100 mile challenge wrap up!

They did it! Most of my runners reached 100 miles (there were some injuries along the way 😢). One runner said they were going to collapse into a fetal position and whimper when they finished their 100 miles on June 30th, but they did it 😝! I’m so inspired and proud of them. I’m also extremely grateful to the 300+ donors that helped me reach my goal of $50k, to help pay for my 24hr care and physical therapy. I feel fortunate to have the support of so many, I know most people don’t have that. I am grateful every day for the movement that I get, to keep my mind and body healthy. 

A huge shout out to the Big Sur River Inn for their continued support and for hosting the fundraising barbecue on July 9th! And many thanks to the Bitter Ginger, the Saucy Maiden and the Random Pickler for their food and wine donations.

Thank you for BEing my light!

💜 Rachael

Relay for Rachael Road Runner challenge

 Relay for Rachael Roadrunner Challenge!

The challenge:

100 miles in June

This would’ve been the 11th annual Relay for Rachael fundraiser at the Big Sur marathon at the end of April but since the marathon was canceled again this year we will be going virtual in June with the Roadrunner 100 mile challenge. 

The challenge concept is simple, complete 100 miles in June with the same goal of raising funds to help with Rachael’s ongoing care and physical therapy after a car accident left her a quadriplegic in 2010. Thank you for BEing the light! 

More info on how to donate and participate: www.relayforrachael.com

10 year crashiversary

And just like that a decade has gone by. If they keep speeding by like this I will be 80 in no time! Half my adult life I have been paralyzed and still every day when I wake up it seems surreal. Is this my life? 

This year has been nuts for everyone. For me it started out with a pressure sore on my tailbone in January forcing me to stay home and off my backside. I was able to start venturing out again right when the pandemic hit in March. Damn. More than anything I miss being able to go to pool, 92 degrees of wonderfulness. I had no idea how much going to the pool twice a week kept my pain level down and my spirits up. Just like everyone I am riding the “corona wave” and I look forward to some normalcy again.

My 2021 calendars are at the printers right now and I have updated my “window display” at Gallery Exposed with my photography. Currently i’m only in the gallery by appointment but thanks to my $100 print sales I have been able to continue paying rent. Check out the shop on my website or my Instagram for updates on the sales.

Every year on my crashiversary I remember my last day of independence. The simplicity of that day and the fun that I had. In honor of the 10 year crashiversary I wore my purple boots again, the same pair I wore on the red deck of Nepenthe that night. Ironically my clothes were cut off either in the helicopter or at the hospital but they saved the boots, because these boots were made for walking...they are just on a break right now.

Relay for Rachael virtual fundraiser

 Thank you to all who participated and donated to my virtual fundraiser on September 20th. It was a huge success and during these challenging times I am even more grateful for your continued support. I say it over and over again but I couldn’t do this without you. Every penny donated goes into the pockets of my caregivers and trainers who help me get through my days. I loved receiving the photos and videos of people getting movement for me. You inspire me to keep on keeping on.

Relay for Rachael Virtual Run! Sunday, September 20 at 10 AM!

Relay for Rachael Virtual Run! Sunday, September 20th, 2020 at 10am!

With the marathon being cancelled in April due to the pandemic and then cancelled again for the November 15th date we are doing a virtual run with the same goal of raising funds to help with Rachael‘s ongoing care and physical therapy after a car accident left her a quadriplegic in 2010.

In honor of the 10th year we are doing a 10 mile run, walk, hike, skip. You can do the 10 miles yourself or break it up as a relay with friends/family.  Everyone will start around 10 AM from a location of their choice and we are hoping people will share photos and videos of their run (or walk, hike, skip) on social media and more importantly, have fun!

Donations can be made at:https://relayforrachael.com/

Rescheduled Relay fundraiser

The Big Sur marathon has been rescheduled until November 15, 2020 so my annual relay fundraiser will be postponed until then. I am so grateful for the donations still coming in at www.relayforrachael.com to help with my cost of care even though the fundraiser has been postponed. I couldn’t do it without you! Thank you for BEing the light!

Covid-19...strange times.

I’ve had my life change in a moment so I am not new to adapting. 

Here we are on day 25 of the stay at home order in California. I try not to think about natural disasters or emergencies because it stresses me out, what will I do if I can’t get the care that I need?  I’ve lived through fires, floods and earthquakes but never with a spinal cord injury. I can now say I’ve lived through a pandemic (fingers crossed :) and social distancing is not an option for me. 

Luckily my caregivers are here for me and have been staying healthy. I have 8 people in and out of my house throughout the week plus family members. All I can do is disinfect surfaces and hope that they are being careful when they are not here. Once again my life is very different than most. In the last 10 years I’ve maybe been in a grocery store 10 times, I oddly miss it, but in times like this I am very grateful to have the help that I do. 

I miss the movement that I am not getting currently from the pool and different therapies but this is pushing me to get as much movement on my own which is my ultimate goal here. Thanks Covid-19 for making me think outside the box once again on how to get the movement I need to stay healthy.

This time of year I would normally be posting about my annual Relay fundraiser at the Big Sur International Marathon. My runners would be hitting Highway 1 on the last Sunday of April to raise funds for my ongoing care and physical therapy. We started the fundraiser back in January so fortunately I was able to raise some funds before the pandemic, and we should be hearing the rescheduled date soon. 

I hope you and yours are staying healthy and sane during these very different times.  Stay home my friends and I will see you on the flipside...and now more than ever it is important to remember to be the light.

The weird things you get yourself into during a pandemic.