Inspire the Inspirer by Guest Blogger Scott Palko

It's once again time to take a break from my musings to hear from this week's guest blogger.  He's the owner of CCI Studios (a corporate sponsor of Run Strong and the creators of the Run Strong website) and an amazing soul that will be joining me in my marathon quest in October.   He has been one of my most committed and enthusiastic supporters in this journey and he also happens to be my brother...not to mention (get ready for my unapologetic sister brag), he was recently named Sarnia's Citizen of the Year!  This week, I asked the amazing Scott Palko to send me his thoughts on why he - and CCI - are supporting Run Strong.  Here's what he had to say (thanks for running with me!):

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Corrie is a human goldfish.  She can go through her packed day of being a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, entrepreneur and runner and have the world cave in.  Yet, like clockwork, tomorrow’s morning hits and she is the reverse-Cinderella.  The resetting of the clock resets her dedication to change and she forgets the bad from the day before like it did not happen.  The world can be great, she can make it that way – and the glass shoe will fit perfectly.  Many people say they live this way, but few actually do it – C Dawg is one of them.

So, when I have my bad days and I begin to struggle with whether or not I can actually change the world, I am inspired by this trait of perseverance in my sister.  I am motivated by her bottomless well of belief in the good that we, as individuals, can bring about.  I am in awe of her actions in the face of societal contempt and her selflessness in a world of narcissism.  At the same time, I am reminded that simply thinking highly of her is not enough – I must act.  I must help inspire the inspirers by actively embracing their efforts.

When people ask why I am running this marathon with her and why CCI Studios supports Run Strong – it is not just because of the great cause Run Strong supports, it is because when someone dedicates themselves, day-after-day to doing good – they need to know they are doing it.  They need to know that their actions are inspiring other people and the two hands they have attached to them are working toward building a brighter future for everyone around them.  They need to know that their unrelenting faith in human beings and unabashed concern for the inhabitants of our world – the majority of whom they will never meet – IS making a difference.  The world IS changing because of their efforts – and their works are, well…working.

So, that is my reason for running this marathon with my sister and running this race of change with all of you.  We need to celebrate and support those who are making a difference.  It’s not enough to assume these individuals will just keeping doing good – we need to tie up our shoes, climb to the mountaintop and exclaim “Thank you.  You have changed my world, which has, in turn, changed our world”.  Today, it is my sister Corrie’s marathon.  Tomorrow it may be my sister Marlo or my brother Joe or my parents or anyone of you who need to know your actions are making a difference.  To that end, your call should be answered because you are making a difference and your actions are bringing about change, as well.

Change is happening – and we are all making it so.  In this case, I thank my sister for taking on this task and allowing me to run her race of change beside her, with the purpose of inspiring her to continue to make the world the place she believes it can be.

Train Hard.  Make Change.  Run Strong.

Scott

(Corrie's note: Please consider supporting Interim Place with a donation through Run Strong.  100% of proceeds will go to Interim Place's programs and services for women fleeing violence and their children.  You can make a donation by clicking on the button below or email me at corrie@run-strong.ca if you'd like to donate offline.  Thanks for your support!!)

How I Learned to be Grateful for My Legs

A good friend of mine recently commented that running a marathon is a spiritual experience.  I can imagine that in the agony of those 42 long kilometres, I will need to get acquainted with my spiritual self and, in fact, have had to find inspiration to push on through many of my training runs.

I’d like to share with you one of the great sources of that inspiration.

She’s my daughter, Hannah.

Many of you may know Hannah’s story...and a lot of you were (are!) a key part of the story line.  Hannah was born in August, 2004...19 days ahead of schedule.  People say you forget your labour and delivery the minute you look at your child, but I clearly remember every single moment of it.

Hannah was a beautiful, happy, pudgy, baby with a head full of perfectly formed curls.  I was a neurotic first-time mom...googling every wheezy sound or odd movement she made to ensure that she would survive the next 24 hours.  When Hannah was 3 months old, I started to have a mom’s intuition that something wasn’t quite right.  Many people kindly assured me that not every baby develops according to “What to Expect the First Year”, but Hannah wasn’t making any effort to move toward any of the first-year milestones...sitting up, rolling over, or - later - crawling.  At her 3 month and 6 month Healthy Baby check-ups, I talked to our doctor who felt that it was a factor of Hannah being a big baby and that she would eventually catch up.

When 1 year rolled around and Hannah was making no effort to get on her feet, I stopped accepting the Big Baby Theory and asked for a referral to a pediatrician.  We saw Dr. MacGregor, an amazing pediatrician who patiently listened to all of the diagnoses that I had already made as a result of my exceptional internet research, and then politely suggested that maybe we should let a neurosurgeon do the diagnosing.  Hannah was booked for an MRI and an appointment with Dr. Drake, a neurosurgeon at Sick Kids.

What Dr. MacGregor had discovered in that initial exam was that Hannah’s feet did not bend at the ankles...something was pulling her lower leg muscles in both legs extremely tight, and he hypothesized that it was a neurological issue, related to either her spine or her brain.

Many months, a host of doctors, and a battery of tests later, Hannah was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.  It is a spectrum condition, so some children present mildly and others can face severe challenges.  All we knew at the time was that it was causing Hannah’s legs not to work properly.  She was almost 2 and still not standing on her own.

During the testing and diagnosis period, we had been referred to Erinoak (now ErinoakKids) to begin treatment.  I tried to show everyone what a tough cookie I was during this period of our lives, but when I think of those days of watching Hannah’s little legs put in casts to try and get them to bend in the right position; to her being strapped to a contraption that artificially kept her in the standing position that she couldn’t sustain on her own; to her learning to walk on her knees because she couldn’t bear weight on her legs; and eventually to her little ballerina-decorated leg braces and granny walker that she pushed everywhere she went, I still have to swallow the lump in my throat.  Some of that period is a blur now, but I remember with extreme clarity being told, “We don’t know if she’ll ever walk” and “She will likely never walk without an assistive device” and “She’ll definitely have to wear leg braces until she stops growing.”

The most difficult part of all was that the doctors wanted Hannah’s treatment regimen to include regular Botox injections into the muscles in her legs.  I count the Botox days among my worst as a mom.  We would go into the treatment room, where they would lay Hannah face down across my lap on a little cot and then inject her 5-8 times in each leg while I restrained her.  As you can imagine, she would scream to high heavens, but Hannah’s incredible resilience is one of the reasons she is an amazing gift and, once the injections were over, she would get up, wipe her tears and tell the doctors, “Thank you”.

Hannah took her first steps in October, 2006 at 26 months.  Last year, Hannah ran her first 1 km cross country race without stopping, without assistive devices, and without leg braces.  She no longer needs Botox injections.  I credit the power of prayer, the incredible medical support, the powerful love of our entire family, and her unbreakable spirit for how far she’s come.  In those early days of uncertainty around what Hannah’s future held, so many prayed that she would be able to use those tiny pudgy legs to walk one day and I swore with everything in me that if we were given that gift, I would set an example of never, ever taking our abilities for granted.

That is one of the reasons why, despite not being a natural athlete, I will run for as long as my legs will let me...and that is how I learned to be grateful for my legs.

Thanks for running with me.

We All Need a Little Good News

This past week, I’ve been in a number of situations/conversations that really made me think about the critical importance of self-care and respite from the stresses of our daily lives.  So, this week’s blog is meant to be a few minutes of taking a big deep cathartic breath through your computer screen.

First up: I had a major break through in my training this week.  With the weather being so warm, I’ve been able to get out almost every day.  11 km has become my standard run and by the beginning of April, my goal is to increase that to 16 km.  My breakthrough was the realization that if I double that 16 k, that will be 32 km, just 10 shy of what I need to reach for a full marathon. Now I’m sure that sounded like WAY more of a breakthrough when it happened in my head, but the point is that for the first time, I can tangibly visualize the distance and really see myself getting there.   I’m finishing my 11k feeling strong and, with 200+ days still to go before the race, I am sure I am going to be ready.  

The second thing I wanted to share and, honestly, a good news story that makes me want to burst with excitement every time I think about it, is that my mom has taken up running.  My mom is the epitome of the woman I still hope to be someday: beautiful, active, funny, caring, inspirational, and now a runner.  She went to the Running Room, had an analysis done on her feet, outfitted herself with the right gear and has started running.  To say I’m super proud of her doesn’t even begin to cover it, but I want to give her a huge shout-out for being amazing!!

The last 2 smiles-on-a-computer-screen I’m going to share are in video format.  The first is a video I saw a few months ago on Facebook and it makes me happy (and teary) every time I watch it.  The second is the song I play at the beginning of every one of my runs and I hope it will inspire you the way it inspires me.  I hope you all take good care of yourselves this week…and thanks for running with me.





P.S.  Please consider making a donation to the Run Strong initiative in support of Interim Place by clicking on the button below or if you would like to send a cheque/cash, please email me at corrie@run-strong.ca.

If You Read and Share Only One Blog, Please Read This One

It’s been 12 weeks since I started writing the Run Strong blog and regardless of the topic I’m posting about on any given week, the message of this particular blog is always sitting in the back of my head.

The truth is this: success on this journey will only be achieved if at the end there is greater capacity to meet the needs of women facing violence and their children.

During the first 3 months of this initiative, the Run Strong blogs have been written to demonstrate 2 things: 1) there is immediate, critical need at this moment to give women and children safe haven; and 2) I so believe in the work of Interim Place that I’ll train, run, blog, ask for help, whatever it takes.  But the real story of this journey is YOU – my family, friends, colleagues, and those kind souls I haven’t met – and your willingness to respond.  So many of you have already far exceeded any response I could have asked for in terms of your messages, your offers to run with me, and your response to past blogs: it has been incredible.

Now, I’m asking you to do one more thing: please make a donation.

As many of you know, I’ve worked in the non-profit sector for over 15 years, many of them as a fundraiser.  I intimately know how many charities ask for your support and I completely understand that there are only so many dollars to go around.  I can assure you of 2 things: first, I would only ask for your financial support if I could personally bear witness to the great impact that these dollars can have. At Interim Place’s 2011 Annual General Meeting, a past resident of Interim Place was the keynote speaker.  It’s hard to imagine a reality worse than what this woman went through: years of almost unimaginable physical and verbal abuse.  Her story so greatly saddened me; to think that one human being could do such horrendous things to another.  But, there was this incredible shift in her story when she talked about coming to Interim Place.  Having not much more than the clothes on her back, she arrived at the shelter doors where she was, first and foremost, kept safe.  She was welcomed and provided with food and shelter.  She was supported: she received counseling and was offered assistance with legal, housing, employment and other issues that would help her to move towards a life free of violence.  What an image of triumph she was on that evening last June, now an entrepreneur, author, and spokesperson for Interim Place.

The second thing I can assure you is that Interim Place holds itself to high standards of financial accountability and funds raised are used effectively and efficiently.  I am a member of the Board of Directors and previously the organization’s Treasurer, so you have my personal assurance that great care is taken to ensure that dollars raised are used to increase the capacity to provide services to women and children.

My marathon won’t end global violence against women, but I know this for certain: your donation will directly and immediately impact women’s lives.  At the most fundamental level, it ensures there is a safe
place for women to go: some of whom are in life-threatening situations and all of whom are in crisis and require assistance fleeing violence.

Consider this:

• $25.00 provides a rescue ride to help a woman and her children escape to safety
• $50.00 provides a woman with a shelter Welcome Kit which includes new pajamas, undergarments,  
        socks, slippers, bathrobes, toiletries and personal items
• $500 helps to give a fresh start for a mom and her two children to settle into their new permanent home  
        in the community.
• $1,080 provides one year of free, confidential 24 hour crisis counseling for one woman experiencing
        abuse in the community to keep herself and her children safe and a plan to safely escape.
• $1,440 provides 24 hour one-to-one and group counseling for a woman with three children during their
        four month shelter stay.

Please, before you close this blog, I ask you to do one more thing and click on the donate link.  You can donate online or send a cheque made out to Interim Place (email me at corrie@run-strong.ca if you prefer to mail a cheque).  As my personal way of thanking, you, I will send a “20 Life Lessons I Learned From Running” poster to all Run Strong donors.  Any amount you can give is a true gift to Interim Place.

I am so sincere when I tell you how grateful I am for your donations.  I know what these dollars can do and, on behalf of Interim Place and the women and children we serve, thank you…thank you.

Thanks for running with me.

Guest Blogger: Mike Herzog

This week, I am so grateful to have guest blogger Mike Herzog share his thoughts on why he is supporting Run Strong.  Mike is an athlete, philanthropist, inspiration, motivator, friend, and the amazing founder of Good Guys Tri (check out his great work at goodguystri.ca).  He is also a wonderful supporter of Run Strong.  Thank you, Mike!  Here he is...and thanks for running with me...
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Let me start by saying it is a great honour to write a little something on the Run Strong. blog about “Why I was interested in supporting".  There are many reasons!

1.) THE CAUSE ITSELF!  Statistics indicate that one of every two women will face some sort of violence and, more likely than not, these acts will be perpetrated by a current or former partner.  As a father of two girls, statistically my girls are at risk.  I have a duty to act!

2.) AWARENESS! Run Strong. will succeed – 100% faith that Corrie will run the entire marathon with a smile on her face and building awareness for victims who might not be in a position to lead… right now.  She will be powered by energy far beyond her alone!

 3.) INSPIRE!  Run Strong. will inspire people to become more active!  Corrie defines herself as, “an everyday-girl-turned-marathon-runner”.  My belief is that we are all runners!  The difference is that some are training and some are not – GET OUT THERE!  Yes, you can!  Watch Corrie Go! Many have already joined the cause and will Run With Her.  Why not you?

4.) FUNDRAISING!  Run Strong. is raising $$$ for organizations that have proven their value over many decades i.e. Interim Place.  Within the current climate of fiscal restraint, those without voice are the first to get funds cut.  Fundraising is crucial during this financial decline.

5.) CORRIE! If you know Corrie – you know two things about her – she is positively infectious and capable of anything.  What can I say, I like betting on a winner!

For some of you, your Sister, Mother, Daughter, Best friend etc. need your help!  Please give generously! I challenge you to share Run Strong. on your social media pages, be active in this journey and in your athletic careers.  I challenge you to match my $100 donation and find creative ways to promote Run Strong.  Here is an opportunity to support a Hero!  Be a Hero! Yes, I would submit that Corrie is more the everyday-girl-gone-Hero because she is modelling internal fortitude, strength, resilience, courage, and determination.

So I guess I end with the question, “How could you not support Run Strong?"

Fear: You're Mine

Two very special thank-yous this week. First, to my mom and dad for officially becoming blog followers. The 2 of you are rocks in my life and you've been in this with me all along, but I love that you took the time to officially follow the blog. The second (eyes watering) is to my incredible cousin, Stephen. This week, Steve registered for the marathon I'm running and is coming from Michigan to support this cause and be a part of this journey. I honestly don't know how to tell you how excited and thankful I am you'll be here, so please just know what words can't say: thank you!!!!

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So, I was chatting with my dad on the phone the other day and we got talking about the whole Run Strong concept and my dad said to me, “In order to bring about change, you have to be willing to put yourself out there…to accept that people may not like and/or ignore what you’re trying to do…you have to be willing to be vulnerable”.

So, this week I am full on going for it.  I am going to let you into the parts of my psyche that make me most vulnerable…the unmentionables that any PR person would tell me to keep to myself.  I’m going to tell you what I am most afraid of about running this marathon. 

The first thing – and let’s start with a big one – is that I don’t look like other marathon runners.  Come on, you’ve seen the Adidas ads.  I don’t look like one of them.  I am an almost-40 year old mom of two with cellulite and padding in places that most marathon runners have skin and bone and muscle.  I know what I’m capable of, so it isn’t about doubting that I can do it, but I do fear people saying out loud, “She does not look like a marathon runner.”  And I guess an extension of that is the fear that people will think/say on race day, “She doesn’t belong here”.

I’m also afraid of how long it’s going to take me to finish the race.  I’ve wondered if anyone (other than those obligated by DNA and/or a Province of Ontario-issued marriage license) will wait long enough for me to finish.  The highlights of both of my half marathons were the moments I looked over to the sidewalk and saw/heard people cheering.  I have this recurring dream that people have packed up their lawn chairs and gone home by the time I finish.  It’s just me and the people taking down the first aid tents.  Oddly, I don’t fear not finishing…just that it will take me so long that I’ll be dodging traffic in Monday morning rush hour to get to what used to be the finish line.

Finally – and this is probably the one that haunts me the most – I am afraid of heart failure during the race (so I guess I fear not finishing in this one very unfortunate instance).  Go ahead, I get it, you can laugh.  But, it seems that every time I read coverage of a marathon, someone has collapsed.  I am, I think, (knock on wood) in good health and am certainly trying to train so that the race day distance is not a shock or unmanageable stress on my body, but going back to what I said above about being a mom of two, these are the things I think about.

The funny thing about fear, though, is that it only has as much power as we give it.  It’s not a tangible, so it is only as real as we allow our mind and nervous systems to make it.  I am also afraid of flying, but I love to travel, so I guess I have a choice to make, don’t I? 

So, there is only one thing for me to do.  While I’m writing this – I’m serious, right at this moment – I have opened my web browser and am going to torontowaterfrontmarathon.com.  I’m clicking “Register Online”…serious, I’m doing this. Hmmm, ok, guess you have to register through eventsonline.ca…my bad.  Entering “Schneider, Corrie” (considering an alias so no one will be able to look up my finish time…see above).  Telling them I’m from Freelton…Freelton represent!  Entering Eric as my emergency contact and hoping like anything they don’t need to call him (again, see above).  Oops, have to hit the back button (forgot to enter what street I live on).  Re-checking my information.  Grumbling about the fact that I have to pay HST on my entry fee.  Here I go…hold your breath…1, 2, 3…submit!!

And here is what the next screen says:

Corrie Schneider is now Registered
for Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon, 1/2 Marathon & 5km!!!!

Can I get a whoot-whoot?  Fear: You.  Are.  Mine.

So, to close, here’s where I’ll now officially be on October 14th, 2012 (thanks for running with me!):

Guest Blogger: Marlo Taylor

Corrie's note: Every once in a while, I am going to give you a break from what's in my head and ask someone to share their thoughts on Run Strong.  This week's guest blogger is Marlo Taylor, my incredible sister, and one of the fabulous brave souls that has agreed to run with me.  Marlo, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and for being the world's best sister.  This week, I also want to say a special thank you to the wonderful Sandra C. for joining the list of blog followers and to a long-time friend and amazing soul, Becky J., for your message of encouragement that made my week.

So, with no further ado, I give you Marlo (thanks for running with me).
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Let’s be clear: I am not a runner.

At different times in my life, I have aspired to be one. I have tried to be one. And, I have even thought – very very briefly – that I was one.

But, the truth is that running and I have an uneasy relationship at best. On most runs, I complain and curse and fight every step. My iPod’s sole mandate is to drown out the sound of my own complaining.

I do understand, however, that that’s not really the kind of message to be found here at Run Strong and am 100% certain that that’s not what Corrie was hoping for when she asked me to contribute to this effort.

So, why start out with disclaimers, and grumpy ones at that? Well, one, because it’s honest, and two because I am going to do this run anyway. I am going to be there for Corrie. I absolutely want people to know about and support Interim Place, but I am doing this for my sister.

I read a quote somewhere that said “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.” So, my sister has asked for our help, and I will not refuse. My sister is this kind of person. She’s a leader dedicated to leaving the world a better place. And when someone like that asks you to come along, you go.

So, bring it on, cold days. I will look for the sunshine behind the snow bank. Bring it on, wet shoes. I will let each step remind me of all of those who can’t just turn the corner and head for a warm and safe home. Bring it on, long, long road. I will celebrate this journey as I celebrate the journey of the women Corrie is so committed to helping. And I will do all of that because she asked me to.