10-30-09 Monahan Tackles New York Marathon Tomorrow

By Chuck Bingaman, Eagle Correspondent

            When Walpole world class marathoner Heidi Westover crosses the Central Park finish line in the New York Marathon tomorrow after running a little over two and a half hours, another Walpole runner, Kathy Monahan, will be 10-11 miles behind her and facing nearly two more hours of pounding the pavements of the Big Apple.

            But Monahan, 48, will be realizing a life goal, feeding on the energy of the nearly 40,000 runners in the race, enjoying cheering crowds lining Gotham’s streets, and feeling great about raising over $5,000 for Boston Children’s Hospital, a favorite charity that holds a special place in her heart.  And her son Owen’s.

            “I ran my first and only marathon six years ago in Burlington, Vermont, and I loved it!” Monahan gushed on Thursday in a typical rush of enthusiasm.  “It was such a positive, positive feeling.  An amazing experience!  But I realized afterward that I should have raised money for something while I did it, and Sunday I am running for Boston Children’s Hospital.”

            As it happened Monahan’s 12-year-old son, Owen, began suffering symptoms of a serious heart ailment two years after Kathy’s first marathon, and mystified area doctors referred Owen, Kathy and her husband Chris to Boston Children’s Hospital for a specialist consultation.  During heart surgery at Boston Children’s, Owen was diagnosed with Ventricular Tachycardia, or V-Tach, a potentially life-threatening arrhythmia. 

“It was not the diagnosis we were expecting,” Kathy remembers, “but because of Children’s Hospital, Owen today is a 16-year-old leading a normal and wonderful life.  The love, care and support we received at Children’s was remarkable.  We continue to receive that care and support.  Chris and I truly believe that Owen’s life was saved thanks to the amazing team at Children’s!”

            Hence Kathy Monahan will be running tomorrow for “Children’s”, and so far she has raised pledges of nearly her $5,000 goal.  (Anyone wishing to add their pledge can simply go online at www.childrenshospital.org/newyork , click on “Sponsor a Runner” on the right hand side of the page, and enter Monahan.)

            How did it feel to run 26 miles, 385 yards in that first marathon?  And how did it feel afterward?  “Well, I felt great the entire time up to about the 25th mile.  But I was getting tired.  Then the last two miles I got REALLY tired! But I finished it and was very glad.  You can’t imagine how sore I was the next few days!  I could hardly climb the stairs!”

            “This time I’ve built up gradually to the marathon,” says Monahan, “run four days each week for months and mixed in yoga and spinning classes.  My longest training run has been 19 miles. I just lose all my thoughts when I’m out running—it’s a great de-stresser.  And here we get to run is this beautiful countryside. It’s a recharge—my happy pill!”

“This last week I’ve been storing up carbs.  My family has been loving it—pasta every night for the last several nights!”

            Monahan’s goals for Sunday?  “I’d love to finish in four hours but just to finish the New York Marathon will be exciting, and raising as much as I can for the Hospital will make it all the more rewarding.”

            Complete information on the New York Marathon is available at www.ingnycmarathon.org. The marathon will be webcast live at www.UniversalSports.com at 9:00 a.m. Sunday and later on NBC Sports at 2:00 p.m.

                                                            --30--