Seems like people are always on the run these days. We rush to work, to our children's events, to parties, weddings, church, school, or wherever. And then we literally run to relax - on a treadmill, on the road, or in a class at the gym. Where does this all get us and do we even stop to ask the question?
I recently met two women who know exactly why they run and who provided more insight and perspective on life than any talk-show ever will.
Barbara Lischinsky is legally blind and has a host of other medical problems - from arthritis to a rare disorder that robs her body of almost all moisture, including sweat and tears. Her daily routine is a struggle unimaginable to most of us. But her response could be a lesson to all of us.
Barbara was sick and in bed in April of 2000 listening to the Boston Marathon on TV. A former member of her high school track team, she decided it was time to lace up the running shoes again. As she told me, "there are so many things that people were telling me I could not do. You can't eat this, you can't see this, you can't drive anymore. And I thought well, I want to try to run again, because I used to do that and loved it."
So she began by memorizing a route and running around the block, then two blocks, three blocks, a 5K, a 10K, and now with the help of a guide, she will run her 7th marathon on Monday in Boston. Oddly for her, the event that tears so many people apart is where she feels most alive. She says, "when I'm running I'm free. I'm out there with 20,000 other runners, and I'm not defined by anything other than how fast my legs will carry me."
Kristine Biagiotti has endured a marathon of heartache in her life. She has survived two brain surgeries for noncancerous tumors - surgeries that could have left her without sight, mobility or memory. But she survived and prospered and is about to run her third marathon. All of this while caring for a medically complex daughter, Kayla. Kayla has an incurable mitochondrial disorder that affects her ability to walk, talk, or do most of the things 11-year olds do. She requires constant care and love.
But tragically there is more. Last summer, Kristine's husband Bob died in his sleep of a massive heart attack - he was just 42.
So put it all together and you have a single mother who has survived two brain surgeries caring for a medically complex child who requires round the clock attention, and Kristine does all this while training for the marathon. Oh, and by the way, Kristine has a full time job as a technical writer for EMC. As Kristine quips in her typically upbeat way, "sleep is over rated."
And what will she be thinking about at the starting line on Monday. It certainly won't be about about obstacles or tragedy or self-pity. She says, "most people look at me and say they wouldn't want the life I have. I've learned so much from Kayla. She has taught me about strength and patience and you think of that at the start and you say 'I can do this.'"
Barbara and Kristine have stories that inspire and humble. I don't know if their stories will induce anyone to slow down life's treadmill, but if nothing else I hope one lesson will endure: to look around - and enjoy - the journey.
Editor's note: You can see both Barbara and Kristine during Monday's (4/17) episode of Chronicle at 7:30pm on WCVB-TV, Channel 5. They will be profiled as part of WCVB's daylong coverage of the 110th Boston Marathon.
