UCP “Life Without Limits” Half Marathon

Florence, Alabama

10/25/14

SHORT VERSION

There were 4 runners and 1 rider. We didn’t finish first but every one of us WON!

THE REALLY LONG VERSION

About 2 years ago, I commented on a post a running message board started by “hog4life” (Mitch). He announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer and I replied that I was hoping for the best for him. Little did I know the friendship this single reply would start. We continued casual chat on the boards and eventually became FB friends. After becoming FB friends, Mitch began reading all of the stuff we post about our son, TJ, who has Cerebral Palsy. He always offered positive comments to our posts.

Late summer 2013 Mitch asked if he could run the 2013 UCP “Life Without Limits” Half Marathon in TJ’s honor. We were overwhelmed that someone would want to do this for TJ. This was something we never imagined anyone wanting to do because the way we see things, we aren’t doing anything special with TJ…we’re simply parenting to a kid that has to do things a little differently. During our chatting back and forth, we told Mitch we wanted to come do the race with him in 2014. He completed the 2013 race wearing a bib of pictures of TJ and even sent him a finisher’s medal from the race. The feeling this brought us was really special. As we rolled into 2014 our plan was to be at the race in October. March rolls around and we have to replace our roof. We started feeling like this race was moving out of our reach for being able to travel to it. June comes and I get Vertigo. This brought additional bills that just smashed our hopes of being able to afford to go to Alabama. Sometime in July I get a message from Mitch wanting to know if we think we’re going to be able to make it in October. I took about a day to respond because I just hated to have to admit that we wouldn’t be able to go.

Fast forward to August 16. We are in Sam’s Club shopping and we get a message from Mitch, “Are you both there”? Yes, what’s up? “Are you sitting down”? The next thing we get is a notification that we are added to the FB group “Team TJ”. We sat in the grocery store parking lot and read months worth of messages about raising funds to support us being able to go to the race. This just blew us away reading that people would be so excited about helping total strangers go to a race. Due to the generosity of many, we were able to make the trip and have experienced a lifetime worth of happiness and kindness. Through all of the trip planning, we find out that TJ is one of the race’s feature runners.

Thursday morning. We left  Southeast Georgia for Northwest Alabama at about 6am Thursday morning. We planned a day for travelling due to needing to stop along the way for TJ to stretch. His muscles stay tense due to his CP so stretching is important for him. It was an easy trip to the Alabama welcome center on I-20. We stopped there for about 30 minutes for everyone to stretch since this was the longest road trip we had ever taken. A few hours later we arrived at our hotel. We booked a room at the hotel where the race started and finished which worked great! We got all of our stuff unloaded and just spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing.

Friday morning we found our way out for some breakfast. They had a restaurant at the hotel but they were just a little too proud of their breakfast for us. The shopping area of Florence was just 2 miles down the road and we hit the jackpot, McDonalds and Walmart. The plan was then to meet Mitch and his wife Connie that afternoon and Traci and her husband that evening for dinner. Mitch and Connie arrived at the hotel at about 2:30 and we sat chatted for several hours as if we had known each other our entire lives. We made packet pick up and then met Traci and Jonathan before heading to the restaurant for dinner. We enjoyed dinner at a small Italian restaurant in town, we all ate and TJ laughed the entire time… Again, the conversations flowed as if we had been friends forever.

Race day. The race day weather couldn’t have been any better. Mitch and Connie arrived at the hotel shortly after 6am. We got everything together, got TJ loaded in his stroller and headed to the starting area. At the start area we met up with Traci and Jonathan and a short time later Jimmy and his family arrived. We got several group pictures and made our way down to the start line. Team TJ and the other featured group, Ansley’s Angels” was introduced and got the race started! As we ran along and the faster runners would passed us, they would nearly all offer encouraging “Go Team TJ” cheers. All through the race, our group alternated pushing TJ and just running along chatting. One of the things that made this day even better was that Traci upgraded to the half marathon and we were all able to experience it with her, it was an honor to get to do this. I joked with her along the way that she would have a really soft PR and when she ran another she would really be able to smash it! By about mile 11, I was exhausted. This race course was advertised as “flat and fast” and to those that live in the area that was probably the case. For a South Georgia boy, it was like the mountains. Thanks to all the teamwork, we made it to the finish in 3:08x. I’ll gladly admit this was the best running day I’ve experienced since I started just over 3 years ago. Not because I ran really fast and set a huge PR, but because I ran with a group of friends that selflessly gave up a chance to PR to help TJ become a half marathon finisher and friendships that will last a lifetime. Shortly after the race Jimmy met up with his family and left. Traci and Jonathan hung around a little longer and we all sat and talked at the finish area. They too soon departed to rescue the grandparents from the kids.

While we were running the HM, Angie (my wife) and Connie did the 5K to help pass the time while they waited for us. When we thought they had time to finish, Mitch called to check on them. While he talked to Connie he told here we were doing good but had experienced a flat tire on TJ’s stroller (which we had not). Almost immediately I get a text from Angie wanting know what was going on. It took me a few minutes to convince her that we were OK. I just checked the race results and it appears Connie won her AG in her first race!!!

We didn’t make it to the end of the awards ceremony since TJ needed to get out of his chair to stretch. Mitch and Connie spent the rest of the day just hanging out with us at the hotel and talking. About 6pm they decided it was time to start making their way home. I think everyone hated to end the day.

Sunday was just a long road trip back to Coastal Georgia. When we arrived home, we had driven a total of 1,077 miles to get to run 13.1 miles with great friends. TOTALLY WORTH IT!

I realize this has been rather long and if you made it to this point you are to be applauded. I will say to the forum folks, if you EVER get a chance to meet Mitch, Traci, and/or Jimmy…DO IT! They are amazing folks.

To everyone that contributed to make this possible, THANK YOU can’t be said enough. You have enriched our lives beyond anything you could imagine.

Ready to hit the road.  We travel with a LOT of stuff!

Taking a break along the way to stretch and try to take a nap!

Enjoying dinner together!  Thanks Jonathan and Traci!!

TJ chilling at the hotel.

Pre-race Traci shows us she has all of the vital race info in a safe place ;-)

Crossing the Wilson Dam at about mile 1.

Traci is one happy runner and just an all around great lady!

3 miles down.

Traci and TJ, the 1st time half marathoners, getting it done together!

 If you've ever wondered what Angels look like, watch 3 folks help you push your child through a half marathon. This is what they look like!

TJ on a water break.

At mile 10 having a great time!

It seems like it takes an hour to run across this river.

Still crossing the river...

There were signs like this one at every mile marker.  This is one that I was very happy to finally see!

The payoff for all of the hard work by the TEAM.

Traci got the honor of putting TJ's medal on him. They were both first time half marathoners.

The fruits of the labor.

To Mitch, Traci, and Jimmy.  THANK YOU for taking time out of your lives for put a smile on TJ's face.  We will be forever grateful for your doing this!

Thanks for taking the time to read our report.  Our hearts are just filled with joy over this.

And no, I'm not bawling at my desk, TYVM!

What a great RR! It gave me chills.

We think the more we run, the bigger the muscular organ that is our heart gets. But sometimes, it's not the fastest and most successful runners who have the biggest hearts. And this is proof of it. Team TJ is the most awesome team of all! I remember seeing pictures of TJ when he was much younger. And I remember when Mitch started talking about all of you doing a race together. How time passes so quickly... I'm glad that TJ is loved in this manner and that you, Robert, have such good friends. Congratulations to all of you!

Goosebumps x 2.  What a terrific story!  Congrats to everyone!

I read your short version as 'we didn't finish, but we all WON!"  and was waiting for the part where you had to DNF.  So glad I read that wrong.

I don't think any other race report has made me smile quite so much Great job, all of you!!

That is really wonderful. Congrats team!

Some of our best races don't involve PR's.  One of my best found me finishing DFL in a HM and I loved every minute of it.  What a wonderful day you had.

Congrats Team TJ  !!!!