People Like Me - My MS Half Marathon Story

All the marathon and 1/2 marathon 
pacers had fun signs based on famous
people and their race finish times.

Around COVID I learned about a group called RAMMS - Run a Myelin My Shoes, which is a group of people with Multiple Sclerosis and their supporters. It is primarily a running group with people from all over the world. To learn more about the team check our our blog https://runamyelinmyshoes.org/ 

Each year our amazing leader Cheryl comes up with virtual adventures during the early training months, and then has at least one event where we all come together to have comradery and sport together.  The schedules have for the live events haven't worked out with our regularly scheduled adventures.  This year I was determined to do whatever it took to get to the chosen event - Grand Rapids (MI) 5k,10k, 1/2 marathon, marathon) event in October.

Pre race community dinner

One thing about these events is they have several socials usually around Breweries and apparently Grand Rapids is Beer City USA, so of course my sidekick and running buddy Steve was on board.  We opted to do the half marathon on what was a mostly flat course.  We flew in on Saturday morning, shuttled two more teammates from the airport, went to the race expo and made it to the lunch gathering where we meet more of our teammates in person. I can't even describe the joy of knowing other MS warriors like me.  Final numbers were 27 people with MS and 35+ supporters many participating in the 5k, 10k, 1/2 or full marathon.  Being able to speak freely about medications, support devices, crazy MS symptoms with people who get it makes me emotional even writing this.  This group is a lifeline for many of us and we are all so very grateful for the community Cheryl has created for us. After lunch we went to rest a little and later found part of the group for a community meal down the street from our hotel. 

The next morning we were mostly prepared for what mother nature was dishing out... rain, more rain, some wind and a side of low temperatures. We had a team breakfast at the hotel. We collected ponchos and garbage bags and then organized to get us all down the hill to the race start and team photo.

Race Day Before Photo

Based on the different team shirts we saw on the race course I think we were the second largest team only after World Vision that even had their own tent.  It was pretty awesome!  The weather not so much.  I started with my donated poncho on and temps in the low 50s with persistent rain.  I had dialed back my training quite a bit after the half Ironman in September so was feeling rested.  I had a goal to try to get done as close as I could to 2:20 and set a PR for 2025.  This was a pretty flat course.  I had started my race nutrition as planned and got in line with the 2:20 pace sign.

At the start

Within 3 miles I was able to take my poncho off and tie it to the back of my race belt, but by then my shoes and socks were pretty soaked and eventually led to blisters forming. I was running with the marathon pace team for the first half of the race for 4:45 pace and they were having a fun time and playing music. Plus I was able to meet Jim one of my teammates from the East Coast. I was sad when our routes split around mile seven.  

Steve near the start

I did have my headphones along so I was able to dial up some Wait Wait Don't Tell Me from the NPR podcast. 

I saw Cheryl and another teammate going the other way near the turn around so I tried to work my way closer to them. I was working my nutrition plan as best I could but I did have a couple of sluggish miles around mile 9 where I clearly needed to onboard some more something. I need to keep looking for the right gels/gummies, etc for that boost. I forced myself to push through it because I was still on target with my splits. In the end I finished up right at 2:21 for my final time with my pace sign guy.  

Jim and I with the marathon pacers

By then it was getting colder and windier with a side of drizzle and I still needed to wait for my sidekick and a couple other teammates who were not too far behind me. I worked the food line (they had ice cream (brrrr) and found a few other things I was able to safely onboard.  I got my gear bag and bundled up with the rain jacket and other layers available, and headed back to the race finish just in time to see Steve come in.  Steve and Natasha got their free beers and then we went to the YMCA across the street to warm up and wait for a Lyft to take us part way up the hill to our car.

Overjoyed at the finish

We got back to the hotel, warmed up, ate leftovers from the night before (pizza, and some more pizza), napped a bit, and then went down to the lobby to see who was hanging out.  We chatted with Koreen and Dave who I had met years ago on one of the Iowa MS bike rides.  They were working to ride in every state that had an MS bike ride and were mega fundraisers.  Which reminds me I was doing fundraising with this team for this race so if you would like to donate click this link.  https://events.nationalmssociety.org/participants/604229  I fell short of my fundraising goal but my team was able to clear our team goal. 

Race Day Evening Gathering Pregame

We got a small group together before the final group dinner with Janine, Koreen, Dave and Natasha. We had a little fun on our way out to the group meal with our new little friend.

The group meal was a great opportunity to get to know some of our other teammates.  There was a group of ladies from Minnesota who ran for their friend who has progressive MS and is a wheelchair and needs around the clock support.

I met a father and daughter team from NH who ran the marathon together.  The daughter, Caryl has MS and was helping her dad do his first marathon.  Steve had a great chat with him at the after party.

I met a lady named Debbie who was running with her friend who has MS.  Debbie is a crazy triathlete like me and we were talking about our 2026 goals.

Race Day After Photo

I was able to meet teammates from all over the country with different reasons why they are part of RAMMS and it was all pretty awesome!  My favorite was talking to Gareth from Wales (he has MS and came all that way to run the 5k and then go watch sports in NYC).  We also had another teammate from the UK who got 3rd overall for women in the marathon, and another teammate from Australia who got 1st in his age group for a very fast half marathon time.  

I am in awe of all our teammates (three who ran again at the NYC marathon for the MS society two weeks later) from all over the world who have come together around this horrible chronic illness Multiple Sclerosis. I can't wait to get together with everyone again but it looks like it will be a couple of years.  In 2026 they are doing the Portland Marathon in October, and going to Athens Greece to run the original marathon course in November. I am seriously planning on going for my first (only) Ironman triathlon which falls right between these.  RAMMS first race date for 2027 is over memorial day weekend in New York state which is Joshua's high school graduation weekend so will miss that one also.  At least I know a bunch more people on the team and we all travel for races so I am sure I will see some of our folks at races over the next couple of years.

Grateful every day to be able to keep racing and setting new goals despite having MS and the ever so fun perimenopause. They make every day an adventure.  Right is my medal summary for 2025 - Girls on the Run indoor triathlon in January, not sure if I got a medal from Rosy Cheeks, then Drake 13.1 around the blue oval in April, my first marathon in Duluth in June, Wisconsin 1/2 Ironman triathlon in September, and of course Grand Rapids, MI for the half Ironman with my team.

Until next time hope you are all setting goals and working every day to meet them.