Why do you run the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon?
My initial interest in the Mini-Marathon stemmed from when I was around 8 years old. My mother trained and ran the Mini-Marathon and I remember thinking how cool that was. At that time, the medals came in the mail, and I can remember waiting for her to medal and then wearing it around and keeping it in a special box with other trophies and memorabilia (I think I even wore it to school). Running the Mini has always been on my bucket list for this reason. When I found out about the Mini with A Meaning Program this past winter, I felt like it was a great opportunity to put together a team of people to push themselves physically but to do it for a reason bigger than themselves and support The Mowat-Wilson Syndrome Foundation.
When was your first time running in the Mini-Marathon?
Yes, this will be my first time running the Mini Marathon! My mom and husband will be running with me (and we are hopeful to push our daughter Andi for at least part of it!).
What is your favorite part of the entire Mini-Marathon experience?
My favorite part so far has been all the excitement around the race and the whole experience. There is so much hype and support on social media that it gives me a glimpse of how the race will be which I think will be like one big celebration party!
Who has inspired and supported you in your journey to prepare for the Indy Mini?
My mom inspired me initially, but what has carried me through is my husband and our daughter, Andi. Training for a race is hard. It takes a lot of time. Since my husband and I are both training, it also takes a lot of logistics since we don’t run together (we’re both very competitive!!). At the end of the day, my husband and I are running this race for Andi to raise awareness for her syndrome. I know this is cliche, but she really has changed our lives and how we think and operate in this world. To be able-bodied and run (or even walk) 13.1 miles is really a gift that we should always appreciate and try our hardest not to take for granted.
The MWS Foundation helps raise money to support families with kids diagnosed with Mowat-Wilson Syndrome and coordinate research projects with universities. It’s actually the only foundation that supports Mowat-Wilson Syndrome.
When Andi was first diagnosed, we found the foundation and they sent us a “Welcome Kit” that included a teddy bear for Andi and some paperwork about MWS to give to doctors and caregivers. It was a small gesture, but made us feel like we had a place to belong- which is important for families affected by rare syndromes and conditions!