Running for Rochelle

If any of you were paying any attention to me the last.... 6 months... you'll know I've started running... A lot.  I technically can't say I've never been a runner, but since its been over 10 years, I feel like this is a new thing for me.  Tomorrow, I will be running in my first half-marathon.  Many people ask me, "why?" So, I thought I would tell you about Ro.

Rochelle was my roommate in college.  There were actually 8 of us, but who's counting?  Anyway, Ro was always the most positive, level headed, athlete, and loving person anyone had ever met.  Nobody could meet Ro and not like her.  She is just that kind of person.

After college she married her college sweetheart, did the accelerated nursing program, and has since popped out some pretty adorable red head curly haired little girls.  I joke around and used to say I "copy" Ro... She did the accelerated nursing program at Creighton, then I did.  She got married, then I did.  Not only did I get married though, I actually had the exact same wedding dress.  (Though I did not know it at the time of purchase!). She became a orthopedic nurse, so did I.  She popped out some shorties, so did I.  

Then, one night, a little over a year ago she called me with some devastating news, her mom was dying.  Her mother who I had met too many times to count, who was there for almost every single volleyball or track meet, the mother who was so positive, supportive, and present in Rochelle's life.  My heart broke for her.

A month later, she had passed away.

A couple months after that, she called me with more devastating news.  Ro had been diagnosed with Lymphoma and would start chemo almost immediately.  The lymphoma was only found due to her mothers direction, before passing, to insist on tests to test for cancer at a young age, since she had been terminal from it.  

I didn't know what to do.  I prayed and I prayed and I prayed.  Then Ro told me she was going to run a half marathon this fall and had started training... And was going to keep working full time as a nurse, plus be at home with her kids and husband.  She was amazing.  I, obviously didn't believe her.  There was no way she would be able to train for a half-marathon, carry out a normal life, especially while doing chemo.  

When a friend called me the very next day and told me she was too training for a half-marathon and needed a partner,I knew what I had to do.  I started training.  I needed to complete this half-marathon, though I couldn't even run more than 3 minutes at the time, because I knew Rochelle wouldn't be able to.  I knew I had to run for Ro.

The funny thing is, Ro is a fighter. She took all that negativity from the cancer and put it right into her running.  In September she finished that half-marathon, averaging 2 minutes faster per mile than I run on a "short" day. 

Tomorrow, when I am running my first half marathon, I will be thinking of Ro the entire time.  When I want to stop and just say, "screw it," I will remember what I fighter Rochelle is.

This one's for you, Ro.