The San Francisco Marathon had been on my bucket list for years, and Kim made it even more special by gifting me the race for my birthday. I trained all summer for it, but two weeks before the race, something unexpected happened: I got vertigo.
One day, I was so dizzy that I had to be taken out of work by ambulance. After an MRI, the doctor diagnosed me with vertigo. It was awful. They recommended physical therapy and a visit to an ear specialist, but when I tried to make appointments, no one could see me for a month.
Thankfully, Kim contacted a doctor friend who saw me the next day. He performed some tests, including one where I had to close my eyes and run in place. When I opened them, I was on the other side of the room—it was clear I was in rough shape. The doctor assured me I could run the marathon if I felt up to it and there were no flight restrictions. So, we headed to San Francisco.
The moment we landed, I fell in love with the city. It was so easy to get around, and Kim and I did a lot of sightseeing. However, I still had vertigo, and Kim became my seeing-eye guide. During the marathon, I ran behind him, focusing on his feet to keep my balance. Whenever he said, “Jeanne, check that out,” and I looked up, I would lose my balance instantly. It was frustrating to miss so many iconic views.
Despite the challenges, I powered through and finished the race. Afterward, I collected my medal and went back to the hotel. While looking at the race results, I was shocked to discover that I had placed first in my age division! It just goes to show that not obsessing over your watch or trying to hit a specific pace can sometimes lead to an even better race experience.
I truly enjoyed the San Francisco Marathon, even with the vertigo, and I can’t wait to come back and run it again when I can fully take in all the sights this amazing city has to offer.
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