Wake Up Narcolepsy Runs Boston Marathon 2011

Wake Up Narcolepsy 2010 marathon team - celebrating after the race

In 11 days, over 25,000 people will run 26.2 miles in the Boston Marathon and three of these runners will race to raise awareness and funds for narcolepsy research with Wake Up Narcolepsy, Inc. 

Last year, I was one of four runners representing Wake Up Narcolepsy (WUN) in the Boston Marathon.  As a person with narcolepsy with cataplexy, crossing the finish line of the marathon was one of the most exhilarating and proud moments of my life.  (Read more here.) I wish I was participating again this year, but my body wasn’t quite ready so soon.

Nonetheless, narcolepsy will be well represented!  The WUN marathon team has trained through the cold snowy New England winter, while simultaneous raising awareness and funds for narcolepsy research.  (Click here to read Worcester Telegram news article.)

Their passion and dedication is truly awe-inspiring and I’m honored to tell you a little more about their inspirational stories on my blog.  

Meet Monica:

Three years ago, Monica’s first-born child, the oldest of three, was diagnosed with an acute onset of narcolepsy with cataplexy.  At the time, he was 11 years old and in the 5^th grade.  “My husband and I observe in amazement at our son’s quiet determination while struggling to manage his life with narcolepsy – cataplexy,” Monica reports.

Until facing narcolepsy in her family, Monica had no plans to run the Boston Marathon again. She’d run the marathon twice when she was younger, at ages 27 and 28 – before getting married and having children.

However, now in her mid-forties, Moncia is training for her fourth Boston Marathon.  Last year, she led the Wake Up Narcolepsy 2010 Boston Marathon team - finishing in 4:12:11 and raising $22,830 for narcolepsy research.

“I run for my son,” Monica writes on her fundraising page, “and will train hard because I know that this race will be another step forward on our quest for a cure for narcolepsy-cataplexy.”

Monica stayed true to her word - training hard despite inclement weather, injuries, and a busy family schedule. Her most difficult training run came at 12 miles – which she ran in a pool to stay off an injured leg.  She pool-ran for 2 hours and 20 minutes straight – hoping this would be enough to be equivalent to 12 miles. “It was just extremely boring,” says Monica.

It’s also been very difficult to fit in her long runs this winter. “I had planned to do my long runs on Fridays,” Monica explains, “but it seemed like every Friday it either poured, snowed or I had something such as a funeral to attend.“ 

She ended up doing most of her long runs on Saturdays.  “I was forced to do my 14 mile run on a Saturday evening around 5pm.  It was dark and cold and I had gone to my kids’ activities all day.  While I ran, the rest of my family was home relaxing after the busy day.  I just had no energy and didn’t want to be out running 14 miles alone. Our weekends are so jam packed that I couldn’t squeeze it in at any other time.”

Monica successfully overcame these training obstacles and now, just 11 days before the marathon, she is confident and ready.  She hopes to finish in around 4 hours and is excited to see her husband and three children cheering her on along the route. 

Yet, beyond the finish line is another equally important goal for Monica – raising money for cutting-edge narcolepsy research to find a cure for narcolepsy.

“My son with narcolepsy-cataplexy continues to trudge forward, never complaining,” she describes, “and I know my training for the marathon pales in comparison to the challenges he faces having to live with this disorder.”

To support Monica’s efforts and learn more – please visit her fundraising page.  All gifts are greatly appreciated.  No amount is too small - just like running a marathon, each step counts!

(Check back soon to learn about the other two Wake Up Narcolepsy marathon runners, John and Kim.)