Running Free: Onward to Hurt!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Onward to Hurt!

Tomorrow Suzanna and I leave for Hurt!! I am so excited. Please send good vibes for us on Saturday!! It will be tough. I may not get a chance to blog while we are in Hawaii. If I can get to a computer, I will update my blog when I can.

Above, is a picture of Karen making her way across a rock face.

Today my Mom had surgery to have her cancerous thyroid taken out. Thankfully, she did very well. My sister and brother and her many friends will watch her closely while we are gone. Thank you to everyone who prayed for her.

10 comments:

jorjep said...: glad all went well with your mom.me and leigh will be thinking about your adventure at HURT this weekend,Have fun; January 17, 2008 at 12:12 AM
Bob - BlogMYruns.com said...: First off glad ur mom is doing better & her surgery went well...AMen.

now go and ENJOY the HURT adventure looks like an amazing course...Best wishes to Suzanna and also u as her pacer.

Look forward to ur report & lots of pics :-); January 17, 2008 at 11:56 AM
Jeff Vieyra said...: Kelly,

Wish I could be with you guys, but I will be following via the "web" and rooting for both of you.

Prayers to your Mom.

Jeff; January 17, 2008 at 3:34 PM
Olga said...: Sending good vibes to Mom...

Kick Suzanna's behind and bring her to the win! She's amazing, that AC was a treasure to follow. Have fun!; January 18, 2008 at 8:51 AM
Bob - BlogMYruns.com said...: WOOOO HOOO Congrats to Suzanna & for you pacing her. I just seen she came in First Place ---AWESOME!!!!

Look forward to ur report!; January 20, 2008 at 4:15 PM
Anonymous said...: YAY!!! Kelly and Suzanne! Such an asewome run and the fact you both felt good AFTER the run says a lot. I followed you all weekend long. Now, please go enjoy your vacation!!!; January 21, 2008 at 12:38 AM
kelly said...: Thanks to everyone!! The Hurt course is just AMAZING! We had a great time together. Suz remained focused and was strong physically and mentally to the end. She was LIVING THE DREAM!; January 22, 2008 at 7:54 PM
Carey said...: Great Job Suzanna and way to pace Kelly! From reading Jeffery Roger's blog it seems that course is quite the challenge; WAY TO GO! Can't wait to read the full report; enjoy the rest of your time out there!
Carey; January 22, 2008 at 8:33 PM
Unknown said...: Thanks for the nice comment on my blog, Kelly. I just posted my HURT report and added a link to Running Free. Hope to see you soon: Diablo?; January 24, 2008 at 4:01 PM
kelly said...: Hey Mark, no I am running Miwok and Lake Sonoma instead. Have a great race at Diablo. That is one tough course!; January 24, 2008 at 4:59 PM

Not Even Lupus Can Slow Ridgway

NOT EVEN LUPUS CAN SLOW RIDGWAY Published on June 26, 2004 © 2004- The Press Democrat BYLINE: BRUCE MEADOWS Three years ago when she was diagnosed with lupus, Kelly Ridgway didn't take much time plotting her course. ``I figured I could lay on the couch and be a drug-seeker for pain or I could choose to be as healthy as I can be,'' said Ridgway, 46, an outpatient surgery nurse at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Ridgway, defying the odds, is entered in the Western States 100 Endurance Run, which starts at the base of Squaw Valley at 5 this morning and ends 100 miles away in Auburn. ``I see people at the hospital in horrible shape because of lupus, but I realized I had a choice how to deal with it,'' Ridgway said. Lupus is a chronic auto-immune disease affecting mainly women. The immune system attacks the body's own tissues as a foreign substance, producing antibodies to fight it. The cause of the disease is unknown although research has shown it occurs when a specific set of susceptible genes is exposed to a combination of environmental factors such as infectious agents, certain drugs, excessive ultraviolet light, physical trauma or emotional stress. Ridgway said she has been a ``serious runner'' for 14 years and has also competed in 50- and 100-mile events on horseback. She started running to get in shape after the last of her three children -- Caleb (18), Chelsea (16) and Courtney (14) -- were born. ``I've found I really love ultras,'' said Ridgway, a single mother who graduated from Montgomery High, then earned a nursing degree from Santa Rosa JC. Dr. Lisa Kremer, Ridgway's rheumatologist said, fatigue is the most universal symptom of lupus. ``For somebody to run 100 miles with an auto-immune disease is incredible.'' Ridgway first experienced flu-like symptoms, then fatigue. ``But when I started having problems with cognitive stuff, I knew there was something more to it.'' She was having trouble doing simple math or even finding her way around town. ``I thought of all sorts of things, including a brain tumor,'' said Ridgway. Ridgway has been training with Santa Rosan Karen Hanke, 42, and Suzanna Bon, 39 of Sonoma. This is the second Western States for Hanke, who finished last year in 29 hours, 47 minutes, running the last 70 miles on severely blistered feet. It is the first Western States for Ridgway and Bon. Because of the glut of applicants -- more than 1,000 annually apply for 400 spots -- runners must not only qualify with an acceptable 50-mile run time but also get lucky by having their name drawn by lot. Bon, whose goal is ``just to finish although I'd love to do it in under 24 hours,'' is impressed with Ridgway's effort. ``Kelly is strong and smart about training,'' said Bon. ``We'll run at our own pace this weekend, not together, but we want to do the best we can.'' Ridgway sees herself as a runner who happens to have lupus. ``My case is relatively minor and medication has really helped,'' said Ridgway, who logs 75 miles a week. ``But I don't know anybody with lupus who runs as much as I do.'' She has bouts of fatigue and deals with them. ``There are days I am really tired and need to come home and rest for a while,'' she said. But this weekend there will no place to rest. ``I'm not the type to quit,'' she said. ``I will persevere.'' Kremer said people with lupus react differently to the disease. ``Some have a real tough time with it and others take it as a challenge,'' said the doctor. ``In general, a disease like lupus provokes self-evaluation ... some patients look at it as a way to straighten out their lives, physically and socially.'' Kremer said most lupus patients with a positive outlook exercise to some degree. ``For them, making an effort is a personal victory.'' Ridgway, who left for Squaw Valley Thursday, has been on the Western States course before, having competed in the Tevis Cup horse race and also working the run the past two years as a medical helper. ``It's beautiful ... I fell in love with the trail,'' she said. ``I'm excited but not nervous.'' Ridgway will be tested following the race to determine how running 100 miles affects a lupus patient. ``I know I am capable of doing this.'' She likes to run, even 100 miles, because it makes her feel healthy and alive. ``Maybe in some ways this will speak to people who are trying to make choices,'' she said. ``You can push ahead and take charge of your life.''