This is the first race I am taking part in since I graduated high school after years of cross country, but also the first time I am taking part in an organized sport event since my brain surgery in December 2011.

I am planning on walking the 5K, as walking too quickly or up inclines never fail to make me ill, but I hope you'll support me and my friend in raising money for the Brain Injury Association.

In medical jargon, I have "subjacent right anterior frontal subdural hygroma and left orbital frontal gyrus encephalomalacia" as results of my brain surgery.  In layman's terms, I have "scarring" or "some damage" on the left frontal lobe of my brain.

But I am back in school, on track to getting my degrees in order to teach Special Education, and I hope that the money raised through this race will help many other people who are not as fortunate as I was in recovery to get the most they can out of treatments and research.

Thank you very much for your help!