Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend

Harsha Gurujal, ALS United Illinois Ambassador & Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon Team ALS Runner

The Illinois Marathon is an event I’ve done every year since it changed its name from the Christie Clinic 10K to the Illinois Marathon. Force of habit, I still call it the Christie Clinic run.

I have fond memories of participating in this event. One year, I asked my son, Caleb, to do the event with me. It was still the 10k at the time and he might have been ten. He had never run before in any kind of sponsored event, and he probably didn’t want to do this one. He loved basketball though, so we took a basketball with us. We bounced that basketball between us the whole time. That basketball was everywhere. I know we ran more than a 10K because we were chasing that stupid ball around. I’d miss the pass and off we’d go to retrieve the ball. Caleb would take off dribbling and wait for me to come gasping around the bend. And we were cheered on.

Caleb never did the event again until he was a junior in college. He had become a natural runner and we had become fans of the Disney runs in Orlando. He would do the half and I continued to lumber along in the 10Ks, but we were together. When Caleb said he would do the Illinois Marathon with me, I was elated. My mom came to watch us run together and she waited for us in the seats of Memorial Stadium, a place she’d never been before. She was in awe of the gargantuan stadium, the throngs of people preparing to run, the excitement, the energy, the noise of people clapping and cheering, the music – the sights and sounds filled her. Seeing us cross the finish line brought her to her feet. My mom only came the one time, but it was all she needed to experience.

I truly wish she had lived long enough to meet the runner that has ALS and competed last year. I looked for her at the finish line as she and I had crossed it within minutes of each other, but she was ushered off the field before I could offer my heartfelt congratulations and thank you’s for the inspiration. I knew that I had been given another reason to never stop running. If she could do it, so could we all!

When my mom was diagnosed with ALS, she reminded me of how she used to run as a child. For her, there were no organized events, no fancy shoes, leggings, and shorts. Women athletics were unheard of. She ran on the beaches by her home, she chased her brothers, and she ran for her father, who encouraged her to be more than a future subservient housewife. To see her son and grandson run filled her with pride but it filled her more with a longing to be out there with us.

Now, I run for my mom. When I run, I talk to her. She encourages me to take one more step, she’s in every face I see, she’s the person clapping, the one who gives me a high five and offers me a cold cup of water. When I move past someone, it’s our voices together who preach that we’re almost there, keep moving and you’re doing great.

It’s no secret that I want to rid the world of ALS. I wish I could wave a wand and ease the pain and suffering that ALS brings, but there is no magic wand. It takes money and I am the worst fundraiser around.

I looked at the Illinois Marathon as the sister of the Chicago Marathon. In my mind, I pictured thousands of people signing up and doing the same thing in Champaign, Illinois. It was like bringing Farm Aid back to its first home. The headlines were screaming “Champaign overcomes ALS!” — It hasn’t happened yet. Everything in life starts with baby steps. You crawl, you pull yourself up, you take a step, you fall, and you try it again. In a few months, you’re running and you’re never looking back. Enjoy the crawl because we’re pulling ourselves up.

The Illinois Marathon is something I encourage everyone to do. Not just to raise funds for ALS but to move for the people who can’t move anymore. Take a deep breath for the people who are struggling to breathe. Mostly, to live your life seeking out the challenge, to scratch off the bucket list item, to feel the sunshine on your face or feel the cold of the rain.

I envision that someday soon, at the Illinois Marathon, there will be hundreds running for Team ALS. My mom will be encouraging each runner along with me. I won’t be leading the pack, but I’ll be bringing up the rear knowing that one day, not too long ago, I was at the front, raising a few paltry dollars but stepping on ALS the whole freaking way.

“An inspiring weekend. I had accidentally ended up on the final corner of the 5k race cheering people into the Illini Stadium. Who knew cheering people on could be so rewarding?

Yet nothing was more inspiring than seeing my coworker, Sarah Brandt running past me into the stadium! Sarah announced just mere hours prior to the race she was running. So, she bought a fabulous pair of leggings, grabbed her shoes, and a Team ALS jersey!

My advice: If you can, do! The Champaign Community is so uplifting and friendly. Make this a run priority for next year. You won’t regret it.”

-Kat Lamar, Volunteer Coordinator

“The atmosphere at the event was electric. There was great energy and lots of fun pre- and post-race activities. My favorite moment during the weekend was seeing our Run to Defeat ALS shirts out on the race course.

It’s a wonderful race and running for charity really elevates your experience over IL Race Weekend. This race has a nice, smaller feel than the Bank of America Chicago Marathon but with all the excitement of a big race in a really cool environment to run in.

This was our second year as a charity partner with the Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend and our participants raised $2000!

Registration is now open for 2024, and you can sign up for a variety of distances by going to illinoismarathon.com.”

-Sarah Brandt, Director of Development