On April 26, long time Team Fox members, Meredith Tutterow and her brother Watt Boone represented Team Fox at the Virgin Money London Marathon. After months of preparation, the sibling duo was ready to conquer the course together, running as Team Merrie Miles... And with the love and support of their family and friends who had flown to London to cheer them on, Meredith and Watt dedicated every mile and every moment in loving memory to their mother, Merrie, who lived with Parkinson’s.
Below are excerpts from Meredith’s post-race reflection:
After 8 months of planning and hundreds of miles of training, it was time for us to actually run this thing.
The forecast looked bleak: a 90% chance of steady rain, cold temperatures and a brisk wind; Tough conditions for both runners and spectators. However, by that morning, the chances of rain had faded, and the wind and temperatures were manageable. Mom was looking out for us.
35 minutes after the starting gun, we finally crossed the start line and started ticking off the miles. Virtually every runner on the course seemed to be running for charity, which added to the energy in the crowd.
Starting at mile 18, the race started to get tough. My trainer, Luis, had said that Watt and I would lift each other up during the difficult moments, and that’s exactly what happened.
The final miles of the race are the most spectacular. Running along the Victoria Embankment and passing the London Eye, Big Ben, Parliament, and Buckingham Palace, you’re in the London of your dreams. We both felt terrible, so the scenery was a welcome distraction.
As we ran the final mile, we talked about Mom, and I celebrated my imminent retirement from marathons.
Making the final turn, we recalled the story of the first London Marathon in 1981. At that race, Inge Simonson, a Norwegian, and Dick Bearsley, a Minnesotan, led the race in virtual lockstep for all 26.2 miles. As they approached the finish, they spontaneously grasped hands and crossed the line together.We were thrilled to continue the tradition. In the pictures, I can see the excitement, relief, love, joy and pride in our faces as we finished hand-in-hand.
While only two of us ran the marathon, it was a hand-in-hand endeavor in so many ways. Susanna, Sam, Katie, Dad, Renaat, and our kids were a critical part of Team Merrie Miles throughout. Without their unwavering support, Watt and I could not have trained, let alone run the race or raised so much for Team Fox.
Also hand-in-hand with us were the 215 supporters who encouraged us throughout our training and collectively contributed $51,450 for the Michael J. Fox Foundation. It is an unbelievable sum– close to $2,000 for every mile that we ran. Even better, it will be matched, so the final total will be north of $100,000–Merrie Miles’ first six figure fundraiser for Team Fox.
Mom would be overwhelmed and deeply touched to know that we’ve collectively done this in her memory, and she’d be so pleased that the funds are going to help find a cure for Parkinson’s. We are all so grateful as a family to everyone for the many ways they provided critical support. Once again, thank you Team Fox.
(Click here for full text of Meredith’s blog post, London Marathon Recap: Hand-in-Hand.)