The Faces Of Ankylosing Spondylitis

I am a half marathoner – with AS.  Some fellow runners have encouraged me to continue to “outrun my disease”.  I am doing my best and running has been a positive in my life as it’s helped put me and keep me in a “remission” stage where I have very few flare ups and very little damage progression from my original diagnosis.

I started slow but started running about 1 1/2 years ago.  In March of 2011 I ran my first 5K and was hooked on the “runner’s high” after crossing the finish line and set my sights higher – a half marathon.  After a few false starts I finally completed my goal on May 6, 2012 and ran in the OC Marathon.  That hooked me even more and I decided to become a half marathoner.  In my area we have a Beach Cities Challenge where you complete 3 of the Beach Cities Marathons in consecutive order and earn a 4th medal for completing the challenge.  OC being one of them, I signed up for the other 2 races and I’m on my way to completing the challenge.  I recently ran the 2nd race of the challenge by running in the Long Beach International Marathon on October 7, 2012.  I will complete the challenge on February 3, 2013 when I finish the Surf City Huntington Beach Marathon where I will receive my Challenge medal along with the Surf City finishers medal that day.

Mixed in with these 3 was a race that was on my bucket list – the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco.  Done by lottery I didn’t make it in last year.  They only take 20,000 women and over 40,000 sign up (with more and more added each year).  Chances are about 1 in 3 to get in and this year would be my 2nd year to try.  About a week after I signed up for the Long Beach International Marathon I got a congratulations letter – I made it into the NWM 2012!  I was so excited but this also meant i’d be doing back to backs.  In 7 days I would be running 2 half marathons in 2 cities separated by hundreds of miles.  One in Southern California and one in Northern California. I’m glad to say that I did it and I had a blast doing both races and even got a new personal best time in San Francisco – even with the hills!  The Tiffany and Company Finishers necklace is quite a nice perk at the Nike race as well.

In between these half marathons I’ve done several 5K races which are just plain fast and fun to do.  One race had you running the last 1/4 mile in waist deep water – it’s called the Wet N’ Wild 5k for a reason.  I’ve done a Mud Run.  The Beach Bash 5k which is an obstacle course in the sand.

What’s next on my bucket list?  I’d like to do one of the Disney Half Marathons and do some fun 5k’s going into the next run season – The Color Run, Run For Your Lives 5k (an obstacle course with Zombies chasing you), the Beach Bash obstacle course in the sand again.  I would like to do the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco again.  I have a friend who wants me to train her to do a half marathon so i’ll be doing one with her.  Lots of races ahead.

I prove to myself every time I lace up my running shoes and hit the street or trail or treadmill that I am not my disease and I refuse to let my disease define who I am.  I am a runner.  I am a half marathoner. Taken from the Nike Marathon I:  Run Fearless.  Run Hard.  Run Happy.   I have AS.  AS doesn’t have me.

Christine Shubin Face 0245