Two days ago I committed to running the 2015 Chicago Marathon. It has taken two days for this to sink in, and fully accept the fact that I’ll be running 26.2 miles on pavement (I’m primarily a trail runner). But, I am running this race for a good cause: ORGANIZATION FOR AUTISM RESEARCH (OAR).
If you are not familiar with autism, or what it is, here is an overview from OAR’s website:
The diagnosis of autism is an emotionally challenging and life-changing event. It opens a phase of life that raises many difficult questions. As time passes, questions continue to rise and often seem to outnumber the answers. The good news is there are answers in the form of proven intervention methods. Through informed action and the use of appropriate treatments and interventions, you can continue to enhance the quality of your child’s life across their lifetime. The challenge is finding evidence-based information that matches your child’s specific needs.
Learn more about autism on their website.
So, while I’m excited to run my first ever Chicago Marathon this October, I’m also excited to help raise money for a good cause. My goal is to raise $1000 by October 11th.
Getting Personal
This is my first attempt at the Chicago Marathon. Most of the odds are against me: I have Atrial Flutter, which is a heart arrhythmia (technically, I have Supraventricular Tachycardia / SVT). Over the past 15 years I have had my heart shocked numerous times, and have undergone a heart procedure called radiofrequency ablation (10 hour procedure where they attempted to zap out the arrhythmia in my heart, but were unsuccessful).
All that being said, I have found that regular exercise, running in particular, has helped me manage my heart condition pretty nicely. In addition to supporting autism research, I am running this race for my father, who lost his life to pancreatic cancer far too young.
Thank you to all my supportive friends and family who are always motivating and encouraging me to improve. Wish me luck! 🙂
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