Liz and Kamal (center) with their guides from Achilles International.
This is the English version of the article that appeared, in Spanish, on Con p de párkinson.
A couple of weeks ago, my friend Liz wrote on our FB group that the Parkinson’s Foundation had extra spots for the TCS New York City Marathon (Nov 7). She was thinking about running again, as she did in 2019. Our friend Kamal showed interest, but also concern, as she had never done it before. Both of them have since signed up!
I talked to them in early October, and they shared their training plans and their enthusiasm about the challenge. This is their story.
On training and running
Liz had just finished the London marathon the day before we spoke. She didn’t really go to London: runners were given routes in a city of their choice. She did her first marathon in 2019 and had three guides, three volunteers from Achilles International. Kamal is also training with Achilles in Central Park, and she’ll also be running with a guide.
Achilles International is a global organization that supports all sorts of athletes with a wide variety of programs. One of them is matching runners with guides for events like the TCS NYC Marathon. Running with guides is essential when you have a disability. I remember seeing Liz, in the crowd, but safely guarded by her Achilles people. They made sure she had enough space and nobody got in her way or made her trip.
On why they’re running
Interestingly, both said because they can. It’s not only that the Parkinson’s Foundation made it possible, but also being able to do it. Kamal had a fall a few months ago, and she says she had problems just getting to her kitchen. And now she’s running… because Liz asked her!
They’re also running for the benefit of the Parkinson’s Foundation. A few months ago, Liz participated in a cycling event organized by them, and she mentioned to the events coordinator that she had run a 10k that same morning. Lauren remembered her story and reached out when she found herself with extra bibs for the NYC Marathon. Usually, runners pledge to raise $3,500 for research on Parkinson’s disease (PD), but it was waived for them, as they had less time than usual. However, at the time of writing, Kamal had raised $1,515 and Liz was fast approaching $1,000!
On what gets them excited
Liz didn’t hesitate to answer this one: the crowds in NYC are amazing, the cheering, the energy. One of the benefits of running with a disability is that you start early, even before the professional runners. So, you find yourself alone on the imposing Verrazzano bridge, between Staten Island and Brooklyn. And then the pros run by, and you see them go so fast and think: “whoa, they’ll be done by the time we cross the bridge!”.
Kamal has never participated in the NYC marathon, not even from the sidelines, as she moved here with her family shortly before the pandemic hit. Liz shared with her a video that showed her how it feels, and she was convinced!
A few words to sum it all up
Kamal: I’ve never run, and I’m so excited about it now. The very fact that I never thought I could do it makes me happy, I’m over the moon that it’s doable. I don’t care what people think, whether I finish or not, whether there are people cheering. I want people to be part of it, especially people like us, who struggle.
Liz: It’s essential that you talk to your doctors about your plans to run a marathon. Also, make sure you listen to your body, if it gets too much, it’s ok to stop.
Last but not least
If you plan to attend the TCS NYC Marathon, let us know!
If you are running, we’ll track you on the app. If you want to cheer runners, join us in Long Island City, Queens. We’ll set up a cheering station (exact details to follow).
Photo: Kamal and Liz with her guides during one of their training meetups, New York, 2021.