To CELEBRATE Madison's
Super
Miraculous
Achievement; turning 15 years old, we traveled to the happiest place on earth- Walt Disney World! Madison had so much fun and didn't want to come back home. Her next big adventure is attending another Big Time Rush concert on July 5th and meeting her favorite boys for the 4th time. Please continue your prayers for her health to remain stable so she can attend this concert.
Madison's Aunt Michelle ran in the Disney Princess Half Marathon while we were there. Please read below Michelle's own account of her training and experience:
"This past Feb. 26 2012, I entered the Disney
Princess Half Marathon to Run 4 A Miracle - Cure SMA. Words can not describe the
feeling or feelings I had as I ran and walked 13.1 miles from Epcot to
the Magic Kingdom and back! It was truly magical as I felt the wings of
So
Many
Angels carry me to the finish line!
I trained for 14 months - doing
the Galloway beginner half marathon training program I think 3 times and
group core and strength training one day a week with my guy Rick at
Premier. I mixed up two other days with a light bike workout and
kettlebell program. At first I really did not get the run/walk, so I
made up run walks just to get me to 6 miles. Then by accident or fate -
fate for sure- I came across a video of the Galloway run/walk -- ok I
got it now!!! So I finally got comfortable doing the run/walk - 4/1 was
my goal. It finally all clicked into place the last 3 months when 80%
of my training runs felt good to great. You know what they say about
the other 20% - they are the ones that either hurt or make you want to
just puke and leave that psychic mark in your mind - why am I doing
this?
I did no short races like a 5k or even a 10K - my goal was to
make this as tough as possible and to be in the unknown -- just like
SMA. Total cold turkey. My last big run was the Sunday before the
race. We were leaving Tuesday for the two day road trip down. On
Thursday morning I needed to get at least a 30 minute run in and the
weather was already up in the 70's. I walked to the small fitness
center at the rental house resort we stayed in - did a 30 minute motor
memory run treadmill run - then ran back to the house. I felt pretty
good about things especially since the next three days we would be
walking Disney theme parks for a good 2- 3 hours. I was praying for
cool weather for Sunday, because the three days before were in the
70's, and it happened -- it was 55 and cloudy with a touch of misty
rain. Thank you Lord.
Wake up was at 2:30 am leaving the house
with Fran at 3 am. You had to be at the park no later than 4 am if you
were driving because they begin to close the roads leading into Epcot
and the Magic Kingdom. I think all the moons were aligned - we ended up
with a sweet parking space, walk to the staging area was short and
sweet. Once there, we checked out a few places especially the CHEAR fan
area. I had to be in my corral no later than 5 am - so I headed on over
to it around 4:30 am. Wow - I've never seen so many port-a-pottys in my
life! The walk was a good 20 minutes, due to trying to get around those standing
in line to take the last pee or poop to the crowd of over 20,000
heading to their corral.
I was in the second to the last corral G. I
found a spot and waited for the big show. They had a big screen TV so
you could hear ( not well ) but see as all the corrals were started by
the Fairy Godmother and a round of - yep you guessed it - FIREWORKS. So
as each corral in front of me left I moved up until I was in the start
area. Yep - the Fairy Godmother did the countdown and the Fireworks
went off -- and so did my corral. I started out walking -on the right
side like you are suppose to - then I saw the family and friends on the
left side so i decided to JOG and look to see if I could see Fran -- no
Fran and if she was there I could not see her because it was too dark. So I was still
jogging to the first water station 1.5 mile - goal was to walk all water
stations -- got through that one so I began to jog again not really thinking. I just did that to the next water station 1.5 mile again. I walked
through the station again and began to jog a little then looked at my
watch and saw it was not 7 am yet ( oh my corral was to leave at 6:21am
but I think we left a little later). I realized I just ran- ok- jogged but I
think it was a run cuz I did each mile in like 10 something. Which I
did not plan on so I decided I was going to do my run walk the rest of
the way. As I slowed to walk - I was next to a lady who looked to be by herself
so I said hi and how are you doing? Turns out she was by herself as
her friend had a sprained ankle and dropped out. She was beginning to
get a blister on her foot -so i asked her if she wanted any company.
So we walked ran the rest of the race about 8 miles.
My goal was to finish
so I was not in a hurry to make some record time and then be dead the
next day. And the time went faster with a new friend. I felt great
the whole time - as if i could have JOGGED the whole thing ( which I am
glad I did not). Or even did my run walk - 4/1.
We passed through
the Magic Kingdom toll booth heading to the Contemporary then the back way
to Main Street USA and the Castle is in front of you. How cool is
that!!! Way cool!!!! Right turn to Tomorrowland past Space Mountain, The
Tea Cups and around the corner to the back of the Castle. The Trumpeter
tooted a royal toot as you ran through the Castle and out the front and
down to Liberty Bridge. Then I saw Jan at the 6 mile area - I gave her
a sweaty hug and off to Frontierland. I was hoping the turkey leg
stand was open but no luck there. Good thing I had one the night
before. We then pass Splash Mountain heading towards the back lot of
Adventureland which takes us to the road to the Grand Floridian and back to
World Drive. At the 8 mile mark we get GU -- yummo!! I milked my three
GUs for the next mile. Next thing you know it we are at mile 10-11 the
big clover leaf exit ramp back to Epcot. WOW what a ramp -- it was
banked and it was elevated - the most elevation you can get on the
mostly flat course. Your left buttock cheek was feeling it now. Then
there is mile 12 - Epcot, the golf ball, the water fountain to showcase
bridge- then turn around and see it all again. Now you are getting to
the finish line which is again taking us to the back cove of Disney
productions ( only where the eyes of cast member are to see) - AND THEN there it
is the finish line-1 mile to go!
It took me 3 hours & 24 minutes to do but it was the
best 3+ hours of my life! I crossed the finish line, got my princess
medal, took a photo op with it, walked around and was thinking -- I did it
-- after 14 months of training and a 3 hour tour of Disney World - I
did it and felt great!!!
I am glad I did no runs before this and I am
glad I trained the way I did. I do not think I would have felt a great
accomplishment if I had done a few races before this. Defeating the
unknown is the most rewarding feeling ever. Oh - and staying with keeping it as hard as possible - I did the Princess in shoes I did not
train in!! I bought a pair of Brooks two weeks before the race.
However, I tried them on 4 times before buying them. The UNKNOWN!!! Just like SMA!
In
doing this run - it has made me want to continue a journey to Run to help
Cure SMA.
So because of the Princess Run I am going to
BE A CHAMPION and run in The Nationwide Children's Hospital Half Marathon on Oct 21, 2012 --
RUN 4 A MIRACLE CURE SMA.
Remember I did my first ever road race at the Disney Princess Half
Marathon Feb. 26 2012. After that unbelievable experience - I have decided
to add more to my list - so before the Columbus Half Marathon - I will be doing
the Color Run, Dublin Emerald Run, Columbus Ruckus and the Hell Run
(going for the SuperWomans Cape).
If
you plan on doing the Nationwide's Children's Columbus Marathon and DO
NOT HAVE A CAUSE to run 4 then join my team and RUN 4 Madison's Angels Cure4SMA.
Please
DONATE to
SMA Gene Therapy Research at Dr. Brian Kaspar's Lab
Madison's Angels Cure4SMA
YOU
CAN JOIN MY TEAM- all you have to do is go to Madison's Angels Cure4SMA and hit the link
JOIN MY TEAM. You will raise awareness and funds for SMA Research. You can do this the
REAL way by entering the Columbus Marathon and joining me on the streets of downtown Columbus or the
VIRTUAL way
by running or walking in YOUR city (if not Columbus) or running or
walking in your Columbus neighborhood -- mileage of your choice.
Remember SMA or SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHY is the #1 genetic killer of
children under 2.
7 million Americans or 1:35 people UNKNOWINGLY carry the SMA gene.
SMA is untreatable, under funded, incurable and FATAL.
Columbus HAS the TOP 2 SMA Research Teams in the world at The Ohio State University and The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital."- Michelle Worrellia
http://miracleformadison.blogspot.com/
