Why do I Participate in the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon?
I used to run the Mini back in the early 90s, with my first Mini having Disney involved. This was the old course that started downtown on the circle and finished at the iconic yard of bricks. When my kids started growing up, I sort of stopped running as much, so running the Mini sort of went to the wayside. In 2006, my then 10-year-old daughter, wanted to run the Mini with me. We trained a little and had some fun, but weren’t ready to run 13.1 miles. We ran the first 2 miles, then walked the rest of the way, just enjoying the event. I gave her a piggyback ride down Main street in Speedway and Dave Calabro announced her name as she crossed the yard of bricks. Someone gave her a Hot Wheel car that had been rolled across those bricks. At the finish line, my daughter did a cartwheel, which was photographed off my bib number. All in all, a very enjoyable event.
Then in December 2013, I suffered a stroke, which cost me the use of my entire left side. In January 2014, I started rehab at The Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana and they showed me the way. I thought my life was over, until Occupational Therapist Kristin Brewer-Hull and Physical Therapist Amanda Peiffer-Keys, put me through my paces. They proved to me that I could regain the use of my left side, but it was all up to me. In less than 20 days, they had me walking, with some assistive devices, but I was walking. I was discharged from inpatient therapy on January 18, 2014.
While still doing outpatient therapy for several months, I was approached to be part of a group of thriving patients at the local college. The University of Indianapolis has a group called Community Patient Resource Group, CPRG. This is a group of thriving individuals with different disabilities that volunteer to work with the therapy students, as they learn to become therapists. Working with these students has given me a lot of help and hope to gain more function.
During my recovery, I was introduced to and have become heavily involved in rehabilitation research at RHI. They have a Locomotor Recovery Lab that is run by Dr. T George Hornby. I was involved in a Hight Intensity Gait research study that was everything I needed to kick my butt into high gear. I felt so much faster at the end of this month-long study, I felt like Flash. A therapist involved in this study had a Flash costume, and he let me wear it for the final day of the study. I was allowed to keep the Flash costume, as long as I wear it to inspire others, thus I started wearing superhero costumes at each event in which I participated. Since the start of my rehab, I have participated in several 5k and stair climb events. This research study gave me the direction I needed to return to participating in the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. I decided to wear Captain America for my return to the Mini. Memorial Day is an American military holiday, perfect for this costume. I have at least 12 superhero costumes that I wear at any given event. These costumes are worn to give back to all the therapists, students, family, friends, and stroke survivors around the world. Yes, you can thrive in life after a stroke.
I owe my recovery to all the therapists, students, rehab facilities, colleges, and family, that have stood behind me and shoulder to shoulder with me.
The best part of the Mini, is the Mini. The party along the route, the comradery with participants, the thrill of being on the famed 500 track, and last but not least, all those that put in the hard work to make this event happen.
John D. Lummis