Marathon a Success!

by Sue Otten, Featured Fundraiser & Athlete

I finished! (these are not easy words after 26.2 miles.)

And I am pleased with my time of 5 hours, 16 minutes!! (and these are really not easy words, as I had a knee injury that started acting up at mile 4)

But the weather was perfect, the enthusiasm along the race course was awesome, and I kept being reminded of the cause I was running for.

Plus, God sent a number of angels that really helped me through:

Glenda, my high-spirited, fun friend from Kansas. If her gold lamé shorts weren’t going to get me pumped up, nothing was going to. I am just sorry we lost each other at that early water stop.

Sharon, the 5 mile pacer. Your cheers, songs, chants, seconds-in-the-bag strategy and walk breaks made miles 6 through 15 fly by!

Judi, my new running friend from Pasadena. Your encouragement and 110% positive attitude (must be the 7 consecutive Houston marathons, or your kindergarten students) got me through to mile 23. Bless your kind spirit!

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. From mile 23 on I had excruciating knee pain, but I was able to finish with the support of some incredible volunteers. TNT coaches John, Dan & Bill, mentor Martha, speakers Mel & Larry, all but carried me to the finish!

Visions of Mel’s t-shirt (“Think running a marathon is hard, try chemotherapy!”) and Larry’s determination to not only overcome, but to start an outreach program through his church to help others, really put my pain into perspective.

This was the little bit I could do to help others. I, who have been so incredibility blessed with two healthy-active-athletic kids, could do this small thing to help others whose kids have been affected by this disease. I, whose husband is strong and hardly been sick a day in his life, could tell everyone I knew to donate to the cause to help others whose spouses are stricken in the prime of their life.

Leukemia is responsible for the death of more children than any other disease. Due to extensive investment in research, the overall survival rate has more than doubled in the last 30 years to now more than 40%

About the Author Susan K. Otten, a veteran of the technology industry with 20+ years of marketing experience, helps other companies with their sales and marketing. Through her company, Otten Associates, she offers services such as strategy planning, website development, and field marketing. Phone: 281-298-5656 Email: sue@ottenassociates.com