Journey to 13.1: Team Granny

A couple months ago, I did a crazy thing. I signed up for the Illinois Half Marathon in April. My best high school friend and running partner, Diane, convinced me that I could do it. It wasn't until I huffed and puffed my way through 3 miles on the treadmill at a pace slighty above a walk did I realize that she obviously doesn't know what she's talking about... After falling off the training plan over the holidays thanks to first bronchitis and then the allure of fudge, I entered the new year recommitted to my goal, but doubt still was in place as I read over the training schedule with double digit runs.

At the same time I had my moment of weakness and agreed to all this madness, my Granny was having a routine 10 year colonoscopy. They found a mass, did surgery, checked lymph nodes, and she now has her treatment plan in place. Through it all, my sweet Granny has kept an optimistic, can-do attitude. While it's the same attitude I've had for most of it, I'm still angry. At who or what, I'm not really sure. Cancer in general, I think. Hasn't cancer gotten the message that it is not welcome in our family? Anyone who knows my Granny, knows that she is the picture of what healthy eating and exercise looks like. Only for her most favorite meals does she allow a second portion and her daily multi-mile walks with her dog are at a brisk enough pace that she wouldn't lag far behind my "jog" on the treadmill. As each new diagnosis came in, I was left wondering why her? She has already overcome some fairly awesome health obstacles already (2 brain aneurysms) in her life. Why this one too? Shouldn't her main worry in her retirement years be dressing up as a clown and reading stories to the Head Start kids? Rather than worry about her, which my sweet husband reminded me last night my Granny would NOT want, I've decided to do the only thing I can to honor my Granny and her journey from 400 miles away. I can't be there to help with laundry, clean the house, or cook suppers for her and Grandpa. I can't be there to keep her company at her doctors appointments or pick up groceries or any of the other things I wish I could be there to do. Instead, I will get on the treadmill and I will run. I will run for her and the many others just like her who are going through chemo to kick cancer. If she can endure six months of chemo and all the less than glamourous side effects that come with it, I can endure double digit training runs, sore knees, sore muscles, and get myself back into shape...perhaps even get into better shape than I was in high school. And I will cross the finish line at Memorial Stadium in Champaign after 13.1 miles just as she will cross the finish line with that last chemo treatment six months from now.

Granny, YOU are amazing. You motivate me to step outside my comfort zone and just do what needs to be done. I am proud to be on Team Granny. Together we will kick colon cancer in the butt because it is no match for the Kenzie's and we will prove it again.