Jackie Mundry gears up for the Boston Marathon

PORTLAND, Maine — The 126th Boston Marathon appears like two years within the making for lots of the runners, like myself, who’re getting ready to tackle this iconic race.

I’ve a vivid reminiscence of my mother taking my brother and me to look at the race with two of our associates, whose dad and mom have been charity runners on the time. Since then I at all times knew I might run sometime.

Two years in the past I got down to run my first Boston Marathon for the Vanessa T. Marcotte Basis, a company aimed toward making the world a safer place for all individuals.

However the pandemic had different plans for the 124th Boston Marathon. I ended up collaborating in that race just about by operating 13 two-mile loops round my neighborhood. To say that is not how I anticipated my first marathon to go is an understatement, however I felt like I nonetheless wanted to do it for ladies, like Vanessa, who cannot.

Quick ahead to 2021. Marathon Monday was again, however it appeared completely different, because it was within the fall as an alternative of on Patriot’s Day, prefer it at all times had been. I made a decision to sit down that one out however at all times knew I might run from Hopkington to Boston when it felt proper.

In June of 2021, I misplaced my maternal grandmother, Mary Ellen Look. She was somebody who I spent quite a lot of time with, and we have been extremely shut. 

She labored for NASA through the House Race and raised my mother and her two brothers as a single mother. Not solely that, however she was an enormous a part of my dad’s household too and liked them as in the event that they have been her personal blood.

She was good and type. However when she was recognized with dementia shortly earlier than the pandemic, we noticed her rapidly deteriorate. 

That is why I made a decision to run this yr’s marathon for the Alzheimer’s Affiliation, to honor not solely my grandmother, or Nan, as we referred to as her, however so many different individuals who battle this illness.

In response to the Alzheimer’s Affiliation, there are 29,000 individuals older than 65 who’re dwelling with Alzheimer’s in Maine, and 10.5 % of Mainers 45 and older are experiencing some form of subjective cognitive decline.

Which means there are 46,000 unpaid caregivers within the state of Maine alone.

Since starting my TV information profession 4 years in the past I’ve lined plenty of nursing dwelling closures and talked to dozens of relations who’re apprehensive about transferring their family members to completely different services, which based on the Nationwide Institute on Growing old, places them at extra of a threat for falling or turning into confused whether or not they have Alzheimer’s or dementia, or not.

By my coaching and fundraising journey, I’ve talked to so many individuals who’ve additionally misplaced a liked one to this illness, together with individuals I’m very near, however I by no means knew that in addition they watched a member of the family deteriorate in the identical method.

So I am operating to boost cash for Alzheimer’s analysis for the technology who raised us, with the hope that sometime we are going to see our first survivor of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

In the event you’re inquisitive about supporting my trigger, you are able to do so right here.

To everybody who has donated, sponsored a mile, purchased raffle tickets, attended a fundraising occasion, and a lot extra, I can not thanks sufficient.