Story by: Claire Schenken
In 2015, I returned home to San Antonio from my first semester of college in Paris prematurely due to the November 13th terrorist attacks. I was overwhelmed by what had happened and bummed that I was missing an architecture class tour of Palais Garnier, showing my family my favorite spots on the trip they had planned to pick me up, and experiencing the magic that is Paris during the holiday season. Besides that, I was very nervous to begin classes halfway through the academic year at the University of Southern California, a school I didn’t know more than 3 people at. I knew I needed a goal to get myself out of the funk I was in. I also needed endorphins and something I could certainly look forward to in Los Angeles. I saw an ad for the 2016 Los Angeles Marathon and impulsively registered.
Growing up, I thought marathon runners were nuts. My mom ran three when I was little. I remember asking her, “Why?” I had always been active, but I had never been a runner. I played competitive soccer growing up. Since my retirement from high school soccer, I signed up for barre classes and went for the occasional short treadmill jog. When I registered for the LA Marathon, I had never run more than 5 miles at one time. I hadn’t even run a half-marathon, but I downloaded a training plan and moved to Los Angeles.
My first and one of my dearest friends at USC, Natalie Black, was also running Los Angeles and happened to be a newbie like me. We went to the expo together, ate pasta, garlic bread, and chocolate chip cookies from Mama D’s the night before, and ran our first marathon with her cousin Dr. Kelly Donovan, an experienced marathoner who told us what to eat and when to hydrate. Natalie and I hobbled to our classes for at least a week after the race and there may have been a health clinic visit or two in there, but I was hooked.
After my first Los Angeles Marathon, I made it my goal to run one marathon per calendar year as I am able. I am by no means a competitive runner. My goal is almost always just to finish; occasionally, I’ll shoot for a sub-4 hour time. I’d love to qualify for Boston sometime soon. My other goals include not ruining my knees and ankles. Really, marathons are just a fun way for me to stay moving throughout the year and an excuse to explore new cities.
I won a lottery entrance to the 2020 Chicago Marathon, which would be my 5th marathon. It is canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so I am continuing to train and will run the 26.2 miles in the Olmos Basin here in San Antonio.
2020 is undoubtedly different. In that theme, my goal this year is different. I haven’t run a marathon with a charity team yet, but this year I am pledging $1 for every mile I run now through race day (October 11) to Misericordia/Heart of Mercy. I hope to donate $5000 to Misericordia on race day.
I’ve run each marathon for personal goals of fitness and travel in the pomp and circumstance of big city marathons. This year likely won’t have frills, crowds of babies to high-five, cold shots of beer at mile 22, or Gatorade-stocked rest stations, but I am very excited to finally run for something bigger than myself.
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A little about Misericordia/Heart of Mercy:
Misericordia/Heart of Mercy is near and dear to my family, as my cousin Connor moved into his Chicago apartment at Misericordia in November. I’ve loved seeing how happy he is and getting updates about it this year! Many of Misericordia’s fundraisers have been canceled or been made virtual this year. If you’d like to join me in donating to Misericordia/Heart of Mercy, I invite you to match my donations by $1 for each mile I run in a day, week, month, or anything in between. I so appreciate it!
The mission of Misericordia/Heart of Mercy is to support children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who choose our community by providing the highest quality residential, training, and employment services. We provide the full continuum of care designed to meet each person’s changing needs and maximize his or her independence, self-determination, interpersonal relationships, and engagement in the community. Through our dedicated families, employees, volunteers, supporters and community networks, we offer an environment that fosters each person’s spirituality, dignity, respect, and quality of life.
https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/rona-run-2020 or Venmo @claireschenken
Other stories by Claire Schenken:
Emily Tranchina https://sapeopleproject.org/emily-tranchina-cochlear-implants/
Temi Adejuyigbe: https://sapeopleproject.org/temi-adejuyigbe/