AboutTheMaxLacewellFoundation:  Max "Little Dude" Lacewell was a vibrant little boy who  loved Star Wars, Legos and sushi. Two days before  Halloween, at the age of five, he was diagnosed with one  of the rarest, deadliest, and most aggressive forms of  cancer- Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). Less than  10% of the 100-150 kids diagnosed each year live  beyond 18 months from diagnosis. In Max's case, he  survived only nine more months, until the fourth of July.  The Max Lacewell Foundation was created out of the  determination of Max's family and friends to fight back  against cancer. This not-for-profit aims to raise  awareness and fund vital research of pediatric brain  tumors, specifically, DIPG, with the ultimate goal of  establishing a brain tumor research scholar at the Lurie  Children's Hospital of Chicago.  Since MLF is run exclusively through volunteers, 100% of  the net proceeds of our fund raising events go directly  toward this goal. Thanks to participants who support our  fund raisers, we have raised over $250,000 to help  others who face DIPG.  We estimate that about $2 million would meet our goal  of establishing the MLF scholar. But our ultimate goal is  to make DIPG a thing of the past. Thank you for your  partin moving us a little closer to that goal!

About the Race:
The Max Lacewell Foundation Presents:
The Best 5k Evuh
5k Race and 1 Mile Fun Run
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Bolingbrook Golf Course, Bolingbrook, IL
Map to Bolingbrook Golf Course

Start Times  1 Mile: 7:15am  5K: 7:45am (wave start)

Parking  The Bolingbrook Golf Club has plenty of parking at  the start line. Car-pooling encouraged! Packet

Pick-up  Friday, September 27, 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm at:  Jersey Mike's Subs, 111 E. Ogden Ave #109, Naperville. Packet pickup also available race morning from  6:00 to 7:00 am.  Early Registration  Entry fee for individuals is $30 for 5k and $20 for the  One Mile Fun Run. Family registration includes up to 4  individuals for $60 for the One Mile Fun Run and $85  for the 5K Race. Participants receive a T-shirt. Early  registration forms must be postmarked by 9/13/2013. Race Day Registration  Available race morning from 6:00am to 7:00 am. Cost is  $35 for the 5K and $25 for the One Mile. Family  registration will be $65 for the One Mile Fun Run and  $90 for the 5K Race. There is no T-shirt guarantee for  race day registrants.

ENTER DISCOUNT CODE RUNJUNKEE and receive a $5 discount off of your registration.

For more information, or to register online, go to Best5kEvuh.com
or email: [email protected]
The Max Lacewell Foundation Website
Max Lacewell Facebook Page

Back in 2007, I began training for my first marathon on a dare. It only took one and I was hooked. I soon became a personal trainer and helped many others reach their marathon goals. Through all my clients, as I taught them how to safely reach the finish line, there was an irony happening. I was constantly injuring myself. From stress fractures and soft tissue injuries to dislocations! I was constantly reprimanded by my doctors and was told to "ease up". The problem was, I wasn't doing anything different than the average marathoner (if there can be such a thing). I was practicing my own precautions to avoid injury.

As the injuries progressed, I found myself in the orthopedic doctor's office once again, pissed off. I wanted answers. I had come up with a diagnosis just 3 years prior and was laughed at by my chiropractor. "That's not you," he laughed. Because the diagnosis was 1 in 10,000, I held my head down and felt stupid, forgetting I ever researched it. As my ortho doc left the room, I opened up my file on his computer and counted. 16 injuries in 4 years, and those were only the ones I felt needed medical attention! Something was not right! Just a few days later, I met a women with that same diagnosis I had researched a few years prior. Our lives were identical, down to the premature births of our children. I immediately found a specialist and was indeed diagnosed with Ehler's Danlos Syndrome, Type 3, hypermobile.

EDS is a connective tissue disorder. Basically, my tissue stretches beyond what's humanly possible...but it doesn't like to stretch back. Hence, my injuries in any kind of endurance activity.

I'm hoping I can help someone out there with the same problem. The worst of my diagnosis is not only giving up my endurance activities, but coming to terms with working out like "an average person". The alternative is a life of pain in my later years if I ignore my condition.

I started painting out of the blue one day and it has filled that hole in my heart. I get the same adrenaline rush painting as I did crossing a finish line and placing in my age group. I think God sent me a gift to keep me content, and I thank Him for that. I quit my training company and now paint full-time because of the sudden demand for my art.

Happy, safe running everybody! 

www.Facebook.com/KerriAnnGallery

Hi, I'm Andrea and this is my running story!!

It's April of 2009 - I am sitting in the waiting room getting an IV put in my hand.  Today, I have double jaw surgery scheduled.  I'm a nervous wreck, but I am trying super hard not to let my mom, who has come with me, know.

They wheel me in to surgery, lay me on the table, and ask me to start counting backwards from 10; I am not sure I got to 7.  I awake to two ladies asking me nicely to open my eyes - it felt like the most difficult task I had ever been asked to do.  Eventually, I was able to look in the mirror.  *gasp*

My upper jaw had been severed, bone removed, jaw moved up, four plates, and eight screws.  Then, lower jaw severed on each side, bone removed, jaw pushed back, and nine screws.  This procedure left me with a numb lower jaw; as in I couldn't feel my face from my bottom lip to the bottom of my chin.  Could not - as in you could stick a steak knife in my face and nothing.

At my six week check up - I asked the doctor if I would ever get feeling back in my chin, and what I could do to expedite the process.  He stated that if I tried some cardio - eventually it would help.  At that point I did nothing with the information.  It hurt too much to do anything, and I really wasn't in the working out mood.  Also, I thought "certainly this will go away.  It's still early in the game."

Fast forward to September 2010 - still no feeling.  I call my friend (eventually my coach), and say "alright Joe, I am going to start running.  How do I even start?  What do I do?  What do I need?  Oh, and I think I want to run a marathon."

Joe laughed, was patient, and told me to head out to a field of grass and run for 20-30 minutes four days a week.  He told me to call him after I finished my first two weeks.  I'll admit - I was not an athlete.  Not only was I not an athlete - I had hardly worked out at all my entire life.  Sure, I had a gym membership - but I went sparingly.  I'm talking once, twice, a month.  I was a couch potato.

That first two weeks was so hard.  My legs felt like lead, my lungs screamed, and my heart damn near tried to beat out of my chest - but I kept running.  Over the next couple months the runs became a little more challenging, and a little more frequent, and eventually I was allowed to run on the pavement.  By that time, running was no longer about restoring feeling in my face, it was about healing my soul. 

I know, I know - that sounds terribly cliche, but that is exactly what happened.  With every step I took, with every mile I logged, with every set of 100 I completed - I began to believe in myself just a little more.  I was able to turn off my brain chatter, and enjoy the silence.  I felt grounded.  I felt at peace.  It was a mental transformation that I have a very hard time describing.  It was as though I was meant to do it, and I found myself asking why I hadn't been doing this all along.

On December 4, 2011 I completed my first full marathon.

I have never been as proud of myself as I was crossing that finish line - that day.  I knew that all the sweat, tears, moments of clarity, moments of chaos, snowy runs, runs in the rain, perfect runs, blisters, lost toenails, tired muscles, hungry tummies, and moments of pure joy - had been worth it.  I knew that if I set my mind to anything - I was crazy enough to get it done.

Today, I am a runner.

PS:  On 05/05/13 I finished my 3rd Marathon in 3:57:29 - now, I've got Boston in my sights..... just need to shave off those last pesky 23 minutes :)

By Cory McAnelly, Iowa

"I had an amazing moment running tonight that reminded me of the power of a simple gesture. During my runs over the past few weeks I always run my warm up on the same stretch of Brady Street in Davenport. As time has gone on, some of the other faces on the route have become familiar. There is one young lady who always runs by me on the route and always puts a big smile on her face as she runs past me. It always makes me smile which tends to make my run much easier. Well, tonight as I crested the top of one of the biggest hills, I noticed her running towards me. However, instead of the upbeat smile she usually wears, she looked defeated and exhausted. The thought crossed my mind that it was my turn to smile for her and, of course, that was exactly what I did. Sadly, she didn't smile back and I felt as though I had failed in some way. Then, just as she was about to pass me, without making eye contact, without lifting her sagging shoulders, without changing her stride or her speed, she slides her left hand out into my running lane and opens her palm for what I would describe not so much as a "high-five," but definitely a "mid-five." I have a few feet to realize and react and, deciding this is what she wants, I reach my hand out to make contact. We touched hands and I continue on trying to figure out what just happened. I turned to look over my shoulder and she continued on, without breaking stride, down the hill to finish her run. Then I realized: this young lady, at the breaking point in her own run...tired, exhausted, barely able to lift her head to smile...still found a way to reach out and encourage me. My mood was instantly incredible and my run was great. I could not wipe the smile from my face. We could all stand to engage more in simple gestures when we are at our BEST, let alone when we are running on fumes and struggling to continue. Never underestimate the power that you have to do good in other people's lives and never forget to use that power as often as possible. It may seem like a stretch to think that I derived so much from something so simple...but, then again, that is the point.

I was 5' tall and weight in at a whopping 275 lbs.  Short and round was how I described myself.

I had been diagnosed with a chronic illness and at the age of 48 found myself dependent on oxygen 24/7.  This was not good and my husband did not expect me to live another 5 years.  We decided to move from our home in Colorado where we were at 8,000 feet altitude to the low lands of Mississippi where the altitude was 215 ft. 

We did not choose Mississippi out of a hat, we did have family living there and it would be fun to be close them again.

Upon arrival in Mississippi, I had to find new physicians.  I found an aggressive Dr. who decided to give me a second lease on life.  He worked very hard to get me off some of my medications and I am grateful to him for that.  While he was whittling away at my medications, I accidentally went toxic on one of my other meds (NOT my fault!) and almost died.

During this time, I forgot how to eat and immediately lost 30 pounds!  Most excellent!  When I came around, I decided to really put forth an effort to losing weight and being active.  This is where my sister comes into the story.  She works at Mississippi State University and they were offering the C25K program.  She wanted to do it and wanted me to participate.  I said, sure!

Little did I know that 2 yrs ago this coming Labor Day would be a life changing day for me.  That is the day we began C25K.  That was the most difficult thing I have ever done and if it had not been the promise I made to my sister, there is no way I would have completed to program.  A strange thing happened during that program~I got hooked on running!

The 5K at the completion of the program took me 48 minutes.  I was so proud!  My husband ran it with me~stuck by my side step by step and then we cried at the finish line.  This was a major accomplishment.  Not was I off oxygen and the majority of my medications, I had lost 148 pounds!  Totally excellent!

I am now 51 and running now is a major part of my life.  My husband and I are running partners and have completed many 5K's,  2 10K's,  a 12K,  2 half marathons and are presently training for my first full marathon and his 3rd full marathon!

Who would have thought that running could have changed my life and the life of my family so dramatically!?!  Our marathon is on Oct. 20.  Wish us luck!!!

Hi All...I would like to give my little story. I started out about a year ago. (this is not an advertisement..) I bought Insanity to do at home. I was 225lbs and 28 yrs old. The heaviest of my life. I used to run in school and played ball all the time and was in decent shape until I got married and my wife had kids. I kinda just gave on me and started taking care of them. Always putting them ahead of my health, or that was my excuse anyways...lol...well long story short. I started Insanity and ran my first 5k in October.(not running any before this point, just trying to push myself a little)..36 mins and stopped a bunch. little Did I know I would fall in love with it. I made a goal with my wife that we would start running seriously in January 2013....We put together a group of about 15 runners in town and all ran on the 1st. since then we've logged around 400 miles each on this journey. And loved every minute of it. My 5k time is down to around 21 mins and 10k around 48 mins.I'm looking to do a half and possibly a full marathon before this year is out. 


Not only have my wife and I did this as a team but my kids are beginning to get on board. my son 4yo, won his first mile race with a time of 11 mins...my daughter 7yrs old, just ran a 5k with me and we made it in 45 mins. Seeing them begin to run and finishing these races has to be one of my top 3 "proud Daddy" memories...I love it....Oh btw..With my routine of running and working out at the house using Insanity, P90X, and some crossfit workouts I found online, I've lost a total of 76lbs and continue to run and honestly feel better and healthier than I've ever felt in my life...Its weird cause before I couldn't run around the softball bases, now if I don't get in about 3 to 4 miles a night, I'm going crazy..lol...I LOVE IT!!!. Look forward to the inspiration and being around like minded people. Here's a picture of my before and after. And our little family award shelf...