Running for a Reason

Brain Aneurysm Awareness

I am running this year’s Fargo marathon in an attempt to raise money and awareness for brain aneurysm research and cutting edge treatment options for brain aneurysms, insuring the very best care for patients and their families.

PLEASE HELP ME MAKE A DIFFERENCE. PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A TAX-DEDUCTICLE CHARITABLE DONATION TO:

www.healtheast.org/foundation/foundation-donation.html

and click on the link: National Brain Aneurysm Center & St. Joseph’s Neurosciences Fund to donate. Please specify “In honor of Kathleen Wrigley,” just so I can send a proper thank you!

ONE MORE THING...NOTHING MUSHY!

I DO NEED TO SHARE SOMETHING A BIT LIGHTER WITH YOU. I MIGHT HAVE MENTION BEING A CRY-BABY. WELL, IN CASE YOU MISSED IT. I'M A BIG BABY ABOUT ALL THINGS SENTIMENTAL. I CRY AT THE STAR SPANGLE BANNER.

SO, KRISTI AND I WERE ON MILE 16, OR SO, WHEN I HEARD A CAR BEEPING WILDLY AND TINY VOICES STRUGGLING TO BE HEARD AGAINST THE GUSTS OF WIND, "MOMMEEEE GO...MOMMMMMEEEE!"

IT WAS MY HUSBAND AND THE KIDS! WHAT A TREAT! WHO NEEDS GOO, FOR ENERGY, WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR FANS CHEERING YOU ON, HUH?

ANYWAY, THEY SLOWLY DROVE PAST US AND MY OLDEST DAUGHTER LOOKED SURPRISED WHEN SHE POINTED OUT, "WOW, MOM, YOU'RE NOT EVEN CRYING YET!" THIS EVEN MADE THE STRANGER ON A BIKE NEAR US, LAUGH.

FEWER TEARS OF JOY TODAY...JUST JOY!

WAHOOOO...

THAT'S AS GOOD A TITLE AS ANY, AFTER FINISHING A WHOPPING 18 MILE RUN THIS MORNING! DID I MENTION THE SECOND HALF WAS RUNNING DIRECTLY INTO THE WIND...HELLO. OK, WE'RE NOT VERY GOOD AT NAVIGATING.

KRISTI, MY FRIEND, AND I WERE IN IT FOR THE WHOLE 18. JEN AND T-BONE SAW US THROUGH THE FIST 7. THEN, CATHY PICKED US UP FOR 6 OR 7 OF THE MIDDLE MILES.

KRISTI AND I SHARED AND SWAPPED INFORMATION ON KIDS' BEHAVIORS (SHE'S A MOM OF THREE, TOO!), PACIFIER USE, SCHOOLS, KIDS' DIETS, AND SO ON...

BUT, THEN TOWARDS THE FINAL MILES, KRISTI ASKED ME ABOUT HOW I GOT THROUGH THE NIGHT BEFORE MY SURGERY AND HOW AND IF I FOUND PEACE IN THOSE MOMENTS LEADING UP TO SURGERY. I COULD'VE TAKEN HER ANOTHER 20 MILES, IN ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS...

I WILL SAY THAT PEACE WAS A HARD-FOUGHT GIFT. IT DID NOT COME EASY. I ONCE WROTE THAT I "PRETENDED TO BE BRAVE, UNTIL I FELT BRAVE." HONESTLY, PEACE CAME, FOR ME, THROUGH MY FAITH...THROUGH PRAYER...THROUGH BELIEVING.

THE EVENING BEFORE SURGERY, WHILE DREW SLEPT, I SAT ON THE COUCH IN OUR HOTEL ROOM AND JOURNALED MY PRAYERS, MY BLESSINGS AND MY WISHES. I WEPT AND WILLED FOR PEACE.

AND, IT BECAME CLEAR TO ME THAT HAVING PEACE WAS WITHIN MY CONTROL. IT'S A CHOICE. THE SURGICAL OUTCOME WAS NOT IN MY CONTROL. MY FATE WAS ULTIMATELY NOT IN MY CONTROL. BUT, CHOOSING TO RELY ON MY FAITH FOR PEACE WAS A CHOICE. I CHOSE TO BELIEVE RATHER THAN BECOME BITTER.

I FEEL LIKE MY JOURNEY HAS MIRRORED TRAINING FOR A MARATHON, IN MANY WAYS. I'M A LONG WAY FROM THE FINISH LINE, FOR SURE. MY SIGHT IS STILL A MAJOR ISSUE. I WISH I COULD SHOW YOU A PICTURE OF HOW I SEE.

AT ANY RATE, LIKE MY RECOVERY JOURNEY, MY MARATHON TRAINING JOURNEY IS ACCOMPLISHED TAKING ONE STEP AT A TIME WITH A GRATEFUL AND PEACEFUL, ALBEIT POUNDING, HEART!

HERE WE GO...

18 MILES ON THE MENU TODAY...ISH. CATCH UP WITH YOU ALL LATER.

I'M BACK....

HI EVERYONE! HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A NICE WEEK OF RUNNING AND SWEATING. SO HAPPY THE FLOOD HAS CRESTED AND IS RECEDING.

THIS WEEK, WE HAVE: SPEED INTERVALS, A FEW "EASY" (HAH, IT ALL BECOMES RELEVANT!) 6-8 MILERS AND A LOOOONG ENDURANCE RUN OF 17 MILES.

AHH...IF THAT'S NOT BAD ENOUGH...I HAVE MY HUSBAND, DREW, WHO IS ALSO TRAINING FOR THE WHOLE SHEBANG. HE IS SO FUNNY, NORMALLY, BUT NOT WHEN HE'S TRAINING. POOR THING. JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER DAY, HE SAYS, "THIS IS IT. THIS IS MY LAST MARATHON." HE'S LESS ENTHUSED AND INVIGORATED BY WHAT HIS BODY IS CAPABLE OF.

IN HIS DEFENSE, SINCE HIS OCCUPATION HAS CHANGED, SO HAS HIS RUNNING HABITS OF RUNNING AT LUNCHTIME ON THE SAME PATH, FOR EIGHT YEARS. CHANGE IS HARD. AND, BLESS HIS HEART, DREW'S RESISTANT TO CHANGE. MOST NIGHTS YOU'LL FIND HIM STARTING HIS RUN AT 9, 10 OR EVEN 11 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT. UGH. HE DOES THEM, THOUGH.

I GUESS WE DO WHAT WE CAN TO KEEP ON TARGET. KEEP IT UP. THERE AREN'T' REALLY TOO MANY MORE WEEKS BEFORE OUR BIG DAY!

AND, SIGN UP FOR THE PASTA FEED! I'M SPEAKING AT THE 5:30-6:00 PASTA SEATING. I HOPE IT'S NOT JUST OUR FAMILIES. :) ALTHOUGH, THAT WOULD PUT ME AT EASE. :)

NEARLY ANOTHER WEEK BITES THE DUST...KEEP PRESSING ON, AND TRY NOT TO COMPLAIN, LIKE DREWSKI.

TEARS OF JOY AND THANKSGIVING!

HI GANG! THIS MORNING I RAN MY FIRST (POST-SURGERY) LONG RUN OUTSIDE. I WAS NERVOUS. AND,WEEPY AND SCARED OF FALLING IN ONE OF THE GAPING POTHOLES, EVIDENCE LEFT ON OUR STREETS FROM A LONG-HARD WINTER. BUT, I FINISHED MY 15, AND EVEN NEARED 16! I WAS SANDWICHED BETWEEN TOM DONALDSON AND JODI ROPER. MY "WING-MEN" PROTECTED ME, AND EVEN HELD ON TO MY HANDS AT TIMES, IN THE ROUGHER TERRAIN AND CURB STEP-UPS. WE LOOKED LIKE WE REALLY LOVED EACH OTHER, AND WE DO! BUT, WE MUST'VE BEEN A SIGHT TO SEE: THREE RUNNERS HOLDING HANDS AND SMILING. WE LAUGHED AT WHAT PEOPLE WERE THINKING WHEN THEY DROVE PAST US.

WE HAD A NICE PACE (AVERAGE OF 9.05, BY MY GARMIN), AND A REALLY NICE RUN. THEY KEPT ME GOING WHEN, TOWARDS THE END, I WAS CRAMPING AND MY LEGS AND SHOULDERS WERE SHOT. THEY WENT ON TO FINISH THEIR 20 MILER. THEY'RE TRAINING FOR BOSTON IN APRIL.

NEARING OUR FINISH LINE, WE SPRINTED INTO COURTS PLUS, AND I BEGAN TO SOB. I THINK I SCARED A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, WHEN THEY SAW ME CRYING. ONE WOMAN CAME RUNNING UP TO HUG ME AND TO SEE IF I WAS FEELING OK. I QUICKLY REASSURED HER HER, "I FEEL AMAZING. TIRED, BUT GREAT." TOM CHIMED IN, "THESE ARE TEARS OF JOY," AND THEY WERE. I SAT IN MY CAR, AND CALLED MY HUSBAND, THEN MY MOM AND JUST BAWLED. TEARS OF JOY AND HAPPINESS AND THANKFULNESS...

I NEVER DREAMT I'D BE TRAINING FOR ANOTHER MARATHON, JUST 4 MONTHS AFTER TWO BRAIN ANEURYSM SURGERIES AND WITH THE VISUAL DIFFICULTIES THAT UNEXPECTENTLY CAME WITH THEM. WE'RE ALL A GREAT DEAL STRONGER THAN WE REALIZE. WE CAN DO THIS. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US HAS IT IN US. OUR BODIES AND MINDS ARE FULL OF WONDER AND SURPRISE.

BY THE WAY, MY TEARS OF JOY HAVE BEEN FLOWING QUITE FREELY TODAY. I ONCE WROTE: "CRYING IS A GIFT..AND I'M VERY GIFTED." IT'S TRUE. I ADMIT IT. I'M A CRY BABY. A SISSY LA LA. BUT, I WALK HUMBLY, KNOWING I WAS GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE AND I WILL KEEP DOING JUST THAT...AND CRYING, ALONG THE WAY, TOO.

IT'S ALL PART OF THE PACKAGE...

BLESSINGS TO EACH OF YOU, AS YOU LIVE HARD AND KNEEL OFTEN!

KATHLEEN

HERE WE GO....NERVOUS.

HI. GOOD MORNING. I AM ON MY WAY TO MEET TWO DEAR FRIENDS, JODI AND TOM, WHO HAVE AGREED TO BE MY WING MEN TODAY. I'VE BEEN ON THE TREADMILLS FOR ALL RUN, SO FAR, AND AM FINALLY GETTING OUTSIDE THIS MORNING.

I HAVE 15, TO GO. AND, I AM VERY NERVOUS. NERVOUS ABOUT NOT SEEING SOMETHING AND FALLING. NERVOUS ABOUT 15. NERVOUS ABOUT MY SIGHT, MOSTLY. MY TUMMY'S IN KNOTS.

I FEEL SO DISORIENTED, IN SO MANY SITUATIONS, BC OF MY DUMB VISION.

I'LL LET YOU KNOW HOW IT WENT.

SNIFF SNIFF.
KATHLEEN

JUST A THOUGHT ABOUT CHOICES

WE ARE CONSTANTLY MAKING CHOICES IN LIFE. MANY OF THOSE CHOICES ARE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, AND SOMETIMES OUR OPTIONS ARE NOT INITIALLY APPARENT. BUT, WE CROSS LIFE'S INTERSECTIONS. WE (HOPEFULLY DO AND SHOULD) PROCEED WITH CAUTION, BUT STILL WE CROSS. EVERYDAY.

CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY. CHOOSE TO LIVE EVERYDAY TO THE FULLEST. CHOOSE TO BE KIND. CHOOSE TO BE HEALTHY. AND, CHOOSE TO SIGN UP FOR THE FARGO MARATHON. DO IT...FOR YOU. AND, CHOOSE TO HAVE FUN TRAINING FOR IT. IT'S SO FUN TO SAY YOU WERE/ARE A PART OF THIS EVENT.

THEN, CHOOSE TO SIGN UP FOR THE 5:30 PASTA FEED SEATING. :) I AM THE FEATURED SPEAKER, AND IF YOU WANT TO SEE ME CRY LIKE A BABY WHILE TELLING MY STORY, COME. AND, CHOOSE TO BE PATIENT AND KIND TO ME. :) I'M NOT A PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER, AND MY EMOTIONS STILL RUN PRETTY RAW, SINCE MY BRAIN SURGERY, SO IT'S LIKELY I'LL BE BAWLING. ALL PART OF THE JOURNEY...

HOPE YOU'RE SIGNED UP AND TRAINING'S GOING WELL. OUR BODIES ARE AMAZING. IT'S YOUR RACE. YOUR CHOICE. GO GET 'EM.

ENCOURAGED AND INSPIRED BY...YOU!

HI AGAIN! I POSTED MY PREVIOUS NOTE, SO THAT I COULD ADD IT TO MY LARGER NUMBER OF POSTS THAN MY HUSBAND's. HE DOESN'T KNOW IT, BUT WE'RE IN A RACE FOR THE MOST POSTS...IT'S THE ONLY TIME I CAN BEAT HIM IN SOMETHING. :)

WELL, ALTHOUGH NOONE REALLY RESPONDS (HO-HUM), MANY PEOPLE SAY THEY'RE READING THE BLOGS OR HAVE READ MY RECENT COLUMN IN THE "ON THE MINDS OF MOMS" MAGAZINE (WWW.ONTHEMINDSOFMOMS.COM) "MARATHON TRAINING FOR THE SEXES..." I'VE HAD GOBS OF CONVERSATIONS, AND HAVE BEEN BLOWN AWAY BY SO MANY OF YOUR STORIES. YOUR JOURNEYS. THEY RUN THE GAMUT OF TRAINING FOR A FIRST-TIME-EVER 5K RACE, TO 26.2 (S)MILES OF FUN...I LOVE HEARING, SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE!

YESTERDAY, I WAS RUNNING AT GOFAR WOMAN, MARK'S NEW GYM IN SOUTH FARGO (WOW! I'M LIKE A WALKING, TALKING ADVERTISEMENT!). ANYWAY, I RECOGNIZED THE FRIENDLY-FACED WOMAN RUNNING NEXT TO ME, FROM SEEING HER HUFFING IT OUT ON NEIGHBORING "MILL." TOWARDS THE END OF MY RUN, AND AFTER MY NEED TO FOCUS ON NOT FALLING OFF THE BACK EASED, I STRUCK UP A CONVERSATION WITH HER. I'LL CALL HER "D" SINCE I DIDN'T ASK PERMISSION TO TALK ABOUT HER. CAUTION: BETWEEN WRITING A BLOG AND A COLUMN IN THE "MOMS" MAG, NO CONVERSATION OR SITUATION IS OFF-LIMITS. :) ANYWAY, "D" TOLD ME SHE'S RUN 10 MARATHONS, WITH 8 OF THOSE ENDING UP IN QUALIFYING TIMES FOR BOSTON!!!!! EIGHT!!!! HELLO. SHE IS NEARING 50 (NOR SURE HOW CLOSE), AND HAS ONLY BEEN RUNNING SINCE TURNING 43!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LISTENED TO HER IN AWE AS SHE RECALLED SOME OF HER GRUELING MILES, DURING RACES, AND HOW SHE STRUGGLED TO OVERCOME "HITTING HER WALL," AND GLORIOUSLY FINISHING. I WAS PRACTICALLY HANGING OVER MY SIDE-RAIL ON THE TREADMILL, AS SHE TALKED. SHE WASN'T BOASTFUL AT ALL, JUST ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS. I AM SURE SHE SENSED MY PRIDE IN HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS, SINCE I WAS STRADDLING MY MILL AND PRACTICALLY HANGING ON HER EVERY WORD! SHE'S AMAZING. I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE QUALIFYING ONCE, LET ALONE 8 X'S!! SHE'S NOT A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE (ALTHOUGH, SHE QUALIFIES AS ONE, IF YOU ASK ME :)). SHE'S JUST A WOMAN WITH DETERMINATION, SPIRIT AND GOALS. LIKE ANY OF US...ONLY FASTER, CLEARLY. I AM INSPIRED BY YOU, "D!" I AM CHEERING YOU ON, AND WISH YOU MILES OF SMILES AND LUCK!

THEN, THERE'S A WOMAN WHOM I REALLY THINK IS NEAT AND HER STORY BROUGHT ME TO TEARS LAST NIGHT. SHE'S LONG-SINCE HUNG UP HER RUNNING SHOES FOR MOTHERHOOD AND A CAREER. BUT, SHE'S DECIDED TO TAKE THE PLUNGE THIS YEAR. SHE'S RUNNING THE 5K WITH HER DAUGHTER. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT. A SHINING EXAMPLE FOR HER LITTLE GIRL. A GOAL THEY'VE SET TOGETHER. SOB. THIS WOMAN IS NERVOUS AND EVEN A BIT SCARED. IT'S BEEN A LONG WHILE SINCE SHE'S RUN ANYWHERE. BUT, GUESS WHAT? SHE'S REGISTERED. THEY'RE REGISTERED. TAKING THE PLUNGE...TOGETHER. THEY'RE DOING IT, AS A TEAM. WHAT A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, TO LEAN ON EACH OTHER AND TO GROW AND EXPERIENCE THIS TOGHEHER. NOW, I KNOW DREW REALLY DISLIKES WHEN I SHOVE MY FINGERS IN MY MOUTH, AND WHISTLE LOUDLY. BUT, GUESS WHAT, HONEY? I PLAN ON FILLING MY LUNGS TO THE MAX AND LETTING OUT THE BIGGEST, LOUDEST, MOST PROUD WHISTLE I CAN MUSTER FOR THIS TEAM, WHEN THEY CROSS THAT FINISH LINE ON FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS MOMMY IS FIRST-RATE.

I HAVE TO ADMIT, I REMEMBER RUNNING MY FIRST RACE, A 5K, TOO. IT WAS THE BREAST CANCER ONE, IN PHILADELPHIA, MANY MANY YEAR AGO. SO MANY PEOPLE. I THOUGHT, "WHAT HAVE GOTTEN MYSELF INTO." I WAS SWEATING WELL BEFORE THE GUN WENT OFF TO START! MY BLOOD WAS PUMPING, AND I WONDERED IF I WOULD FINISH. THE RACE MUST'VE OFFICIALLY BEGUN, BC I CAN REMEMBER EVERYONE PUSHING AND MOVING FORWARD, ALL AT ONCE. IT WAS EXHILARATING, AND SCARY, TOO. BUT, THE FINISHERS T-SHIRT WAS IN SHAMBLES, BY THE TIME I RETIRED IT. I WORE IT ALL THE TIME. I WAS PROUD OF THAT RUN. THERE WERE NO RECORDS SET. THERE WERE MANY WHO CROSSED THE FINISH LINE BEFORE ME...AND AFTER. BUT, ONCE I GOT INTO A GROOVE, I REALIZED, "THIS IS MY TIME. MY RACE. MY RUN." TALK ABOUT GLORIOUS. YOU'D THINK I JUST WON A GOLD MEDAL!

MY POINT IS SIMPLE. WHETHER YOU RUN 3 OR 26.2: VICTORY AWAITS ALL OF US! WE ALL WIN! GO GET 'EM! BUT, DON'T FORGET TO SMILE FOR THE CAMERAS, WHEN YOU CROSS THAT LINE!

MOMENT TO SPARE...SORTA

MORNING! I LOST COUNT AT HOW MANY TIMES I'VE SAT DOWN TO POST A BLOG, AND THE BABY FALLS OFF THE TABLE, OR STRIPS DOWN TO HER BIRTHDAY SUIT AND GOES POTTY ON THE FLOOR, OR THE TWO OLDER WEE-ONES ARE WRESTLING AND SOMEONE GETS AN ELBOW TO THE NOSE & MOMMY'S NEEDED TO SAVE THE LIFE OF THE VICTIM. SO, HERE I AM...

THE GOOD NEWS: I AM STILL BEATING MY HUSBAND, DREW, IN THE NUMBER OF TIMES I'M COMMUNICATING WITH ALL OF YOU, SO THAT BRINGS ME COMFORT. IT'S THE ONLY WAY DREW WILL EVER BE IN MY DUST, SO PLEASE INDULGE ME HERE.

ANNNNYWAY, HERE I AM WITH (JUST) A MOMENT TO SPARE.