Send Tony your prayers

I’m so honored to share an amazing human interest and love story. The truest gift in life is to meet people Like Christi and Tony and to observe the love they have for each other, as well as watch them band together to make each other’s lives as great as they can be. Recently Christi and I exchanged emails after I put out a quote (somebody is in the hospital begging God for the opportunity you have right now. Step into your moment..JD Jakes) that I received early this morning before getting in my workout. Tony, (Christi’s husband) is in the hospital again beating-back MS. I offered and it was accepted that my next race at Pumpkinman 70.3 on Sept 13, 2009 will be dedicated to Tony’s fight. Tony’s name will be lighting up the pavement in Maine on my funky Newton’s. I’m going to take them off so he can cross the line as if he were doing it himself! God bless you Tony and family!!

“Christi: Hi Mark, I am so beyond grateful for your thoughts and wanting to help us through this trying time. I absolutely love the idea of Tony's name on your shoes!! When I ran Boston back in April with the Marathon Strides Against MS team, I had a picture of Tony pinned to my shirt. I also had his name painted on my finger nails. This helped me so much especially in the last few miles when I was slowing down.

My husband was diagnosed with MS in 1994 and the disease has slowly robbed him of so many passions in life. Tony loves golf and used to play every weekend with the same group of buddies he grew up with. Slowly he was reduced to playing only 9 holes and then it was every other hole from there. Now, he doesn't have the strength to walk much on his own let alone hold a golf club. He still loves the sport with a passion and watches every tournament he can find on tv. We have a summer home on the Chesapeake Bay and Tony loves boating and being on the water. This summer posed new challenges to us as with my being pregnant I am not able to help him on and off the boat as in times before. Not only that, he is too weak to swim on his own and that poses a real danger when surrounded by water. We decided that the MS was not going to take that away from us so we bought a boat lift to raise the boat out of the water to be more level with us getting in and out. We also bought a special life belt for him to wear for "just in case" and we have used this opportunity to always invite friends to share our weekend adventures with us. So far, it has been an amazing summer and we have made lots of good memories in spite of the MS.

Tony's biggest fear is to not be able to walk his daughters down the aisle someday. That is such an important moment in life that he wants so much to be a part of. I have promised him that no matter what, we will find a way and he will walk with them. Everyday is a struggle with MS. We are always trying to find ways to fight back and not let the beast interfere with too much in our lives. It is a tough fight but together with family and friends, MS doesn't stand a chance against us. I believe that in my heart!

Anyways there is a start on some of what we are going through. I would be happy to share more with you but need to get some work done today so I can get over to the hospital and visit with Tony. I'll say it again; I cannot thank you enough for your kind thoughts and support. It really helps to breathe easier having such a great support crew. We are truly blessed!!
Take care,
Christi"

Below is Christi’s Boston Marathon Race Report“Dear family and friends,

I apologize that this has taken so long but this funny little thing called life seems to have gotten in my way!

Thank you all so very much for supporting me in my Marathon Strides Against MS! Because of your generosity and commitment to this cause, I was able to raise over $4,000 in Tony’s honor! As a team, we were able to raise over $350,000! This could not have been done without your support. I realize these are tough economic times for all of us and I am beyond grateful that we are all able to put aside our needs and fears to reach out to those who really need our support. It is in times like these that we learn to lean on one another and I could not ask for a better team than you to lean on!

My Boston Marathon experience is one, which I will carry close to my heart for all time. I learned more about myself by training and running this race than I have in 32 years. It changed my life in more ways than one.

I arrived in Boston on Saturday, April 18th with my friends Jodi and Dan. After a quick check in at our hotel, we ventured out to the expo where we would pick up our bib numbers and race packets. Everywhere we looked there were uber fit runners sporting their shiny new Boston Marathon jackets. I could hardly wait to get my hands on one! You see the Boston Marathon jacket is like the Heisman Trophy of running as the Boston Marathon is the Super Bowl of all marathons. It is the oldest running marathon and the most sought after race by serious runners. One cannot just register for Boston and run this race rather one must qualify to receive entry. Qualifying is hard and some people work all their running careers to end up here. I was granted entry via a fundraising slot through the Multiple Sclerosis Society. I felt like a 6th grade football player amongst throngs of Pro-Bowl athletes, a total fish out of water! But I had rightfully earned my slot by raising funds for a cause so near and dear to my heart that I held my head high and marched right up to the expo and bought my jacket. That’s not all that I bought and I will spare you the details of my shopping spree, but just to give you a clue, I was dubbed the “Expo Ho” for the day!

After the expo we walked out to the finish line area and saw it being constructed. I got chills as my eyes rested on the most coveted finish line in marathon history. There is so much history behind this race and to think that I would be so lucky as to have the honor of crossing that line! I decided to pay homage to this finish line by lying down across it and posing for a silly picture. Little did I know that the Boston Globe snapped the same shot of me and asked for my information in case they used it in the next day’s paper! Unfortunately, I didn’t make the newsstands but it was one of my favorite pictures from the weekend!

That night I attended a welcome banquet given by the local chapter of the MS Society. I got to meet my fellow teammates and was given all of the instructions I would need for race day. I met Mark, who was such an inspiration and he was running in honor of a close friend and in memory of his partner’s mother. We decided we would run the race together as we were about the same pace. I was so happy for this as I was very nervous about running this race all by myself! We agreed to meet up with the rest of our team on race day and we would set out on this adventure together.

On Sunday morning I went to the Blessing of The Athletes held at The Old South Church that was located right at the finish line. I was really moved by the fact that the local churches were all so supportive of the runners. The banner outside the church read, “Whether you arrive in running shoes, wing-tips or heels…you are welcome here!” and “May you run and not grow weary, Walk and not faint” –Isaiah. The greatest part about the Boston Marathon is that the whole city comes out to celebrate all weekend long! It is such a tradition to so many and they love it. The city really loves the race and the energy in the air is so thick, you could cut it with a knife.

After I got blessed, I went to brunch with an old friend whom I haven’t seen in 15 years. It was great to catch up with her and if you should ever go to Boston, you have to have brunch at Stephanie’s on Newberry Street! The food was amazing and the location couldn’t be beat!

Mom and Tony arrived that afternoon and after getting them settled in, we headed out to dinner. The only problem was, no one had a table available for us, as all the restaurants within a 5-mile radius of our hotel were completely booked! Oops, lesson learned here! So, we hunkered down at the bar in the hotel and had dinner there. Thank God they were serving pasta that night or else I would have been in carbo loading hell! After dinner we headed up to our room to lie out my gear and get a good night’s sleep. Believe it or not, I actually slept like a baby that night and was so relieved!

My alarm went off at 5:30am and so did my nerves. I was a wreck. I had run a marathon before so it isn’t like I didn’t know what to expect however I hadn’t run BOSTON and that was terrifying me! I tried to be as quiet as possible so as to not wake mom and Tony for it was going to be a long day for them too. I got dressed in my Marathon Strides Against MS singlet and immediately got very emotional. I had worked so hard for this day and I was so proud to be representing my husband and all those who must face MS in their lives. I ate a quick breakfast of a bagel, banana and oatmeal. I kissed mom and Tony goodbye and gave them the bravest smile I could muster. There was no way I was going to start their day by letting them see me cry although I was crying inside already!

Over all, the entire race went perfectly! I never once hit the wall and I had so much fun running through all the towns along the course. I thought so much about the history of this course and how many talented runners had made their journey from Hopkinton to Boston before me. I spent most of my time reflecting on my life and how blessed I am to have such a wonderful life. I thought about Tony and all he and I have been through and all the exciting things we will experience together in the future. My favorite memory of the day was the last 5 kilometers of the race, I cried the whole way in to Boston!

As I came running down Boylston Street, I spotted Tony and my mother cheering me on. As I approached them, I was overcome with emotion as I was struck by all the sacrifices my husband had made for me. It was thanks to him that I was able to run this extraordinary race. Many a weekend he had sat home alone while I pursued this goal I had set for us. So I committed to run nobly in appreciation of his dedication. His gift only added to my motivation: I had to be successful to honor his contributions. I ran over to the corral where they were cheering and as the tears poured down my face, I smiled the biggest smile I could and leaned over to kiss my beloved husband. It was a moment I will never forget, quite possibly one of my proudest moments in life. I did it! I made it! And there he was to witness it and be a part of it; I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

With about a hundred yards to go and tears streaming down my face, a burst of wind hit me and almost knocked me over. As I continued toward the finish line, I realized I was living the dream I had dreamed so often: I was helping my husband and others who are living with Multiple Sclerosis. I was running the last hundred yards of the BOSTON MARATHON! I was making a difference! It was one of those rare moments in life when dreams and reality become one. I didn’t want it to end.

As I crossed the finish line in a blanket of tears, chills and smiles, I bent down and kissed the cherished line. A part of me didn’t want this day to be over, other parts of me were begging for it to end! As a volunteer was putting my medal around my neck, she said to me, “Some run, some walk, some crawl, and some surrender, but without a doubt all who pass through this finish do so with respect. Here you are today doing such an honorable thing for MS, you are a real hero!” I cried again for what seemed to be the millionth time that day. I thanked her for her kind words and wandered down in the street in a total daze. I headed toward the hotel to meet up with mom and Tony.

On my way to the hotel, I passed a young boy with his mother and the little boy gasped and pointed at me. He shouted, “Look mommy she’s a real marathoner!” I cried again at the notion of all I had accomplished on this incredible journey. I have never been more proud. I felt like a rock star!

That night at dinner, I raised my glass to toast my husband. He is the real hero in this story and I am so blessed and so honored to be by his side, fighting this fight. Today, I ran 26.2 miles in is honor and in our fight against MS. Everyday is a marathon for Tony when faced with this disease and his courage and determination to not let MS define him inspires me. Together, we are a force to be reckoned with and I can tell you that Multiple Sclerosis will not win!

Tony and I thank you immensely for supporting us in our journey to find a cure for MS. Your contribution meant so much. This race my be over, but our fight to the ultimate finish line, a world free of MS, has only just begun! Stay tuned as next year I will again be fundraising and racing for a cure. I made a vow to my husband in sickness and in health and I will not stop fighting until our race against MS has been won!

P.S. Although I did not “win” the Boston Marathon as my stepson so eagerly asked me, Tony and I did bring home “a little souvenir!” Baby Kopsidas will arrive in late January!!”