[updated 3 May 2009]
Due to the administrative change of the fee incurred for the rehab Yuki received in 2007/08, there was a reimbursement of 9,000 dollars from NYU Medical Center. This has allowed us to reduce the fundraising target from 64,000 to 55,000 dollars.
[updated 21 April 2009]
I completed the BOSTON MARATHON!!
Thank you to all the people that supported me
The challenge now is to reach the goal for fundraising and to continue to raise awareness/understanding for Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI).
Dear friends and supporters,
On April 20th, I ran the Boston Marathon with the support of Achilles Track team.
Runner: Yuki Goto
Latest Results:
Location Time Pace/mile
10km 0:49:58 8:02
Half-Marathon 1:46:39 8:08
30km 2:37:20 8:26
Finish 3:54:36 8:56
I am happy to note that my time for NYC marathon was 4:43:34, and I thought that was pretty good for me at the time. I did better this time partly because I’ve built more strength since the last marathon.
I was overwhelmed by my friends who were there rooting for me in the crowd and I can't describe how much boost they gave me to continue.
I was also supported by my wonderful guide, Bryan who had encouraged me all the way. He is an amazing support and a runner who had volunteered to be a guide and postponed his own entry for the Boston to next year. Now, I know that is a real commitment since people work really hard to go to the Boston, and he must be no exception. He not only ran with me but he did all he can do for me to make it to the goal with a great record.
He tried to pace me when I was going way too fast in the beginning. I am later going to find out how I should have followed his coaching more faithfully. But the starting was downhill and it was easy to pick up speed again, which as a result trashed my quads after 30K; he kept on encouraging me when my quads and knees started to give away, and he was good enough even to take pictures of me running and friends rooting on the sidewalk.
After 30K when it became a nightmare to run, and when I thought I couldn’t run any further and started walking, he told me to keep running slow and not to walk. He knew how the pain would be so overwhelming and hard for me to start running once I stopped.
As the song goes, I was able to make it to the goal with help from my friend.
“Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends”
It’s been three years since I was injured. I’ve come a long way and I feel stronger. I plan to keep on training for my next challenge, although I don’t know what that will be yet.
Many people have supported me already to continue the 20-week rehab program at the Rusk Institute at Langone Medical Center at New York University. Thank you to all of you who are supporting me. Rusk is the only rehabilitation program of its kind in the world, and it has a high success rate in rebuilding people’s lives after traumatic brain injury.
I have not yet reached my goal to raise enough funding to finish my rehab and I know that I can do this only with the support of the people who believe in me.
Thanks to Achilles International, participating in the 2009 Boston Marathon was an amazing experience and I hope that people saw me and recognize the potential of rehabilitation to help people with traumatic brain injuries lead full and active lives.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME REACH MY GOAL
I would deeply appreciate your continuous support to help raise funds for my final rehab and spreading awareness/understanding about traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
You can read more about my story at:
http://www.teamyuki.org
and http://www.friendsofyuki.org
(An inspiring magazine for runners called “Runner’s World” kindly interviewed before the Marathon. I look forward to sharing some of the recent interviews I have done sharing my new challenges.)
Yuki Goto