Wings for Life World Run Race Recap

Athletes in 34 cities, across 32 countries, and six continents, all simultaneously racing for ONE amazing cause, spinal cord injury research. I knew the Wings for Life World Run would be special, but I was BLOWN AWAY by the actual event! The whole race concept was a little different. All 34 locations started at the exact same time. That meant my start in Sunrise, Florida was at 6AM, while the people in Los Angeles started at 3AM, and the athletes in New Zealand started at 10PM! Crazy! To make things even MORE interesting, the race had NO finish line! We just ran until the “Catcher Car” caught us! The Catcher Cars started driving 30 minutes after the race start and increased speed along the way. The goal? Get as far as possible before the car passes! All of the race entry fees went to spinal cord injury research. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT! The race also featured a big wheelchair division, headlined by Olympian Tatyana McFadden. Tatyana just won the wheelchair race at the Boston Marathon and I heard a rumor the race director was actually worried the catcher car wouldn’t be able to catch her! The girl goes 27 MPH! Flying!

Tatyana McFadden and Lolo Jones. Just a couple Olympians celebrating each other’s awesomeness! 

Red Bull was a big race supporter which meant there were tons of athletes you wouldn’t normally see at your local road race. I even snuck into a pre-race selfie with Track/Bobseld Superstar Lolo Jones, Fixie Rider Addison Zawada, Wakeboarder Steel Lafferty, Cyclecross star Tim Johnson, and Ultramarathoner Mike Wardian! I started the racing thinking I had a 10-13 mile run in front of me. I wasn’t carrying any fluids or nutrition, and since the race started in the dark I didn’t even wear sunscreen or a hat. I actually had plans to meet people back at the start just two hours later. The race started and I took off right behind Lolo Jones. I was kind of laughing because I was running behind Lolo Jones!! How cool is that?!! Lolo slowed a bit and I kept going at what felt like a manageable 10-13 mile pace. I took a bit of water at aid stations and just kept rolling. I hit the 13 mile mark around 1:25 and my bike escort, Keith, mentioned “If you keep this pace, you’ll run 35 miles before the car catches you.”

SAY WHAT???? THIRTY-FIVE MILES?!?!?!

Oh dear! I realized I was in a bit of trouble. I was not ready for the idea of 20+ more miles. My first thought was calories. I needed calories. Luckily there were tons of aid stations, many of them actually stocked with Red Bull!! I grabbed as many cups as possible. I needed some wings!! My second thought was pace. I consciously slowed down a bit. Normally in races I tell myself, the faster you run, the sooner you’ll get to the finish line. But in this race, it’s actually the slower you run, the sooner you’ll finish. That was kind of hard for me to wrap my head around, so I had to find another way to stay motivated. The whole race is about running for those who can’t. I told myself every “bonus mile” past 13 was a mile for those who can’t run. I knew I was so lucky to be out there running on a gorgeous, sunny, Florida day and I wanted to run as far as possible for people who don’t have that kind of opportunity. I kept going, mile after mile. My pace slowly fell and around mile 20, super bike escort Keith gave me some news, “there’s a woman chasing you, she’s within 2 minutes.”

This was still a race! I needed to pick up the pace! But how much? Did I have five miles to go? 10? 20? I thought about this for about a mile. In the meantime, the woman closed the gap to just over 1 minute! I had to make a decision, QUICK. I decided to fight. I’m at my best when I’m racing. I hadn’t led this race for 21 miles to go down in what might be the final miles. I grabbed another cup of Red Bull and put in a surge. Mentally, I decided I would win the marathon. I would be the first woman to 26.2 miles and if the Catcher Car still hadn’t come by, I would make a new plan.

My legs responded beautifully. I was able to pick up the pace for a few more miles and increase the gap between me and second place. I hit the marathon mark in a new PR of 3:03!

But where was the DANG CAR?!?!

The miles past 26.2 were new territory for me. I’ve run one trail ultra, but that included a lot of walking and a mid-race grilled cheese stop. Running past the end of a 3:03 marathon HURT. Slowly I watched the media around me increase. The motorcycle cameraman that had recorded every step of my run was joined by several other photographers. The Universal Sports truck moved in front of me, and a helicopter buzzed overhead. The Catcher Car HAD to be close!!

Yes, this tweet really happened!! Omg!!

I kept running, checking behind me every couple steps, waiting for the car to come into sight. I actually passed a guy to move into second place overall, but he fought hard and surged ahead as we both kept looking back for the car!! And finally, after more than 28 miles and 3 hours and 21 minutes, it appeared!! My finish line!! Immediately after getting passed I was presented with a giant trophy and told I’d won the U.S. Women’s title and placed top 10 in the World! I got to do an interview for Universal Sports and some amazing volunteers shuttled me back to the start. Getting out of the car at the “start line” was as incredible as any finish chute. Tons of people were cheering and members of the Miami Heat Wheelchair Basketball team and Tampa Bay Buccaneer Eric LeGrand were handing out medals. I even got to high five the Mayor! The incredible HealthSouth medical team cleaned up a cut on my heel (whoops, if there’s a chance you might be running more than 10 miles, I really recommend wearing good socks) and I got to watch the big screen as the Catcher Car finally caught Mike Wardian, the last man racing, at mile 35! The whole race was such an amazing production. My friends and family at home were able to track me, and every other runner in the entire world (!!!), down to the 10th of a kilometer the whole race! It was a great opportunity for me and many others to realize we are capable of running further and faster than we ever thought possible. I loved the “moving finish line” concept and I think it made for a very fun, but still very competitive, atmosphere. It’s great to think that people who might usually be “back of the pack” were actually finished FIRST, and able to grab some food, hang out, and watch the races still going on across the globe via a giant screen at the start. And of course, the whole race was for a GREAT cause. Raising money for spinal cord injury research is something EVERYONE can get behind. I’m so thankful I got to be a part of the inaugural event and I will definitely be back next year! I want to run 30+ miles!! Who’s coming with me?!?!