My Why
My name is Merideth Gilmor. I'm 39 years old and I just ran my first marathon; The New York City Marathon, no less! I'm a newbie, but have learned that I can't be held back. When I'm not running, I'm a mom and a publicist for professional athletes.
My story is unique as exactly one year ago, on November 1st 2014, I suffered a massive stroke. Due to the size of the stroke, doctors didnt think I would survive the night and said that there were several possible outcomes, none of them good. If I did survive, the prognosis was that I would be in a vegetable state or that I would not have use of my left side and be blind in my left eye. Or, there could be a miracle.
It's been a long recovery. I went from running my own company to sleeping most of the day. I wasn't able to do simple daily tasks such as getting out of bed on my own, brushing my teeth, or even walking just a couple of feet to the end of my driveway.
Through alot of physical therapy, patience, will and hard work, I found myself at peace with the massive undertaking that I was about to embark on. I became excited for my feet to hit the pavement again. Running became a critical part of my recovery, as it gave me a daily goal to acheive. Whether it was running one mile, tying my shoes or putting my hair in a ponytail, I had a mission and a goal.
Why did I run?
November 1st, 2014 was the worst day of my life. I want to turn that day and what it means to me around.
I ran for myself and my 10-year-old son. I wanted to show him that this stroke didn't define me.
I wanted to inspire other stroke champions and show them that life doesn't end if you have a stroke. You can come back stronger.