Part 3
“Hey Honey, I am going to the mall. I want to go shopping for that new pair of shoes I need.”
You get to the mall and there are no less than 3 specialty shoe shops for women, plus 4 that sell nothing but athletic shoes, and of course there are the shoe departments within the big stores that also sell shoes. Plenty of places to choose from, and if you are hard to fit, there are sure to be some smaller independent stores nearby to check out. So where did Peg find her shoes?
“I just had to buy my first pair of actual running shoes. WOW….what a difference a pair of shoes can make. I have a super high arch. My regular shoes were not cutting it. I found out quickly that the ones that I have (and I have many to chose from) were not the correct ones. I needed the proper shoes immediately. ( I really hate the fact that mailing to an FPO/APO is too difficult for so many companies.) Anyways, I went to the base exchange and found a decent pair…..it made a HUGE difference. My feet felt like the bones were being ground together in the other shoes…..now that I have the cushioned ones for my high arch…my feet are great. Proper shoes make a big difference. If Nike wants to get me a pair of shoes…I’ll take them! HA HA HA ( I love NIKE!—That isn’t what I am wearing because our BX didn’t have any in my size---9!”
The BX (base exchange)…….unless she wanted to mail order in shoes, that is “the place” to get your shoes at. Running shoes need to be replaced after how long?
“The books say after 500 miles. That is a question for Jonathan. I think I am gonna do the custom thing at Nike….not sure though since they are around $140 then have to have them sent to my grandmother who will remail to me! A lot of money for me for some shoes to WALK in!)”
Of course, one needs more than a pair of good shoes for training. After all, if you are going to do it right, that means
“ Jonathan gives me a hard time because I had to get workout clothes. I am now ready to walk in the cold, hot, mild, rain, shine, and any combination and be quite fashionable. Oh well….that is the price for Peg to participate!”
I wonder if Jonathan considers his watch to be a fashion statement. Ooops! Sorry Jonathan, but you asked for that one! Their shoes will need to be replaced at least twice between now and the race, there are airline tickets to get them back and forth from Germany, hotel room, meals, rental car, plus who knows what other expenses might crop up. I asked Peg if they had a sponsor to help with even some of these costs…….
“No. We aren’t really looking for that. We have made our flight and hotel arrangements and consider that part of our donation to the cause. The fundraising is the focus. We want all money to go the Semper Fi Fund. Of course, if sponsorship will get us more exposure which would lead to more money for the cause…then we are all about it. We did try to upgrade our flight back to Germany to business class…but when we found out the cost it was not an option. We will probably be too sore to notice anyways!”
“There are families right now that need the help. We were blessed. I have seen Marines who are hurt and they do not have the financial means to fly someone to be with them. They are not “hurt enough” to rate a family member, family members are not able to take time off, the “authorized” person is not the one that would make the difference,etc….it is complicated and unfortunately money makes a difference.”
I asked Peg why she decided to run this marathon with Jonathan. No sideline support from Peg, she is in it from the first step to the last she said. After hearing why, I certainly can understand her reason for running.
“My first thought was that if he can do it…well, surely I can, too. We are the same age and “ I ain’t broke”. I have only agreed to complete the race. I have not said how. I am not above crawling, scooting, etc. 26.2 miles is a long way….and for an out of shape non-running individual….well…it is LONG!”
Peg's degree of support extended beyond the curb, beyond a hug at the start and a smile and cheers at the end.
”My other thought is “what if something happens to him?”….. the horrors that he endured at Balboa were beyond comprehension. If I had not been there, they would have killed him or minimally undone what Cmdr Rosenbaum had repaired………”
“Back to my point, if something were to happen…I do not trust anyone else to make the choices….I fought with all the people that tried to medically retire him when he could not say it himself.”
You have mentioned that some days you train with Jonathan and others days you both train at different times. You spend 4 days running and 2 days weight training. Do you expect to be running side by side in the marathon?
“Not the plan……he will be far ahead of me I imagine. As my training improves, it may become a possibility. Since his accident, he runs at a slower pace than I used to. I might get back in good enough shape to run with him. No promises. I am sticking to my agreement. I only have agreed to complete 26.2 miles. They may remove all the road blocks, all the people may go home, and the finish line may be taken down….but I will complete 26.2 miles in October! I sound like the injured one…oh well.”
No Peg, you don’t sound like the injured one at all, but a woman determined to see this through to the finish line! More power to you!!
The Semper Fi Fund will grow as a result of yours and Jonathan’s hard work! You have already raised $800. That is a great start! I am sure more donations will roll in as people become aware of your efforts!
In Part 4 I think you might enjoy hearing Peg’s thoughts about “going to the gym” and where she does her training. Where is home, and who do they call for a good old fashioned fundraiser?
Link to Donation Site (Your name need not appear on the donor list, it is optional)
http://www.active.com/donate/SemperFiFund10/JandPWhite
Related Stories
The Determination of One Woman - Part 1 of 5 (Support Our Troops – Actively)
The Determination of One Woman - Part 2 of 5 (Support Our Troops – Actively)
Running TO Live - Running for Others. (Support Our Troops – Actively)
The Opening Shock of Adversity: The Gratification of Perseverance (Hardened Warrior Series)
Team Semper Fi and the Semper Fi Fund (Support Our Troops - Actively, Veteran/Soldier Health)
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