Any information can be placed in the sidebar to help your web site visitors navigate your site.To All The Supporters Of Meredith & James
TweetOur yRun Story
James and I started running for ourselves and ourselves alone. After raising some money for the Getting2Tri Foundation when we completed in St. Anthony’s in May I realized that we could also help. When I heard about the Stanleys and baby Caden, I knew we could help them also. Ever since learning about baby Caden, I have been brought to my knees with gratefulness and humility. I am so thankful for the Stanley family, for Caden and for their faith. Caden’s family has shown the world what courage, prayer and faith can do.
James and I started out training for 70.3 with no real purpose other than to do it. Now, I know we can run for Caden, raise awareness about congenital heart defects, and hopefully, in turn, lift up this amazing, faithful family. This is our yRun Story.
Some Words About Caden
The Stanleys were expecting their second child and first boy in early August were overjoyed when Caden came into this world. God had blessed them with a beautiful baby boy! However, after he was born, the doctors found that there was something wrong with Caden's heart. His mother, Becca, blogged: “[The Doctors] found that the aorta had a kink in it. It is like a dent or narrowing just before the arch in his aorta. They also diagnosed his aortic valve as small and unicuspid meaning it has just one flap. A normal one has three flaps. This is the cause of the high blood pressure in his left ventricle. Due to the lack of blood flow through the valve the aorta didn’t develop to the proper diameter, and is narrowed as well as dented. They saw two small holes in his heart, a PFO and one between his left and right ventricle." This meant that five day old baby Caden had to have open heart surgery.
Ten days later, the Stanleys were able to take sweet baby home, but the battle is not over. There may be more surgeries, but his healing thus far has been nothing short of miraculous. His parents, Becca and Adam, are inner city missionaries, and they are fighting to make ends meet. Just the general expense of an infant are enough to humble anyone, but the medical expenses are crushing on this faithful family. Baby Caden is a beautiful spirit and such a little fighter!
Why Do I Run?
James and I met back in 1994 as weightlifters on Team Savannah. Fast forward a few years and we began dating. James mountain biked; I did some Tae Bo, but slowly we got lazy and chubby.
Fast forward thirteen years: we are married, with two kids and without a single ounce of physical fitness left in our bones. I started spinning and running. Then I was turned on to triathlon. James and I started training for triathlon, and completed our first Olympic Distance in May 2011 (St. Anthony’s Triathlon) and our second just this month, along with a few 5ks, 10ks, and Sprint distance tris. We are slooooow. But while we still have a long way to go to ultimate fitness, we are working on building overall health, a happy family and teaching our kids what it means to be healthy.
I started blogging about my journey at www.SwimBikeMom.com, and we have a great support community of men and women of all shapes, sizes and experience levels encouraging each other in swimming, biking, running and “tri-ing.”Oh, and we are tackling the big “70.3” Half-Ironman on October 30th in Miami.\
How can you help?
The primary goal of yRun is to help individuals raise awareness and financial support for a cause close to them. On October 30th, 2011 Meredith & James Atwood will be competing in the ROHTO Ironman 70.3 in Miami, Florida. To honor Caden Stanley, we are asking for any sized donations to be made towards the Stanley Family.
Whether you can make a donation of $5 or $100, every dollar raised will go towards the Stanley Family and helping to pay Caden’s medical expenses. If you cannot make a financial donation, I still appreciate your support so feel free to leave me some encouraging words on my yRun Story Page. Thank you!
Thank You,
Meredith & James Atwood
