running for a cause.... - This Mamas Dance

I am not a runner. I have tried many times to “get into” running- and at the end of the day, as much as I want to love it, and feel free while doing it, I just feel stressed, uncomfortable, and batty about the monkey that seems to jump on my back at about 20 minutes in…. don’t ever listen to anything my brother tells you about my short lived track career. Lies. All of it.

My family however carries on what I believe to be an important heritage through running. Our dad was a runner. We heard many stories about the “greats” he was able to race with, his injuries, and victories. Physical activity has a strong link to overall health, including mental health- and there is something so amazing to me about the perseverance it takes to run a race. I really admire runners, probably because running is like a slight form of torture to me, so I can not help but feel emotional everytime I see someone cross the finish line in a long distance race. Running takes a lot of time and discipline- much more than we see within a single race.

The first time I really began to understand the importance that running can hold, was when my sister Chelsea decided to run a marathon. It was shortly after we had lost our dad to suicide (a struggle for all of us) my sister had just given birth to her second baby (her boys are 13mths apart) and decided to start running as a way to lose baby weight and find a bit of solace in her day. She calls it her therapy. When she told me she was going to run a marathon I was so proud of her. “Running for your life. One day at a Time.” She wanted to emphasize the link between physical activity and mental health- that when you are active, you feel better about yourself and circumstances.

I will never forget that day. When my sister came up over the hill, and crossed the bridge, I began to weep, to yell yes! You have done it, you are almost to that finish line. She was running for me, for my sisters, my brother, my mom. For our dad. But most of all, she was running for herself. She knew she had to do it. That was the first official race she ever ran. A marathon. I still get choked up just remembering that day. I am still so proud of her, and thankful that she had the courage and perseverance to finish that race.

That same sister is married to a runner. His name is Lucas, and he has run several marathons in his lifetime. In 2009 he was diagnosed with a rare liver disease called PSC. You can learn more about his story at his blog. He ran the “Giver for Liver” marathon in 2010 in Dublin Ireland- and to say the least, it really was a marathon. He fractured his foot the month before, but he knew with all of the support at home, he “had” to run this race. It isn’t glorious, or glamorous, but boy is it inspiring. We are so thankful that his quality of life is so good, and that he continues to live *relatively* unaffected by his diagnosis. We also continue to pray for a miracle, as the only solution to PSC is a liver transplant once the liver begins to fail. I hope, and believe that won’t happen to Lucas!

I have come to a conclusion about all of this running. When someone is raising support for a cause, they are really championing our support of them. It is just as important to the “cause” as it is to the individual doing it. That is why when my oldest sister decided to run a half marathon not only in support of her brother-in-law Lucas, but in support of his wife (our sister) and their 3 children, I was so proud of her. I am so proud. At the end of this month Kristin (my oldest sister) and my other sister Chelsea (Lucas’ wife) will be heading to New York to run the half marathon with “Giver’ for Liver” a fundraising program for the Canadian Liver Foundation. This is in an effort to not only raise awareness about PSC, but many types of liver disease- to fund research for cures, and to also emphasize the importance of Liver Donation. They have been fundraising in all sorts of ways.

I know Kristin has $2350 left to raise towards her fundraising goal. I just wanted to put it out there, that if you would be interested in supporting my sister, you can do so here. A little over a month ago, Kristin’s son was burned to the third degree, and she really considered pulling out of the race. (It has been miraculous how wonderfully Wyatt’s burns are healing!) But she really felt like she needed to push through, and finish the race she had entered. She is so thankful to all of her supporters, and they are such a huge encouragement to her! I know she thinks of us when she heads out for a run in freezing conditions…

Also, If you would like to sponsor my sister Chelsea you can do so here. Chelsea is $1590 away from her fundraising goal, and has been so encouraged by all of the support as well!

These girls are sisters, running together, for each other, for their family. My sisters. I am so proud of the legacy they are carrying on, and of the strength they are giving to each other all in the name of support.