Oak Lawn Patch

My wife has been working hard to promote my 2012Run12 campaign to raise awareness for Neurofibromatosis.  She has been all over facebook putting posts on media pages, race pages and her own page.  She took something I enjoy and why I am doing it and turned it into a brief story.  On Friday, she put a post on the Oak Lawn Patch wall and within minutes she received a comment from the Oak Lawn Patch’s editor Lorraine Swanson that she wanted to write a story about me and my running.  The Oak Lawn Patch features online news and events throughout the community.  You can only imagine the excitement in my wife’s voice as she was leaving me a voicemail because I was at lunch doing my cross-training workout!

I would have never thought one day that I would be interviewed because of my running.

When I called Lorraine, she immediately began asking questions about me, my running and Neurofibromatosis. We must have talked for almost half an hour.  Then came that dreaded next question, “When can we get together for some photos?”  Turns out the next day Lorraine was going to be at a local Earth Day Celebration and we made plans for a few photos.  When the interview was over, my wife said to me “Why don’t you see if John can make it too.”  John is the person who has inspired me to use something I enjoy and turn it into something that can benefit others.  John is 22 and has had Neurofibromatosis since birth.  I first met John when he was in 7^th grade.  He was a student in my religious education class.  Last year, we did the Great Steps for Neurofibromatosis at the Naperville River Walk in his honor.  

Each of the four half marathons that I have already run this year, my wife has managed to plan something that we have never done before.  Like in January we went to the Rodeo in Fort Worth, Texas.  February we drove the Apache Trail, starting in Apache Junction, Arizona.  March we went on a tour of the Anheuser Busch Factory in St. Louis, Missouri.  April we took a tour of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway which included a lap around the track.  And now in my home state for my fifth half marathon in my 2012Run12 campaign to raise awareness for Neurofibromatosis, I’ve had an interview for the media!  As soon as the story is available on the Oak Lawn Patch I will share the link.  Special thanks to Lorraine for your time.