I didn't look back at my last post to see if I mentioned I would be running the Chicago Marathon 2013 for a charity team, so if I didn't mention it, that was the plan. Sometimes I forget where I work and I need to write it down, so let me refresh my memory and restate that here as well,
1- Full time 3rd year DPT Student
2- Team Enterprises- Bacardi Girl
3- Hooter's of Oak Lawn- Hooter's Girl
4- Ascent Talent- Promo Modeling
5- PUSH Models
6- ATN Events- Brand Ambassador
Surprisingly and thankfully, all these jobs allow me to pick and choose the events/days that I work so I am able to balance it all out nicely [most of the time.]
In the midst of this craziness I am losing who I am, there is always something that needs to be done and if I would step back I would see that I am exhausted, depressed and stressed to the max. Besides needing to work so much so pay off the debt I have since I moved (and ran out of financial aid money) I think I work so much because I am actually pretty stinkin' lonely and bored if I'm not. It keeps me socializing with MANY individuals keeps me busy and not thinking about what I am missing in my life.
Anyway-- back to the Chicago Marathon... I have not been training because as you can imagine, I have been SO SOO busy and I'm working through some sort of knee/leg/quadricep injury right now as well. I haven't had the energy, motivation or the love for running like I had last summer and I am convincing myself that I can't run a marathon this Fall. BUTTTTT-- let me mention why I even decided to run this marathon in the first place. There is a VERY special woman, that I like to consider a modern day super hero, that goes by the name of Colleen McGrath. I'll sum the story up and just provide a link to in depth details... Colleen's mom died when she was a teenager from cancer. Colleen was diagnosed at 13 y/o with pancreatic cancer. Colleen's dad "MADE" her go to a children's oncology camp before choosing to give up chemo treatments. Colleen beat pancreatic cancer. Colleen's dad died from cancer. Colleen returned to camp as a camper then a counselor and later a dedicated employee of COSI. Colleen returned to camp during the summer of 2012 at age 27 and informed us all that she had Stage IV colon cancer. Against all odds----Colleen beat Stage IV colon cancer.
----Colleen's determination to send children to camp and provide them with the best experience of their life, which she contributes to saving her life as a teenager, is what she aimed for Team One Step (my Chicago Marathon Charity Team) to do. Colleen was not going to give up on fighting for her life and if you ask me who the strongest individual I know is, without a doubt, I can assure you she is the first name that comes out of my mouth. The last thing I had planned to do in the next year was run a marathon; however, I decided in Feb/March of 2013 that I would do it because Colleen is one inspiring individual. I knew the time would come where I would say, "I really don't want to run this marathon, I'm behind on training, and there's no way I can run this marathon." That is where I am at now. All odds are against me in successfully running this marathon; I am exhausted, I am injured, I haven't been training, my nutrition is terrible, I can't afford (literally $$) to eat and train for a marathon, I don't have the time to train, and I don't have the time to fund-raise for it. THENNNNNNN I go back to the beginning and think about why I decided to do it. I don't intend for this to come out rude if for some reason anybody takes it that way, but when I think about not doing the marathon, what stops me is that I would have to tell someone that beat the deadliest of cancers NOT ONCE, but TWICE, that "I can't do this." [in reference to running a marathon] I think that would be harder than actually running the marathon.
Colleen's Story
SO basically.. I am going to run the Chicago Marathon on 11 weeks of training and a prayer. lol. I wanted to post this as a constant reminder and motivator to myself and also keep you all up to date on my marathon training. I need all the support I can get as I am already about to lose my mind. I am hoping to post more frequently so you can track me as I proceed through the next 11 weeks. Hopefully things will start becoming more balanced in my life and I find my lost love for running and endurance activity again.Best----
Kristin.
Keep up with me on Twitter @kCull4_SPT or Instagram @kcull_4
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