Thursday, April 10, 2008

Two Women from Different Parts of the World Running for the Same Cause


I will run my ninth official Badwater Ultramarathon* this summer. My goal is to run Badwater ten official times so after this year, I will need to run it one more time. I will then turn over my race number to some very deserving athlete.

Looking back on all the years I have run Badwater, including my first Badwater race in 1995, I know that this summer’s race will be the most special to me.

Why so special? For the first time ever, Sister Mary Beth Lloyd will be able to be on my crew! I have been raising money and working with Sister Mary Beth for many years and we have been friends for nearly 25 years.

Sister Mary Beth and I struck up a friendship when I coached cross-country track at Villa Walsh Academy in Morristown, New Jersey some twenty plus years ago. Sister Mary Beth seemed to do everything at Villa Walsh – she fixed the radiator, taught classes, and was even the cross country track coach before I arrived. I marveled at her strength and continue to admire her beyond words.

Back then, Sister and I used to run through the streets of New Jersey together. Picture me running in my shorts and jog bra with a water bottle and Sister running with her long black robe and habit, as well as her bottle of holy water. Now, can you imagine the looks we got?

I am so honored to have Sister on my crew this year and our goal is to raise a great deal of money as we have in the past and to promote Sister's new book called, Aids Orphans Rising.

Check out Sister's BLOG

And guess what???? Today is Sister Mary Beth’s Birthday!!!
Happy, Happy Birthday Sister Mary Beth from all of us.
We love you!

I will have so much to tell you about our journey to Badwater this year with my training, other races before Badwater and the rest of my crew!

Stay tuned.

Lisa

* Some of you may have seen the movie Running on the Sun . It was filmed during the 1999 Badwater Ultramarathon and I was lucky enough to be one of the film’s featured athletes. I had to get an IV during this race, and as a result, I was disqualified. For the sake of my students who I coach to run for their own victory, I want to share that I still went back to finish the course. It does not count towards my official Badwater race finishes, but reaching the finish line in 1999 remains one of my most hard earned and cherished running memories.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great post! How cool that Annabella's birthday is so close to Sister Mary Beth's!

Jacqueline Florine said...

Sister Mary Beth and you definitely have a special bond. How wonderful that you get to share your Badwater race with her!
"I marveled at her strength and continue to admire her beyond words."
That is how I feel about you! Happy training for the official 9th.
Love, Jacki

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday to sister Marybeth. How neat she and Annabella share close to the same day.
It will be rewarding to follow your Badwater run this year with sister on the team how can you go wrong.


Susan M.

Anonymous said...

Lisa,
has anyone ever told you that you and your friend sister Marybeth look like sister? Your eyes look the same. Perhaps this is the passion you both share but I see sisters in these photos.

Mel

Lisa Smith-Batchen said...

Sister MB shares the same last name as my mother:) It is not the first time someone has said we have the same eyes.
Boy...if I could only be and do 1/4 of what she does in a given day.
I will tell you the story of how I met sister and how annabella came into our life as my badwater blogging continues. :)

Anonymous said...

Rock on Lisa and sister Mary, we will be with you every step of the way. Let us know how we can help with the raising of money and getting the word out. Happy to help.

Tony

Olga said...

Happy, birthday, Sister MB!

Anonymous said...

Run ladies run, how fun is this going to be. You are both beautiful and have the gifts that it takes to inspire the rest of us.

Let me know how I can help.

Becky

leigh said...

happy birthday Sister Mary Beth! Lisa, great story. i do not know how you do it, but everything you do only seems to get better!!! it will be an awesome year at Badwater!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Sister Mary Beth! It is so cool to hear that you will be in Lisa's crew at BW this summer. I look forward to following your journey then.
Lisa, you continue to inspire us all. I am so lucky and privileged to be a part of the Dreamchasers family.
God bless!
Tess

Anonymous said...

Lisa,

Try to talk with me this week about your run this year with sister, I have some good ideas.

Stu

Anonymous said...

Another reason I'm broken hearted that I won't be at Badwater. Maybe I can crew for Sister Mary Beth when she runs Badwater...

Lisa Smith-Batchen said...

it would be great to see sister MB run badwaterr but it would hard...she is and we are thankful she can even get the time to crew...I am more than thankful and this is a dream come true..