Spectrum

Could you tell us a little bit about your illness?

It’s kind of obscure. It’s not multiple sclerosis, but a neurological disease that’s similar … it affects me only from the waist down. There’s no cure but the decline is very slow. It was diagnosed when I was 35, although the onset was several years earlier and I didn’t realize it. The first symptoms began when I was running every morning and would fall for no apparent reason. I thought I was out of shape and needed to run more. I also swam every day, about a half mile.  I have a lot of spasticity in my legs, which makes them feel very heavy and difficult to lift. 

How did you find out?

I was on a cruise and became numb from the waist down. I was, mistakenly, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and did not have an accurate diagnosis until many years later.

Have doctors prescribed physical therapy as well?

Yes, but I don’t think it helps much although it may be different for others. I very slowly began to use aids, first a stick cane, and then a quad cane. Then, when I changed doctors, my new doctor said I really needed to use a walker since my balance was so bad.  The walker has been a life saver.  I wouldn’t be [at work] without it.  Sometimes my kids will say, “Ok, mom – walk.  Walk without anything.”  [Doud laughs.]  And they think it’s funny, because I can’t walk – I can barely lift my legs.  Then, they imitate the way I walk, dragging their legs, and they get a kick out of it.  They do it very accurately, by the way.

It’s good you’ve got a sense of humor about it.

Yes, I do.  But the walker’s been a godsend for me, and the wheelchair has been wonderful. I use it at the grocery store with my husband. One of these days, though, I’m going to get a speeding ticket in the grocery store because of the way I skid around the corners. Being able to be somewhat independent is very liberating.

Let’s talk about your racing.  How did you get started?

I was in physical therapy and my physical therapist suggested I try participating in a 5k race in my wheelchair. I have a manual wheelchair, not a racing wheelchair.  I found a race in Grayslake, and I showed up and was the only one participating in any kind of rolling vehicle.  So, there I sat, scared to death; oh my gosh, I was so nervous.  This was July of 2009.  I was shaking, and they started me off five minutes early.  There I was on a wide street in the middle of town with everyone watching me, and I’m the last person who wants to be conspicious.  I took off, it was a 5k [3.1 miles], and, oh my God, it was grueling. It took me an hour to finish. I felt great, but was exhausted.

Did you find any other races?

I learned about the GLASA race in September. There are a lot of rollers in that one; it’s for runners, walkers and those with many different kinds of disabilities. I was with people who spend a lot, if not all, of their time in rolling vehicles of one kind or another. There I sat in my old-fashioned wheelchair – I felt like I was in a ’57 Chevy, along with these 2009 cars around me. I felt so silly, but away I went.

How did you do in the race?

Again, it took an hour.  After that race, Tom Daly, who works for GLASA, said, “Why don’t you consider a handcycle?”  I didn’t even know what a handcycle was.  He said GLASA would loan one to me.  I later met with Tom to try the handcycle, and it was scary because I was sure I was going to tip over.  My upper body is very strong [by virtue of using the walker all the time] so it’s well suited for me since I “pedal” the handcycle with my hands. Then, this year, I was in the Grayslake race again. I cut my time from one hour with the wheelchair to twenty-seven minutes with the handcycle.

What are you thinking about during the race?

I’m thinking about beating the person next to me [Doud laughs].  Last year, this girl right here [Doud points to a photo she’s in from a newspaper clipping], who I think is 19 and who I passed, came in behind me.  I passed another young woman, and I said to myself, “I’m going to pass her if it’s the last thing I do.”  I tell my husband, “I’m not competitive,” but maybe I am.

That seems pretty competitive. 

“You know, I joke; I’ll hurt anyone [who is ahead of me].” I have now purchased a handcycle. It was very inconvenient to borrow one all the time, especially since I participate in several races during the summer and fall.  

What’s the best part about racing?

Finishing and beating my own time – it is fantastic.  I will reach my limit obviously; I’m not going to finish in two minutes. It’s liberating for me because I would like to be running in the races and, obviously, I can’t do that.  So, this allows me to participate in another way. I feel freer because of it. Otherwise, I’d be sitting on the sidelines watching.