Itâs been a busy week, but alas, as promised, hereâs a blog post on running a marathon in a French Maid costume.

15km in. Still loving each stride.

Some of you know about marathon running. However, a vast majority of you think Iâm a strange, strange person. (To gain greater context to this post, you can read Kerrâs (my brother) and my story: http://kilometresforcommunication.com/stories/ )
What possesses me to run marathons? Running is mostly mental. If youâre running to the limits of your ability, there will always be a point in the run when you ask yourself: âwhy am I doing this?â If you arenât able to answer this question, your run ends there. For the first 30km I project how lucky I am to be able to move one foot in front of the other, smell, see and feel the world as I do. I would be taking the safety, security and luck of my life for granted by not focusing on the beauty of striding in the moment. The minor discomfort only exists if I perceive and focus on it. Iâm running because I can.
The final 10-12km is different. The pain becomes loud and rude. More powerful motivation is needed. I project the people Iâve met who communicate in different ways and their stories, my brotherâs story, and all the emotions, frustrations, and memories associated with the misunderstandings and disconnect Iâve witnessed my brother endure. If these Canadians who speak with AAC and my brother can be so resilient, strong, and triumphant; so can I. This is a numbing reminder to my perception that my discomfort is temporary and escapable. Iâm running to show my commitment. Iâm running to create awareness. My knee doesnât want to lift. Iâm running because I can. My calves are seizing. Iâm running because this is the least I can do. Iâm running to inspire. Why am I doing this? Canât I stop? Iâm running because I can do something simple that makes a difference. My stomach is going to let loose. Iâm running because I love someone. Iâm running because I want everyone to know how to include people of all abilities.

Cya
What possessed me to run in a French Maid costume? I would say it comes down to having a powerful motivator in my life (my brother) and a few really good friends with a sense of humour. If Iâm going to run for 42km, Iâm going to do it for a cause. I better kill two birds with one stone; otherwise, it just wouldnât seem worth it. Running is a mental battle. Itâs easier to run 42km through woods distracted by scenery and the challenge of rocks and roots than it is to stay concentrated and calm kilometres after kilometre on pavement running next to the same people. Wearing a costume helps with that mental battle. People start laughing and cheering. 42km becomes less lonely.
I ran the race in 3 hours, 22 minutes, 30 seconds. I had a bizarre day before the race. My eating was not on schedule, and I didnât eat my dinner until after 10pm on Saturday nightâalthough I had been carb grazing all day. Shortly after eating, I went to bed. Needless to say, I didnât digest my meal as I should have. I woke up at 4:30am on Sunday to eat a good breakfast, digest it properly, and have ample unstressed time to change into my French Maid costume. Around the 23km mark, there was no bargaining with my stomach. Sweaty, and in full race gear, I abandoned the sub-3hr pack I was running with and dashed into a Tim Hortonâs. I ran through the restaurant, efficiently found the washroom. A couple minutes later I ran back through the restaurant again, back onto the race course, and tried to find my rhythm again with a different pack of runners. Those employees and customers in that Tim Hortonâs saw a sight they probably wonât forget for a long time.
How do you work up to running a marathon and prepare for it?
Itâs getting late and thatâs a whole other blog post. If people are interested, Iâll write a post on preparation.
Iâve saved the most important for last! The clear cut reason I ran a marathon in costume was to create awareness for the different ways people communicate. If you havenât already, please read and share the following excerpt from my last blog post:
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I think that isolation and systemic discrimination can stem from uncertainty. Below are some key points about how to be an agent of inclusion, and how to properly interact with people who communicate differently.
* Be curious. Ask how the person communicates. Give the individual time to respond. Observe what body parts he/she controls, if the person has a communication device, a letter board, or blinks. There are many forms of communication. Engage. Observe. Keep an open mind. Be patient. Be enriched.
* âAsk one question at a time and wait for a reply.â (ACCPC, 2009)
* âTalk directly to the individual, not to the person who may be accompanying him/her.â (ACCPC, 2009)
* Watch for body movementâsomeone may operate a communication device using his or her head, knee, toes, etc. Donât walk away if you notice the person using their computer. It may take him/her a minute to assemble their sentence.
* âSpeak naturally and clearly, using your normal tone, volume and rate.â (ACCPC, 2009)
* Try to establish a yes and a noââshow me your âyesââ. Observe how the person responds.
* âDo not speak about the person or refer to the person in the third person when in his/her presence.â (ACCPC, 2009)
* Always assume ability.
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A marathon is unbearable if itâs lonely. So is life. We all run our own races, but we all need some help and companionship to get to the finish line.