As a coach I have had almost every request in the book, but I have never had someone come to me and say “I want to run the marathon my husband never had the chance to run”….until last year when Christa Lynn Jones told me that she had lost her husband to brain cancer and wanted to run in his honor. As I choked back tears to respond, I realized what a huge undertaking this would be for a single mom of 4 kids, including a new baby!
Fast forward…She pushed that stroller, she juggled kids and schedules like a pro and made a ton of friends in the HUB City Running group, she went from jogging, to running, to really gaining speed on the track, to multiple 20 mile long runs. She learned that physical therapy helps and strength training works. She trusted the process and she grew stronger mentally and physically.
This morning she loaded up the kids and headed to Philadelphia where she will run “their” marathon on Sunday. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she takes on this huge challenge, this woman knows no quit and has unlimited determination.
Some words borrowed from Christa:
“Running has definitely been my form of grief therapy. It is my happy place. Yes, it can be painful but it really puts me at ease. Running makes me feel better about myself. It is not a cure for grief, trust me when I say I have my moments, where I break down crying at any moment. Happens a lot lately.
When I run I think about Robert and how we used to run together and how determined he was. He never let people know how much pain he was in. He was a grin and bear it type of guy. But I saw the pain. I saw the tears. So I toughen up and I run because I am doing this for him.”