Ramon Sepulveda
Austin, TX
Marathon man an inspiration
Sepulveda plans to run 12 marathons in 12 months despite multiple sclerosis
By Brom Hoban
AMERICAN-STATESMAN CORRESPONDENT
Saturday, May 7, 2005
"The challenges in any marathon," Ramon Sepulveda says, "are the fatigue and pain."
Unless you're Sepulveda, an Austin marathoner who faces the fatigue and pain and the possibility that multiple sclerosis will dog his steps during the 26.2-mile race.
In any marathon, Sepulveda said, he may have a flare-up of symptoms --dizziness, blurred vision or burning nerve pain in his legs, especially if it's hot. "After about an hour or two, the symptoms begin to fade, and I'm back to normal by the next day," he said. "I can get through it."
Sepulveda does more than just get through his life. Diagnosed with MS seven years ago at 43, he was jolted by his worries about the chronic, unpredictable neurological disease that affects the central nervous system.
"I didn't know whether I'd be in a wheelchair, bedridden or what," said Sepulveda, adding that he dealt with fear, then denial "and then, I guess, anger about becoming a 'victim.' And finally, I arrived at 'act now' -- just do things."
At this point, Sepulveda has done extraordinary things, aided by drug treatments, supplements, a precise diet and exercise. He has completed the MS 150 bike ride from Austin to Houston seven times, raising money for MS research in the process. He's hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and climbed some of the 12,000-foot-plus peaks in Colorado. More impressive yet, in 2002 he joined a six-member team that hoped to be the first group of people with a serious, chronic disease to climb Alaska's Mount McKinley, one of the world's tallest mountains, independent of able-bodied guides or climbing companions. Facing extreme winds and unusually harsh weather conditions, the group turned back before reaching the summit.
"I remember when he was on (Mount McKinley), I was reading how dangerous the mountain is," said Ruth Sepulveda, Ramon's wife, who participates in triathlons with him. "You have to carry 50 pounds on your back and 50 pounds on a sled going up the mountain. A lot of people have died there, but I'm a big supporter of his challenges. Without them, I feel that you let the world decide what your response to the disease is. I'm really proud of Ramon. He amazes me."
Three years later, Sepulveda is engaged in another daunting quest -- running 12 marathons in as many months.
Last June, he received a grant through a program that recognizes the extraordinary achievements of people with multiple sclerosis and financially supports their inspirational efforts. As Sepulveda runs in the 12 marathons -- he's completed six so far -- the grant program publicizes his accomplishments on a Web site, alerts media to his quest and helps pay his travel costs.
Undaunted by the failed attempt to reach Mount McKinley's summit, Sepulveda began training to run a marathon. After six months of preparation, he ran his first one, Austin's Motorola Marathon, in 2003. A year later, he came up with the idea of running 12 marathons in 12 months.
To get a feel for the physical challenge of the task, Sepulveda decided to run three marathons in a three-month period. He completed the races in Houston, Austin and Dallas and realized his quest for 12 in a year was possible.
"Ramon is an awesome guy," said Will Carlson, who directs a marathon training program in Austin. "We did some training together prior to one of his marathons. He's inspiring. Basically his message is anyone can do anything. He wants to spread that word."
Sepulveda, who works for a private utility company as a water systems operator, kicked off his 12-marathon adventure with the New York Marathon on Nov. 7, 2004. Since then, he's run Dallas White Rock on Dec. 18, the Houston Marathon on Jan. 16, Austin's Freescale Marathon on Feb. 13, the Marathon of the Great Southwest in Abilene on March 26 and the Boston Marathon on April 18.
He qualified for Boston with a time of 5 hours, 22 minutes and 54 seconds in the 2004 Motorola Marathon. (Athletes with disabilities have a six-hour cut-off for qualifying.)
"Boston was absolutely phenomenal -- thinking about all of the history, and the running legends," said Sepulveda, who finished in 5:25:53. "It was awe-inspiring to run it. The people, the crowds were great. It was a stellar achievement."
Still to go are the Fort Collins Marathon on Sunday in Colorado; the Estes Park Marathon, again in Colorado; the Seafare Marathon in Bellevue, Wash.; the Silver State Marathon near Carson City, Nev.; the Backroads Marathon in Boulder, Colo.; and finally, the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 9.
"Even if I had a flare-up, and ended up in a wheelchair, I would still finish these marathons," Sepulveda said.
During the race in Abilene, it rained for two straight hours. No problem: Sepulveda ran right through it.
"I feel empowered and take pleasure in movement," he said. "I love it. I know plenty of people that do not have MS who get inspired by what I am doing. That's what I'm trying to get across to people . . . that they can take control. I feel better than I've felt in 20 years."
