Mother with neurological condition reaches marathon dream with help of family

Mother with neurological condition reaches marathon dream with help of family

(Corrine Ceran)


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HUNTSVILLE — As Corrine Ceran neared the finish line of the Huntsville Marathon, her two oldest daughters, Becka and Sarah, grabbed hold of each of her arms, and the three crossed together.

Tears streamed down their faces, and the faces of many other family members as they watched Ceran reach her goal — a goal that began 30 years ago while watching her father complete his first marathon.

Ceran began running 5Ks in high school, and worked hard to build up strength and endurance. But she would often feel fatigued, and find that her strength would dwindle for no apparent reason, making it harder and harder to exercise.

As she began to have children, the normal fatigue of motherhood, coupled with the ongoing and unexplained episodes with her body, caused her dream of running a marathon to seem less and less likely.

Years later, however, her younger sister, Tracy encouraged her to rekindle her goal. This time, she enlisted the help and companionship of her two daughters, Sarah and Becka, who were 7 and 8 years old at the time.

"Becka, Sarah and I ran the Painter's 5K in St. George, and then decided to train for a 10K," she said.

But it wasn't meant to be. Ceran got sick and had to have an appendectomy. This only added to her low energy, and she said that she was never able to run the same since. Over the next 12 years, Ceran's body would go through periods of time where it would "crash," with the worst coming last July when she was confined to a wheelchair.

Seeing her mother struggle, Becka knew she had to do something. So, for her mom's birthday, she gave her an entry to the Huntsville Marathon.

"I grew up my whole life with her talking about wanting to do this," Becka said. "She would drag us out every morning since we were young to train, saying, 'Someday I will get better. Someday I will run my marathon.'

"I called my aunt Tracy to ask her what I should do. She said, 'Let's take control of it the only way we can.'"

The two decided that, even if they had to push Ceran the entire way, they would get her to that finish line.

"She was the one who pushed me to run, and I wanted to do the same for her," Becka said.

Over the next year, Ceran did her best to build up her strength so that she could run her marathon, but found that at her weakened state, asking her body to do that wasn't possible. Even so, Ceran decided that she still needed to train her mind.

"Even if my body won't let me, I've got to think like a marathoner," Ceran said. "I've got to get out of bed, eat like a marathoner. No matter how hard it is, I will pull through."

On the morning of Sept. 26, with her daughter, Becka, and her sister, Tracy, taking turns pushing her, Ceran began her journey toward the finish line.


Even if my body won't let me, I've got to think like a marathoner. I've got to get out of bed, eat like a marathoner. No matter how hard it is, I will pull through.

–Corinne Ceran


"As people passed, they would cheer for her," Tracy said. "Some would even look at her and say, 'I want your seat,' but she would always return the comment with, 'No, I want yours.'

"But everyone who passed her was so touched by her spirit. She was the mental part of the race for so many. She has the mind of a marathoner and the heart of a superhero."

At mile 15, about a dozen family members, including younger sister Ashley, who recently qualified for the Ironman World Championships, met the three on the course and began taking turns pushing Ceran.

With just a few miles to go, Ceran's daughter, Sarah, who recently had a baby, joined in. And as the finish line grew near, Becka and Sarah helped their mom to her feet, linking arms with her, not wanting her to cross in a wheelchair.

"I have dreamed of the finish line for 30 years," Ceran said as she began to recite words from a poem she began writing years ago.

I'd get a medal around my neck

Proving I'd completed it

My marathon.

I'd hear the cheers and claps in my big crowd.

With friends and family so proud

Of my marathon.

The champion … of my marathon.

At the finish line were family and friends cheering proudly, and her husband, Gary Ceran, placing her medal around her neck.

She was the champion of her marathon

"One day when we cross life's finish line, it will be just like that," Corinne Ceran said, "Family will be there. The Savior will be there to put his arms around my neck instead of a medal, when I will have completed life's marathon. Life is good because God is good." Arianne Brown is a mother of six young children and an Altra, PROBAR, Nuun, and Unshoes sponsored athlete. For more writings by her, search "A Mother's Write" on Facebook. Twitter: A_Mothers_Write

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