There will be tears. Of that Rachel Brusseau is certain.
No matter how long it takes the Camas woman to complete 13.1 miles on Sunday, she knows how she will react at the finish line of the Vancouver USA Half Marathon.
“I think I’ll be bawling, just because my stepdad really inspired me and because it’s Father’s Day,” Brusseau said.
That stepfather, Doug Harrison, died in 2014 from pancreatic cancer. His death convinced Brusseau that she needs to live life to the fullest every day. Never mind that facioscapsulhumeral muscular dystrophy affects her mobility and balance, Harrison’s death motivated Brusseau to get moving.
Over the last 18 months, Brusseau has dropped 95 pounds. The 44-year-old is a data analyst for Vancouver Clinic, where she learned of the Vancouver Fit program to train for the half marathon. Sunday is the culmination of six months of training.
“Before I decided to live every day to the fullest, I wouldn’t even try something like this,” she said. She is more prone to falls than most runners, but figures the ground really is not that far to fall.
Facioscapsulhumeral muscular dystrophy is a genetic disorder that most affects arm and shoulder muscles. It also affects some of Brusseau’s hamstring and gluteal muscles, so she works with a physical therapist to strengthen surrounding muscles.
One of about 140 members of the Vancouver Fit program designed to prepare beginners for the sixth edition of Vancouver USA Marathon and Half Marathon, Brusseau showed up every weekend ready to learn something new about running, coach Doug Carr said.
The lessons included the best clothes for running, and the importance of eating right and sleeping enough. Sleep is particularly important for Brusseau, but she said that she is so busy living she struggles to get enough.
In addition to jogging and walking longer distances each Saturday, Brusseau has been going on 30-minute runs two or three days per week. To strengthen her core and improve balance and flexibility, she attends Barre3 class.
Kimberly Spencer, a neighbor and on-and-off runner who has trained alongside Brusseau for this race, said Brusseau is motivational. When Brusseau posts a training run on Facebook, Spencer said it pushes her out the door.
“It’s really her presence and her attitude. I know she has rough days but she’s always positive and smiling,” Spencer said.
On March 6, Brusseau had reason to smile when she completed the 12-kilometer Fort Vancouver Run. It took her 2 hours and 13 minutes to run the 7.44 miles.
It wiped her out, but it proved she was on course for the Vancouver USA Half Marathon.
Brusseau’s birth father has muscular dystrophy. There was a 50/50 chance that she too would suffer from the disease, and by middle school a lack of upper body muscle strength became evident. She said she tends to notice the disease progress in bursts. She said as long as she doesn’t overdo it, her body responds well to the training.
Running and walking are good stress relievers, and helped discourage her from stress-eating, Brusseau said.
The emotional lift that comes from training with the Vancouver Fit group is equally significant, she said.
In addition to helping herself, Brusseau is sharing her experiences with an online muscular dystrophy support group. She noted that many in that group are home- or wheelchair-bound, but she hopes to encourage others to get all they can from life.
Muscular dystrophy usually does not shorten life, but as muscle function deteriorates, mobility and independence are lost. Brusseau noted that since the 1970s there has been a debate about the role exercise plays in the rate that muscles weaken.
“I guess if I wear out a little sooner, I wear out a little sooner — but at least I’m not just sitting in my house,” she said.
Brusseau said fatigue usually settles into her legs at 8 or 9 miles. Sunday’s half marathon will be her longest outing yet. But she is determined that the finish line will not be an ending.
Next week, she will start training with a Portland Fit group to complete 26.2 miles at the Oct. 23 Columbia Gorge Marathon.
Carr, the Vancouver Fit coach, said that within a group of people inspired to go the distance, Brusseau is a star.
“She’s a good ambassador not only for the running and walking community here, but for the whole muscular dystrophy community.” Carr said.
The sixth Vancouver USA Marathon and Half Marathon will send thousands of runners and walkers onto Vancouver streets and roads on Sunday morning.
Vancouver USA Marathon
Participation: Approximately 700 pre-registered for the marathon; about 1,500 pre-registered for the half marathon. additionally, 300 signed up for Saturday’s Freedom 5K fun run and 75 signed up for the kids marathon, a 1.2-mile run.
Start times: The 26.2-mile marathon starts at 7 a.m. Sunday. The 13.1-mile half-marathon at 9 a.m. Sunday. The courses close at 2 p.m. The Freedom 5K fun run is at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
Location: The races start and finish on Columbia between Sixth and Eighth streets in downtown Vancouver. Columbia borders the east side of Esther Short Park.
Registration: No day-of-race registration. The last chance to sign up for the marathon or half marathon is 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday at the VUM Active Expo in Esther Short Park. This is also the last chance for participants to check in and pick up their bibs. The cost to register at the expo is $135 plus tax for the marathon, $110 plus tax for the half marathon.
Boston Marathon qualifier: New this year to prevent short cuts, those trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon must step on special mats at Frenchman’s Bar Park and at Wintler Park to verify their time.
Bart Yasso is back: Yasso, the chief running officer for Runner’s World Magazine, will again serve as the race announcer at the start/finish line for Sunday’s races. He will also answer questions via Twitter and Facebook at 2:30 p.m. Saturday using the #askbart hashtag.
