On the Run: Jenny Lowe

After learning that she had a torn meniscus, Jenny Lowe was prepared to postpone her first half marathon plans at Virginia Beach. Lowe had hoped to run the Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon in honor of her daughter Kalyn who has NF, but because of the injury, her doctor encouraged her to table plans to try and postpone surgery.

Lowe even got a stand-in runner in her friend Robin Bobrick, but continued to raise more than $5,000 for the Foundation through the NF Endurance Team. However, after attending her first NF Endurance Team pasta dinner, Lowe knew she had to find a way to run. “Everyone stood up and told their stories; some of which ad lost their loved ones to NF and that just tore me up,” said Lowe. “It was so touching and moving and I knew I had to run.”

After borrowing running clothes and finding an extra singlet, Lowe ran on Sunday morning alongside Danny Rashkind, who, along with his daughter Mia, has NF. “I told Danny that if you get to a point that you want to run ahead, by all means — be he did not and we alternated running and walking,” said Lowe.

The tears came in the last 50 yards. Not because of the pain of her injury, but because of who she was running for — Mia and Kalyn and all those who have NF. “Danny grabbed my hand we ran in with his daughter,” said Lowe. “It was heartwarming, overwhelming and exciting — feeling like you are one step closer to the cure. WIthout the NF Endurance team I could not have done it — I had the heart and the will but they gave me the support I needed.”

Lowe is already looking forward to next year at Virginia Beach and hopes to raise even more money and awareness about NF through building a support group in Virginia. “I am so grateful for the NF Endurance Team — it is like a new little family to grow with.”