Eighteen years ago, I opened my eyes in the ICU in the most intense pain. “You fell out a window,” my mom said. “You’re lucky to be alive.” I’d suffered a crushed skull, a broken hip, and extensive nerve damage along the entire right side of my body. When I looked in the mirror, my face was paralyzed and drooping on the left side from a traumatic brain injury. During 8 months of physical therapy, I had to relearn how to put one foot in front of the other. After barely surviving all that, I wasn’t thinking about running. I was just happy to make it to the next day. It wasn’t until years later, when my friend Linh completed her first race, that the idea of running popped on my radar screen. In awe, I said to her, “I wish I could do it, too.” Her reply: “Why can’t you?” MORE: Meet The Doctor Who Saved His Own Life At first I was shocked. Linh knew about my injuries and that I had paresthesia, which caused a permanent pins-and-needles sensation on the entire right side of my body. Still, despite all I’d been through, she thought it was possible—and that gave me hope. I thought, Yeah, why can’t I? I joined a running club soon after. Needless to say, I was the slowest one in the group. I couldn’t do a lot of the exercises, especially the sprints. But I went faithfully and, encouraged by my fellow members and coach, slowly began to improve. When I crossed the finish line of my first half-marathon, with my husband and three sons cheering me on, I was overwhelmed by indescribable emotion. For the first time in my life, I felt like a winner, like I was unbeatable. One of the first things I said was “When is the next race? I want to do that again.” Now I’ve finished eight half-marathons and four marathons and even completed two half-Ironman triathlons, last time placing third in my division. In my sights are the Boston Marathon and the Ironman World Championship. I truly feel like Wonder Woman, and now I know it’s true: If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. MORE: Too Old To Run? Never!
