Great projects always seem
to begin with a great source of inspiration. Nancy Sauter was
my great inspiration for Miles with Meaning.
Nancy
is the kind of person you only need to meet once and within the
first minutes, you can't help but consider her a lifetime friend.
No matter what new adventure I had embarked upon, Nancy was always
there asking for the daily update on my progress. Whether it was
running a 5K race or taking on my first ˝ marathon, she was a
loyal supporter.
A
few months back, I was onto the next step in my training and was
preparing for a race called Howey in the Hills ˝ Marathon. This
would be part of my preparation toward my first 26.2 mile marathon
commitment. Every day, Nancy would enthusiastically ask me how
my training was going. No matter what the answer was, she would
give me wonderful words of encouragement.
It was at this same time Nancy had been given the news that she
had been cancer free for 5 years. This was the magic number -
5 years. Make it to this mark, and you are in the clear, or so
she was told.
One
day shortly after the wonderful news, I called the training facility
and anticipated Nancy answering the phone. I was told she was
in the hospital and it was serious. I immediately phoned her husband
who told me that Nancy was dying. He informed me that her liver
was failing due to the cancer treatments she had been given. I
couldn't believe what I had just heard. What happened to the magic
5 years?
I
did get to see Nancy while she was in the hospital.
I remember leaving that day, thinking there should be someway
to show your support for people like Nancy. A type of “running
prayer” and so, this was the start of Miles
with Meaning.
It
began with a runner, a friend and the desire to let people know
how much she was in my prayers, even during a race. I raced Howey
in the Hills with Nancy on my mind the whole race. Later I was
told she died that same day.
Heavy
hearts can also be inspired ones. Out of this experience, I created
this idea, this site and these shirts (for starters). It is a
way of letting her family and perhaps Nancy, know that she impacted
my life in such a favorable way.
She
is missed by many but remembered forever.
-
Lisa Leitl
LisaLeitl@yahoo.com
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