By Lisa Calice
Thinking back to my childhood, running wasn’t a specific activity, it was a natural state of being. I’d like to think running was for the sheer joy of doing it, and imagine my little girl self taking off just to see how fast my legs could carry me, almost like flying. As I grew older, running took its place in my life as training for my chosen sports. We had to run for basketball, soccer, softball and even volleyball. Whenever training for a new season began, it would be challenging, but after a few weeks of doing it, running always became effortless.
Over the many years of running, I noticed that regular practice seemed to reap amazing benefits, confidence and I could actually feel my legs and my lungs getting stronger as it got easier and I felt faster and lighter. This is one truth that never changed.
Finally, when I was in my 30’s, the day came that I couldn’t run. I tore my ACL and underwent surgery. Life changed and I thought it might be permanent. Even walking was a challenge and on more days than I wish to admit, I wanted to give up. I went to physical therapy twice a week and my kids came with me. My son, Vlady, took a keen interest in my recovery. He held the clipboard while I did my exercises and made sure I completed them. When I was getting “stretched” by the physical therapist, he coached her to touch my heel to my buttocks. As I lay there feeling like my knee would disintegrate, I wanted to quit. Many, many years later, I am grateful for his tenacity. Other patients we ran into each week, called Vlady my “caddy” and asked where they could get one! At home I just wanted to flop onto the sofa and feel sorry for myself. Vlady would set a chair out on the driveway and have me “shoot hoops” with him. He never let me give up and so I never did. I’m forever grateful for his encouragement. Eventually I got back to running a few miles per week, just like I had before I tore my ACL. I was slow and careful not to re-injure myself, but at least I had the ability to run again.
Many years later, my daughter Lina asked me to run the Brooksie Way Half Marathon with her. I had zero training to do such a long race. I used to do the YMCA Lazyman Triathlon each year because it always coincided with my birthday and for me it was the start of a new year. Lina promised to motivate me each week and she did. We had little time to train before the race but somehow we did it. On the morning of the race, she was in a car accident. She told me to run without her. She did try to do the race when she got there, she had lost her socks in the accident so she was not able to finish due to blisters. She gave so much encouragement to me for which I will also be forever grateful. I completed the race without injury or pain in my knee of any kind. From then on her gift to me was that the Brooksie Way became a tradition. It gave me confidence that I could overcome adversity and accomplish my goals. It helped me to not give up.
Running has continued to thread its way through my life.i began to enjoy doing races with either fun themes, good causes, or both. It always gives me a sense of accomplishment when I meet my goals and complete a race. It can help bring awareness to something I believe in. Running also helps me to honor the gifts my children Lina and Vlady gave to me when they encouraged me and stayed at my side during my difficulties. I think of them and thank them each time that I run.
I was not at all surprised to discover that Vlady encouraged others in their goals as well. His good friend Zachary contacted me recently and told me he was doing a 50K at the Traverse City Trail Running Festival in April. He asked me if I wanted to join in or be there to cheer him on because he dedicating his efforts in memory of Vlady. I decided to join him in a 10K. We also have my sister, Anne, doing a 10K in his memory.
Our entire family and all of his friends miss Vlady every day. This April will mark an entire year without him. We are dedicating our training, our miles run in all kinds of weather, and our race day performance on April 23rd, to Vlady’s memory, with gratitude for having had him in our lives and to encourage ourselves and those who are struggling with his loss, to keep going. On many days when I don’t want to run, I feel like he is with me telling me not to give up. My running has given my life a daily purpose. I hope we can also bring some awareness to mental health struggles that many face, and bring attention to some causes I know Vlady would have supported had he been here with us today. For me I’m hoping to recapture some of that childhood feeling of “running for the sheer joy of it.” Please follow my posts and blog entries in the days ahead as I attempt to do just that. I appreciate any and all encouragement on this journey.
You can support our upcoming runs by supporting these causes:
Stop Soldier Suicide this organization helps veterans and active duty military. They provide consistent, safe, confidential care that saves lives. You can read more or donate on this link or on my Facebook fundraiser. You can also join my training team: Team Vlady and help me do 2000 burpees in the month of April!
UCARE, Inc. (Ukrainian Children’s Aid and Relief Effort) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Organization whose focus is the children of Ukraine, primarily those living in orphanages and internaty (government run orphanage-schools). I know that Vlady would have appreciated our support as this was his life before he joined our family. Currently the need is great in Ukraine with the Russian attacks and these kids need our help! You can donate to this cause in memory of Vlady on this website.
If you would like to join us in Traverse City on April 23, here is more information. We welcome participants and we also welcome fans to cheer us on!
Life with Lisa Yogini 