you!!