RAMMS Columbus Marathon, Half, 5K & Worldwide Team
Painful neuropathic abnormalities that are oddly numb at the same time. Debilitating fatigue that causes brain fog during the day, yet no ability to calm down a racing mind when trying to fall asleep at night. Stressing over the choice of an IV-infused drug that obliterates B cells or a pill that allows the B cells to live, but sequesters them in “jail.” These are some examples of the stupid contradictions of Multiple Sclerosis. It is frustrating. But maybe one dichotomy we find acceptable is that “MS is the worst way to meet the best people,” as often noted by legacy team member Gary Pinder.
It is true. If I did not have this cruddy disease, I would not know the remarkable individuals who make up “Run A Myelin My Shoes” (RAMMS). I am happy to have this family of MS Warriors and MS Support Heroes who encourage each other to fight onward and live an active life with MS.
Columbus Report
We kicked off our 6th annual RAMMS event at a self-pour taproom in the middle of downtown Columbus. We proved we haven’t missed a beat since Baltimore 2022 because the laughs were just as free-flowing as the beer. Even people who met their fellow team members face-to-face for the first time (like MS Warrior Valerie Suwanseree from Thailand and MS Support Hero Chris Seider from Germany) stepped into the scene like they’ve been part of the family all along because everyone is genuinely nice and welcoming.
Meet-Ups
We held many meet-ups over three days. Ryan Weller led shake-out runs along the lush Scioto River Trail; Brian planned meet-ups at craft beer bars, ranging from grungy to trendy to stately – all with terrific brews; Ryan Piner coordinated a lunch at an international food hall where everybody found the perfect cuisine for their pre-race meal; and Stephanie Walder navigated people through the vibrant art scene in the Franklin District.
Columbus Teammates
The Columbus 5K was held on Saturday at 11:00 AM. Because of heat sensitivity, people with MS usually prefer to do their outdoor exercises much earlier in the morning (symptoms may feel worse when core temperature rises) but warm temperatures were not a problem on Saturday. Two hours prior to the 5K, it rained 0.30 inches in less than 30 minutes with winds up to 18mph! Fortunately, the rain stopped and our 5K athletes were all smiles and even hammed it up for the camera prior to race start! Also, congratulations to six-year-old Vinnie Chow for completing the kids run. Vinnie has been travelling with RAMMS since 2018 and this was his first time repping RAMMS!
The marathon and half marathon were on Sunday. Heavy rain was forecast for the hour prior to the start. Since so many people were staying in different hotels, the meeting spot for the group photo was going to be outside near the race start. But I didn’t want everyone getting cold and wet standing in this rainy condition. Consequently, I made the last-minute decision to forego the group photo. It was a bad call, though. The rain never came!
It turned out to me a nice day for running. The wind kicked up a little and there was some spotty drizzle but nothing to be too concerned about. The route was flat and there were many course marshals who kept us safe. The neighborhoods came out to cheer and some even provided some refreshing beer, which was helpful to cut the gak from the sticky energy gels! The charity was Nationwide Children’s Hospital and each mile was dedicated to a patient; it was heartwarming to see such brilliant smiles on the kiddos. Also lifting our spirits were Shannon Feeney, Barry Eakins and Steph & Stan Walder who were waiving pompoms and cheering at the top of their lungs for us (and for every single runner) at the mile 13 marker!
A few of us had some difficulties during our runs due to running injuries (Achille’s strain), terrible MS problems that came to light in the middle of the event (suspected foot drop), or other health problems (GI distress). Yet, we survived and willed ourselves to the finish line by walking or hobbling because that’s just what we do.
Other teammates crushed it like Ryan Weller with negative splits and Melissa who smiled the whole 26.2 miles. Michele Catlin was a woman on a mission and made her time goal with her trusty SpryStep AFO. Jim and Wendy Meissner ran their half marathon side-by-side and crossed the finish line holding hands. Ellie Tillotson and her supporter Zephanie Cuter reached for the stars and ran both the 5K and half marathon together!
Our gathering in Columbus was smaller than past events mainly because 20+ people who would have joined us in Columbus opted to run in Reykjavik two months prior. However, the smaller group did not diminish the joy we experienced as a team. The post-race celebration dinner was intimate. We had a chance to relax and have meaningful conversations and hearty laughs. We also shared war stories from the day’s run and relished in each other’s victories. Thank you to Hanger Clinic and Thuasne for organizing and sponsoring this great post-race celebration dinner! We had a fabulous time and it was the perfect way to end our weekend in Columbus!
Worldwide Team Report
RAMMS has been using the word “virtual” since 2018 – way before the topic of virtual events became trendy due to the pandemic. Even though races still try to make extra money by enticing people to sign up for virtual events, I decided to drop the word “virtual” when describing our worldwide team. There is nothing at all “virtual” about our members’ activities, especially when participating in a wild event called “Sufferfest,” achieving a personal record for weight lifting, or running 5K over two days because MS symptoms were too taxing that a second day was needed to complete the 3.11-mile goal.
Kym and Brad from Australia always seem to choose the craziest (and I mean “crazy” in the most respectable usage of the term) things to do for their annual RAMMS event. Last year they did a four-day, four-peak trail run in the Victorian Alps. This year they participated in the agonizingly painful event “Sufferfest.” It is an ultra-climb where the athletes do as many repeats as their body allows up Stockyard Spur Mountain in 6 hours. Kym said, “it’s a famously brutal climb just outside of Canberra with over 500m (1640 feet) of vert over 2.2km (1.35 miles).” Kym asserts she has always hated this climb, but she managed to complete three accents in under 3.5 hours! Brad, her ever-loving supporter, also completed three repeats, plus scrambled halfway up the mountain to find Kym and accompany her on her decent. What a dynamic duo!
Cheryl Luyster used to run 5Ks, but MS and severe foot problems have diminished her ability to run pain-free. However, being the fearless captain of Walk MS team MSBehaving in New Jersey, Cheryl lives by a plucky mantra, “I will. I can. Watch me.” True to her words, Cheryl found a new passion – weight lifting. For her RAMMS 2023 event, she created a goal to set a new personal best in weight lifting. She killed it! Cheryl dead lifted 135 pounds, squatted 110 pounds, and bench pressed 95 pounds! Cheryl makes my dinky runner arms weep
Gary’s pie in the sky idea 😉 for his RAMMS event was to walk… 35,000 feet above the earth! Gary was travelling and could not join us in Columbus. However, being an ever-loyal teammate and always wanting to contribute, Gary did a brief walk down the airplane aisle at 1:30 AM HST, which perfectly coordinated with the start of our 7:30 AM EST race in Columbus!
Another MS Warrior who seems to walk on air is Phoebe Walker form Florida. She is a dancer and is the founder of DAMMS 411 (for Dance a Myelin My Shoes!), a non-profit that raises awareness of the positive effects of ballroom dancing for those fighting demyelinating diseases. For RAMMS 2023, she choreographed a theatrical dance routine. Phoebe will be taking the special piece to her next competition and you can follow her performances at DAMMS 411.
Meanwhile, our friend north of the boarder, MS Warrior Christine Arno from Alberta took a trip to Ontario where she and her 2023 RAMMS team shirt got into some shenanigans. They ran the Bimbo Global Race 10K, saw a Blue Jays game, did a little gambling, got misty at Niagara Falls, and sipped at a wine tasting! They had quite the adventure! This isn’t a new activity, per se. Christine and her 2021 shirt went to Las Vegas, but it was the first time enjoying a holiday in Ontario. I hope to see more “t-shirt shenanigans” within our team. It’s great way to show off a city!
Our MS Support Heroes Michelle Wolf, Brenda Hulke, Kelly Hulke and Sarah Urtel went off-roading in support of RAMMS! They drove up steep trails and over sharp boulders, and splashed through muddy waters in 4-wheelers, Razors and Jeeps in the Iron Range of beautiful Northern Minnesota. This classy group of women are not just all-terrain enthusiasts but they are also enthusiastic about ending MS forever. They are involved with organizing a huge fundraising extravaganza called Crawl 4 The Cure where participants enjoy a day of off-roading around Lake Superior. Their annual event has raised over $1.4 million for MS research to find a cure!
Diana Moore is another one of our amazing MS Support Heroes. She has been supporting RAMMS since 2019 at our annual events, as well as throughout the year. Diana has participated in every single one of the RAMMS 5K Your Way (formerly RAMMS 5 for 5) with all her heart and soul. She always posts such imaginative getups and fun running costumes relating to our themed runs. Thus, it was no surprise she would do something creative for her RAMMS 2023 – kickboxing! Diana already helps us kick MS butt, so she just literally demonstrated how it’s done!
More RAMMS Activities
Teammates from around the world ran and walked varying distances for their RAMMS event. Jade Harland from South Africa hiked around her beloved Table Mountain; Shawn Blaesing jogged 3.75 hilly miles through the Iowa State University Arboretum; Washingtonian Claudia Longo completed 5.5 miles in recognition of the 5.5 years she has lived with MS; Mike Barrus enjoyed an autumn 5K walk around his neighborhood in Rhode Island; and Chris Fogarty ambled 1.75 miles through Thomas Farm in Maryland. Meanwhile, Ferrando Heyward from Texas used this opportunity to launch his half marathon training program for when RAMMS meets in Mesa, Arizona next February 2024!
Some may not be able to travel to Columbus for various reasons so they opt to do an organized event closer to home. Natasha Mayton from Tennessee raced a very challenging 25K trail course; Bill Tokheim ran the Middle Fork Trail Half Marathon in Washington in anticipation of his ultra at the Deception Pass 50K in December; Caryl Pawlusiak ran a very hilly marathon in her hometown of Manchester, New Hampshire; and Martin and Helga Geicsnek from Austria ran on flat, cobble-stoned streets at the Amsterdam Marathon.
George Nakajima, Secretary General of the Japan MS Society, has been promoting RAMMS since 2018. Every year, he organizes a challenge walk around the Asakusa district of Tokyo. He was joined by Takashi Shikakura, Fuzuki Yuge, Nassim Bougtaia from Thuasne Japan, and Nassim’s girlfriend, Sen. George reported it was rainy and windy, but grew mild by the time they met at the Sensoji Temple, revealing a perfect day for walking. Our Japan team made a splash in their matching RAMMS shirts. Hundreds of tourists were roaming the temple grounds. When people stop to ask, George always takes the opportunity to promote our cause and to educate people about the disease. George is our legacy MS Support Hero!
Hiro Ichikawa usually joins the walk in Asakusa, but this time, he sent his regards to RAMMS during his walk in the Tokyo countryside. Meanwhile, 310 miles north of Tokyo, our perennial MS Warriors Takashi and Yuka Fukutomi walked throughout Ichinoseki City in the Iwate Prefecture.
Paul Nieberding coordinated his own sprint triathlon (750-yard swim, 20K bike and a 5K run) in San Francisco. Further down the California Coast, Tim Salmon prone paddled in the Pacific Ocean around San Diego (his fourth year in a row paddling for RAMMS).
Tim and I are very fortunate to have some incredible friends in San Diego who have supported our personal MS journeys, as well as the MS community as a whole. For RAMMS 2023, Sharon Shahnazarian sweated out a hardcore 90-minute Peloton session and Stephanie Connolly pushed herself with an intense Orangetheory workout, all in honor of RAMMS.
Injuries
Unfortunately, health problems sidelined several of our friends. Some suffered from typical runner’s issues like plantar fasciitis and chondromalacia. Others were pained by troubles like a hip fracture or a sprained ankle. And one teammate was hospitalized in September because of a serious health emergency. She was too weak to travel to Columbus, but her determination to make it to Mesa is very strong.
Still, no matter the problems, our teammates did their best. Roe Collopy, who is recovering from knee replacement surgery, managed a hike with the aid of trekking poles. Janine Boyette, who is working with a physical therapist on multiple issues, sent her love and healing vibes to the group from her treadmill. And sweet Kelly Irving sat at home with an orange-colored cast propped up on pillow rooting for teammates from afar and declaring, “FUMS!”
Note: In some cases, I did not reference full names because some of our MS Warriors are private about their disease.
Fundraising, Thank You and Stats
Fundraising
Our RAMMS fundraiser is under MS Society’s DIY MS platform. We placed 13th out of 70 athletic teams with a total of $15,769 raised for 2023 (still increasing with some end-of-year donations rolling in). Since 2018, we have cumulatively raised over $137,700.
Our fundraising was fueled by Caryl Pawlusiak, Jim and Wendy Meissner, Michele Meyers, Shawn Blaesing and me. RAMMS is made up of a lot of movers and shakers. Fundraising is not required to join RAMMS. Many teammates already manage their own Bike MS, Walk MS or DIY teams, or they fundraise for other notable charities. I am very appreciative to every single person who spent time and energy fundraising for RAMMS!
I am also filled with gratitude for all the donors who flooded our fundraising page. Several teammates made exceptionally generous donations: Allie and Adam Hogan, Kristen and Cameron Snapp, Nancy Lee, The Earp Family, Jeff Urschler and Cindy Eisenlohr, Maureen Kenney, Kerry Buckley, and a few others who wish to remain anonymous. Plus, I want to give a huge shoutout to Caryl’s Aunt Angela who was our angel with her magnanimous donation
New to this year, all team members (in-person and worldwide) were asked to donate a minimum of $40. Many of our teammates donated extra to help cover the obligation for others. Furthermore, two anonymous individuals sponsored a total of 20 people where $40 would have hindered them from joining RAMMS 2023. These wonderful and heartwarming acts of kindness exemplify the high level of support we have for each other.
Since everyone contributed something, our fun-themed RAMMS 5K Your Way was open to everyone. However, our RAMMS Confidence Football Pool was separate. Eighteen people are currently playing and 45% of the buy-in was donated to our DIY MS fundraiser. The balance is being used for small weekly prizes (and some winners are donating back their winnings to the fundraiser!).
Thank You
All of this organization could not be done without the help of many players.
This was the third year in a row where Hanger Clinic and Thuasne have co-sponsored our post-race celebration dinner. While we are grateful these two great companies attend and support our events, we are even more thankful for their dedication to empowering people with physical challenges. A lot of us on the team experience varying degrees of foot drop. Hanger Clinic has an army of amazing orthotists who can assess and fit patients with ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) to prevent tripping and falling. Thuasne is an international medical bracing company that makes the SpryStep AFO. Thuasne has a wide collection of SpryStep styles (4 types of off-the-shelf and custom) to treat differing needs.
Our stylish French blue team shirts (plus drop shipping costs) were sponsored by teammates Adam and Allie Hogan of Full Implant Choice and Thuasne. Everyone loved the colorful graphics and many have said it is their favorite design to date! The shirts are really valued among team members not just because they are of high-quality but also because they are keepsakes that hold a lot of special memories!
Allie and Adam also funded the shipping to international team members, as well as the postage for shirts that were not drop shipped by the vendor. Also, a huge thank you to Brian for preparing and mailing out 45 packages. This year’s process was a bit easier because USPS has upgraded their website and we can pre-pay shipping labels to the US addresses based on weight. Hence, the post office clerk no longer hates us for having to weigh every single package and type in all the mailing addresses!
The team is lucky to have backing from the MS Society; they help me behind the scenes on so many things. Examples: sponsoring the team dinner when we were a new team and our shirts when funding was tight during the pandemic, using their legal team when the Richmond team hotel tried to stick me with a $6000+ hotel bill, providing local support at the event location, promoting the team on social channels, and much more. I am always grateful for their unwavering support!
By the Numbers
- 179 total teammates
- 95 MS Warriors and 84 MS Support Heroes
- 39 teammates registred for Columbus
- 140 were worldwide teammates from 6 continents: Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, North America and South America
- Worldwide teammates represented 20 Countries: Argentina, Austria, Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Wales and USA
- 36 US States + DC: AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA and WY
- 2 Canadian provinces: AB and NB
- 1 guy 35,000 feet in the air
- Worldwide MS organizations that promoted RAMMS: Japan, and USA
Next Event
Our 7th annual RAMMS events will be updated on our website soon. Contact us at runamyelinmyshoes@gmail.com to find out how you can be part of the fun!
I was this close to getting out of there without paying and then they snagged me!
Hilarious! What happened then?
Nothing. I told them I had dementia and didn’t remember drinking any beers and they let me walk!
– Captions courtesy of Stephen Kramer, TX