I was never an avid athlete or runner. In fact, I had run one marathon in 1997 and vowed to never do it again - the experience was simply too difficult to face a second time. In a spontaneous effort to push back at my diagnosis, I entered my name in the lottery for the New York City marathon and (surprisingly enough) received a bib number. After 18 weeks of rigorous training, I ran the marathon with an insulin pump and food reserves, checking my blood sugar every 5 miles.
The accomplishment I felt as I crossed the finish line was incredible! In that moment my mission was born. I wanted diabetics everywhere to find the strength to rise above their illness and lead happy, healthy, active lives. I wanted to motivate people facing challenges to overcome adversity and live their dreams.
So, I have committed to running 50 marathons in all 50 United States. So far, I've completed marathons in six states - New York, Minnesota, Missouri, Arizona, Colorado and Tennessee. In 2009 I'm already scheduled to run in Arkansas, Montana and Illinois.
I know that this quest won't be accomplished overnight. My plan is to run a marathon every quarter until I finish all 50 races. I'm well aware that it will take me 10 years and many tens of thousands of dollars to accomplish my goal. In the meantime, I am a professional motivational speaker and look for any opportunity to share my story with audiences nationwide. My message is threefold:
- To increase awareness of Diabetes and reach out to the 6 million Americans who unknowingly suffer with this disease without treatment,
- To inspire others to push past their fears and strive to accomplish their goals,
- To prevent Type 2 Diabetes and other chronic illnesses by encouraging people to be the cure through diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle.
