Muscle disease not strong enough to keep her from participating
GREEN BAY — Last year Mary Cox participated in the Bellin Run with the help of Bellin Health fitness professional Christian Jensen.
It was a momentous occasion for both of them, considering Cox has muscular dystrophy and Jensen ran the course while pushing her along the entire way in a refurbished stroller.
Cox and Jensen recently reflected on last year’s event as they begin preparations to participate in the 33rd annual Bellin Run, taking place at 8 a.m., Saturday, June 13.
Mary Cox recently recalled how tired she grew of sitting at home daily last year without regular physical activity. The muscular dystrophy – a group of genetic, hereditary muscle diseases that weakens the body’s muscles – limited her mobility to such a degree that walking to her kitchen sink became a laborious affair.
“So I thought, I’m going to call Bellin Health and see if there is anything they can do for me,” she said. Jensen was asked to assist Cox.
“The first time I met her, I was honestly worried,” Jensen said. “I wasn’t even sure if there was anything I could do for her. It was a real challenge for me, for us actually.”
But after months of following a successful workout program Jensen tailored to meet Cox’s unique fitness needs, the duo experienced enough progress that they began eyeing new challenges.
“One day Mary just said, ‘wouldn’t it be great if I could join the Bellin Run?’” Jensen said. “I said, ‘you can.’ That was pretty much all it took.”
With the help of Bellin’s fitness center team members, Jensen refurbished a stroller for Cox’s use. Jensen would push her through the race. “I couldn’t wait to get started,” Cox said.
The duo even trained outside of Cox’s scheduled sessions, with many evenings and weekends spent running up and down the Fox River Trail.
Crossing the finish line made the hours of training worthwhile, both said.
“I’d never really done anything like that before, pushing someone in a stroller,” Jensen said. “But I looked down at Mary and saw her smiling and that was overwhelming to me, knowing that she was able to feel free, even for just an hour or so. Honestly, I felt great.”
Cox shared similar thoughts.
“I just felt like it was a big accomplishment,” she said. “Like, oh my God, I was at the finish line. I got out there and was in it, rather than being on the outside looking in.”
Both expect to experience that euphoria again when they run the Bellin in June this year.
Online registration for the Bellin Run began February 23 at www.bellinrun.com. Early online registration is $17 through May 31. Mail-in registration is $20. Late online registration June 1-11 is $20. Mail-in registration June 1 through June 11 is $23. On race weekend, participants can register after 4 p.m. June 12 through race day for $25 at the Astor Park registration tent. All participants receive a Bellin Run T-shirt.
