David SnyderYou can accomplish anything you set your mind to I have always liked running distance. I ran both track and cross country in junior high and high school. When I graduated in 1988 I joined the Navy as a Radioman (communications) and served on submarines as a crypto tech. Every port we would pull into I would always try to go for a run. In 1994 I was involved in a serious motorcycle accident when the car in front of me had a head on collision with a truck, they blocked my path. When I tried to stop I was catapulted off my motorcycle into the side of the car. I ended up with a compound fracture on my right arm (now held together with a steel plate), dislocated my left shoulder, broke my face from the eye sockets down (held together with a bunch of titanium), dislocated my jaw on both sides and completely broke it in two. All of my ribs on my left side were broke and separated from my spine, as well as compression fracture of several of my vertebrae resulting in scoliosis. Both of my lungs collapsed and my heart stopped 3 times, once in the helicopter and twice in the hospital. For 3 days they struggled to get me stabilized and told my parents they did not think I would make it. With the trauma to my head I have lost complete sight in my left eye and my olfactory nerves were severed, loosing my sense of smell. They told my parents that if I did make it I would be a quadriplegic and brain dead. Finally I moved my hands and after about 2 1/2 weeks I had feeling in my feet. But the doctors did not think I would be able to walk and thought I would still have brain issues. My parents told me this around week 5 (?), and I responded with "I don't care what the doctors say, NOT only am I going to walk out of this hospital, I am going to go to college and get a degree and I am going to run a marathon someday!" I walked out of the hospital just after 2 months, I went thru rehab for about a year, in 2002 I received my bachelor's degree in accounting, and this year, I trained with Runners Edge and completed my first Marathon. I will NEVER forget the experience. It was the hardest thing I have ever done but I want to do it again. I know the conditions were poor because of the weather, which greatly affected my performance, but for me it was the BEST marathon. I hate cold rainy days - I was on pace (3:40) up until mile 15 when the weather started to get the best of me. I developed knots in my thighs and calves on both legs. I even had knots in my cheeks (on my face, I have metal braces holding my cheeks and jaw together). In Washington Park at about mile 20 I did not know if I could finish. Fellow Runners Edgers Teri and John caught up to me and as a team helped to pull me through. When I reached mile 25 I knew I could finish and when I saw the finish line nothing could stop me as great tears of joy started to form. Sadly they got washed out by the rain but I will NEVER forget the feeling or experience. I FINISHED with a time of 4:14:49 which was slower then I had wanted but given the challenges and the weather I am VERY HAPPY with my accomplishment. When I run my next marathon, even if the weather is the best and my times are faster I know the Denver Marathon 2007 will always be my favorite. I look forward to future training with Runners Edge for another marathon next year. You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. The training and friends I met in Runners Edge helped my to fulfill my goal and promise I made in 1994. That's my history...Runners Edge and its members are my success story, I finished my FIRST Marathon and as much as it hurt due to the weather, I was ready for it and I can't wait to begin to train for my next one. Maybe someday my story will reach someone and will help them to overcome their challenges and accomplish their dreams too. Thank you David for Runners Edge. David Snyder |
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