(mentions CMT) Woman, 50, inspired to run first NYC Marathon

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Woman, 50, inspired to run first NYC Marathon

Runners support foundation in memory of 9-year-old girl

BY LAUREN CIRAULO Staff Writer

http://suburban.gmnews.com/news/2009/1029/front_page/024.html

OLD BRIDGE — Resident Patty Highland never expected she would run 26.2 miles,

but she'll be doing just that through the streets of Manhattan on Sunday.

Highland, 50, has trained for weeks in order to participate in the ING New York

City Marathon, a historic annual event that attracts athletes from around the

world to compete for more than $600,000 in prize money.

But Highland isn't running for the event — she's running in support of one of

the marathon's participating charitable organizations, the Kortney Rose

Foundation.

" I'm very happy to be part of this foundation. Kortney's story really touched my

heart, " she said. " There was no way I could say no. "

The Kortney Rose Foundation was created in honor of 9-year-old Kortney Rose

Gillette, who died in April 2006 from brainstem glioma just four months after

she received the diagnosis. Her mother, Gillette, began the charity with

the intent to raise funds to support the treatment and cure of pediatric brain

tumors. The majority of the proceeds directly benefit the Children's Hospital of

Philadelphia.

" Read this story and tell me you can find something more worthwhile. is

such a strong woman, " Highland said. " This is all in honor of her daughter and,

with me being a mom, I had to participate. "

While she was taken with Kortney Rose's story, Highland's own struggles are what

inspired her to run.

In 1998, Highland's mother suffered a stroke that rendered her physically

disabled. Less than a week later, her son was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth

disease (CMT), a neuromuscular disease that affects the lower legs.

" I saw the people I love and care about struggle, so I vowed to appreciate what

I do have, " she said. " I'm running because I can. "

At first, Highland believed that running a marathon was " crazy, " but decided she

needed to and made a pact to take on the challenge when she turned 50.

" It started one day two years ago at the gym. I was there with my friend and

running partner, Berk, and the New York Marathon was on TV, " she said. " I

asked her, 'Would you ever want to do that?'And that's when we decided to try. "

Since that moment, Highland has spent an ample amount of time training and

running various long-distance races. Since April, she has run the Asbury Park

marathon, the Jersey Shore half-marathon, the Brooklyn halfmarathon, the Long

Beach Island 18-mile run and various 5K races in between.

However, when it came down to the New York Marathon qualifying races, Highland

missed the cut by a minute and 52 seconds, while Berk was able to make it into

the marathon.

" and I wanted to do this together, so we decided to run for a charity, "

Highland said. " That's when we came across the Kortney Rose Foundation. "

To be one of 20 runners for the charity, Highland was required to send in a

statement responding to the question " Why do you want to run? " She also had to

raise $2,500.

" I was worried I wasn't going to be able to collect that much, especially in

this economy, " she said.

But Highland successfully gathered $2,740, in part due to instructing family and

friends to donate to the charity in lieu of flowers for her mother's funeral

earlier this year.

" She loved children, so this was a great way to honor her, " Highland said of her

mother. " She would be proud to be a part of this. "

As the event draws near, Highland continues to build her endurance through

training. She is enrolled in a training program at the Jersey Shore Running

Club, and every Tuesday night she meets with a coach at Park in Monroe.

She also spends Saturdays running at Manasquan Reservoir Park in Howell.

" I'd like to be able to finish something like this. Why? I don't know, " she said

in reference to her training. " But hopefully, I'll feel accomplished. "

Highland noted that the support of her friends and family will help her through

the race. But a sense of accomplishment isn't what's going to carry her across

the finish line. " I've seen my fair share of those not able to walk, " Highland

said. " I'm doing it for them. "