25 years running #STWM – Anabela Neves

To celebrate 25 Years Running, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is asking past participants to share their favourite memories and moments from STWM, Toronto’s signature running event.

Our fifth winner is Anabela Neves who is running the marathon this fall in memory of her husband was passed away in 2013 while on vacation in Florida.

This is Anabela’s Waterfront Marathon story:

Aug. 8, 2013 was my worst nightmare come to life. While on a family vacation in Florida, my husband and I had split up for the day. I was spending the day at Disney with my daughter and my husband was in north Florida catching up with some friends. The phone call that my husband had been in an accident will stay with me forever. We did not get a chance to say goodbye. He had passed away of drowning. Life as I knew it was over. Not only did I lose my husband, the father of my child and my best friend, I also lost my biggest supporter of my running. I would not see that smiling face at the finish line of my races, saying “Go Babe!” He was my chauffeur driver to and from most races. He would get up at the crack of dawn to get me to a race on time. I treasured him for everything that he was and did.

I had a very packed 2013 racing schedule and after we were to return from our vacation it was just as busy. I had to DNS some races; my heart was no longer in it. But I knew I had to get back at it because I knew he would want me to keep running. I had the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront half-marathon already registered for Oct. 2013, just over two months after his death. I was terrified. STWM weekend was my first ever half-marathon back in 2010 and I had originally been excited to return to this race. I considered a DNS for STWM also but I knew I had to do it. I had to prove to myself that I was not completely broken. I had to prove to my daughter that we would keep living. We had to keep doing what we originally loved because, even though we miss him terribly, we need to live.

I ran the Waterfront half-marathon last year. It was a very tough race and a terrible time. I cried, but I finished. Nope, I was still not in love with running yet, but I proved I could still do it. On that day, as I walked through the finish line shoot, I made a goal to myself to run the marathon next year and to regain the love for running. I signed up for a marathon clinic and have been enjoying it and, while I am nervous, I’m also excited to run STWM in two months. Last year I dedicated the half to my husband. This year at the full I will dedicate it to living.