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Her Story: Emily’s Race for Research

Posted September 24, 2007 at 01:00 PM by Katie Drummond

Section: Her Adventure, Her Fitness, Training Programs, Her Motivation, Her Story

The following post was submitted by Emily Fischer.  Emily is blogging about her quest to finish her first marathon (Chicago), and her determination to raise money for the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation (her pledge page can be found by clicking here.) Emily’s race for research, and, ultimately a cure, was propelled by the death of her young cousin, Sam, from mitochondrial disease; Sammy’s older brother, Zach, continues to fight it everyday of his life.  For the next few months, we will follow along with Emily as she discovers both the energetic highs and the crushing lows of running.  Emily is a gifted writer and thinker from Wisconsin – this is her story.

My birthday was last week.  I am now the seasoned and very well-adjusted age of twenty-eight.  Training has rewarded me with body aches I feel I have yet to earn as I’ve only just entered the second quarter of the game.  I guess there is no going back to the starting buzzer, and twenty-eight years isn’t exactly a minor amount of time. Maybe I need to stop being so hyperaware and pessimistic.  Maybe I need to focus on the gift that is the ability to feel the life in my body.  Maybe all of it…while remembering to breathe.

The air has grown less humid in Wisconsin, bearing the precursors of the reliably crisp and easy autumn. Sunsets are dipping behind the buildings earlier and patio gatherings are taking their bow after a good, long run with the end of day’s light, in cozy sweaters and closeness.  Personal routines, predictably like moon phases and hot and cold, adjust to the cycle of the seasons.

Routine…the chains on my ankles.  It makes perfect sense in the chaos of my thoughts to never do the same thing twice.  Routine and predictability...these words are the rotten lettuce in my salad.  A curious thing for a person repelled by routine to undertake marathon training…

In addition to the bursitis and ulcer I’ve mentioned in previous articles, I have developed a sports hernia.  This is more than a hint.  Part of me doesn’t care if I end up in the hospital with a ruptured hernia after the race.  The newness and fear of an experience has always enticed me.  But, here common sense does rear its unsolicited and (ugh) necessary head.  I hear more than a few sighs of relief from my family.  It is my job to smooth their furrowed brow.  Conversely, it is also my job to push myself beyond what’s in my line of sight.  I will keep running, though not to my detriment. 

The race is close, and I will not be able to finish it without hurting myself.  Of this, my doctor has assured me.  And while like the final days of summer, this is a bitter pill to swallow, it is also a simple adjustment of my thought cycle.  I will run, and I have accomplished much.

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Tags: bursitis, fitness, health, marathon injury, marathon training, meditation, mito disease, sports hernia, ulcer, umdf, united mitochondrial disease foundation

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