You're Crazy, but I am with You

It has been awhile since I have posted my musings on the interwebs. Since my last post a lot of life things happened. We lost our loyal companion Bailey, bought a house, got married, went on a 2 and half month honeymoon country hopping around Eastern Europe, and adopted a new doggo. Also since I love to do all the things, I have signed up for my 10th marathon. Since this will be my 10th I decided I wanted to do something special. I am running in the New York Marathon in honor of my Nana.

A few things to know about my Nana. She was brutally honest. She was a perfectionist. She was a poet. She loved her family and prayed for them constantly. She never went anywhere without being dressed up, even cross country meets. She was my mother's best friend. And she was the classiest lady I will ever know. 

I lost my Nana a few years after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.  This past spring was really hard. Her presence was missed during one of the biggest days of my life, our wedding. I had always thought she would be there when I walked down the aisle. I wish I knew what her reaction was to me wearing running shoes under my wedding dress (she would not have approved). Most of all I wish she could have met Michael because I know she would have loved him. 

So back in February when I found out I didn't get in the New York marathon lottery, I looked into charity options. I had been wanting to run for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for years, ever since Nana was diagnosed. Team Fox had some slots open and I took it. Running to help find a cure for Parkinson's has really motivated my training. I am not just running to chase a time, I am running towards a cure. 

The last marathon I ran when Nana was alive was my first Boston marathon in 2014. It was the year after the bombings. I remember calling her after the race and hearing her sigh of relief that I was okay. On my post-marathon adrenaline rush I told her I cannot wait to come back next year. I will never forget her response, "No, you're crazy. I was praying for you the whole time and you want to do another one?" The following spring, I returned to Boston, but I didn't get to make that phone call to tell her I was okay and hear her sigh of relief. A few weeks prior, she became our guardian angel.

Now, every marathon I have done since I get little signs from her. From Chicago to Houston, she sends me a sign that she is watching over me. It could be a song blasting in the last mile of the race driving me to a PR, seeing family on the race course, or making sure someone was there to catch me when I fainted from heat exhaustion. I know she will be with me in New York, her home state. She has already sent me signs on my training run. I was struggling in the last part of my long run two weeks ago during the rain and a red cardinal flew over me. Although she thinks I am crazy, she's with me every step of the way. 

My training motto this season is: You're crazy, but I am with you. 

To donate to my cause, please go here: Brooke runs New York for Team Fox



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