Posted on 12/22/2019 2:37:46 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Seven years had passed since Mena Hawkins had attempted the Las Vegas Great Santa Run. Her first attempt at the one-mile race ended after the streets had already been reopened, leaving the then 10-year-old to finish the race on the sidewalk.
Her final time that year was 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Despite finishing well behind the rest of the field, Hawkins wasn’t defeated by her effort. The Henderson, Nevada, native—who is now 17—has cerebral palsy, a congenital disorder that affects movement and muscle tone or posture, which has always made walking a serious challenge. In school and most places, she uses a wheelchair to get around because it took too long to do tasks like walk between classes with her walker.
“I always thought walking was a chore,” Hawkins told Runner’s World. “But when I did it more, I really started to enjoy it.”
Her new passion for walking really took off in 2019, when Hawkins woke up one day earlier this year with a desire to not only walk, but to train. To help motivate herself to follow a workout plan, she signed up for the Great Santa Run.
In addition to running for herself, she also chose to raise money for the race’s charity, Opportunity Village, a nonprofit that helps people with disabilities find jobs or pursue their dreams.
“The most inspiring part of this year’s Santa Run, bar none, was Mena making her way down the final stretch of 10th street and crossing the finish line,” Race Director Casey Parisi told Runner’s World. “It was extremely moving and just an honor to be a part of her remarkable feat. Opportunity Village is proud to know Mena and the entire Hawkins family and is grateful for their contributions to our organization.”
(Excerpt) Read more at runnersworld.com ...
A nice news story for a change.
There is a video accompanying the article about an actual pro runner named Justin Gallegos. He also has cerebral palsy.
Her new passion for walking really took off in 2019, when Hawkins woke up one day earlier this year with a desire to not only walk, but to train. To help motivate herself to follow a workout plan, she signed up for the Great Santa Run.
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Mind over matter.
Cool... HEART! Some have it most do not. Some use it most do not. It is something we should exercise much more often... both spiritually and physically...
She’s not a “teen.” She’s obviously white.
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