Finding my peace on the pavement

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Marathon runners are a unique people. It takes a certain amount of discipline and a lot of determination to complete a full 26.2 mile marathon.

Kechia Brustmeyer-Brown will be the first to tell you she is not an elite marathon runner, but the Creedmoor resident has the fire and determination to compete with some of the best runners in the world.

Brustmeyer-Brown, who has competed in dozens of events. Her most recent marathon was in London. The race is part of the Abbott Six Star World Marathon series.

In addition to the London marathon, Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York marathons make up the six star series. Brustmeyer-Brown stands with less than 17,000 runners worldwide, who have completed all six Abbott World Marathons.

One in 17,000. Take a moment to think about that. There are over eight billion people in this world.

Think of the countless miles and hours that go into training to run one single marathon.

Brustmeyer-Brown’s journey began when she was diagnosed with Sarcoidosis, a rare inflammatory disease that occurs when the body’s immune system overreacts.

The disease most commonly affects the lungs with abnormal tissue clusters or lumps that often cause shortness of breath that increases with activity which would make it difficult to run.

Brustmeyer-Brown decided to literally take one step at a time when she was introduced to Black Girls Run in 2010. Brustmeyer-Brown’s goal was to take steps toward a healthier lifestyle and Black Girls Run provided her the encouragement and motivation to put one foot in front of the other.

Brustmeyer-Brown said joining Black Girls Run was one of the best things she could have done. “It was invigorating to me and it was an opportunity to fellowship with fellow sisters of different shapes and sizes, who were walkers and runners. We were all there for each other,” she said.

Brustmeyer-Brown said she did her first 5K run and just fell in love with the sport.

“From that point forward I wanted to become a marathon maniac where you have to run three marathons within 90 days,” she said. Brustmeyer- Brown, being the ultimate warrior completed three marathons in 34 days.

“I just fell in love with the marathon, I love running that longer distance, because not everyone can do it,” she said.

Brustmeyer-Brown, a fighter at heart, said, “I wanted to prove to myself that this disease is not going to keep me down.”

Battling the lung disease brought out her competitive side. You have to be so careful that you do what is necessary to keep your immune system in balance.

The most important thing is not giving in to the negative thoughts, she said. “I just have to tell myself that I am not giving in, I’m going to show everyone that I am not going to let this get the best of me.”

She looks to her father as a source of strength and support, but she knows he has reservation about her running with her health issues and all of the complications that could arise.

Running also gives me that personal time with God. That is my time to seriously connect when I need to free my mind and free my spirit and let go of any challenges while I am running,” she said.

Brustmeyer-Brown’s first of five marathons in her first year was in Richmond. She said it was a great beginner marathon because of all of the spectators and the scenery.

“I’m a back of the pack runner,” she said. “Everyone has their own perception of what a marathon runner looks like. Runners come in all shapes, sizes and paces. It does not matter because everyone crosses the same finish line, it does not matter if  you finish first or last you get the same medal.

Brustmeyer-Brown joined a new running group and continued to train and learn from seasoned runners and even learned a few things from the beginner runners.

She shared a story of a fellow runner that had fallen and broken his hand during a marathon. She noticed he had the injured hand wrapped up and she asked him if the was okay. She tried to take him the medic tent but he wanted to continue running.

So they walked and talked together for a couple of miles, but she never got his name. They eventually parted ways and she never saw him again during the race.

During a 20 mile training run, she started talking with a gentleman who shared his story about a race where he had fallen and broken his hand and this kind women had offered him help and walked with him.

She immediately recognized the man and the two had a very heartfelt reunion.

“It was amazing that we had connected two years earlier and now we both were here in the area training for a marathon,” she said. “We had been running together for several months before we realized we had already interacted. That’s the blessings that come from running for me.”

“Those are special connections and I want to keep doing that, meeting so many people. That story hits home for me, it resonates and we are still in contact today,” she said.

Brustmeyer-Brown said she was running the Abbott Six Star Marathon in Berlin and as she was nearing the finish line she felt a tap on the shoulder and a runner that she did not know was telling her to ‘keep going that you have got this’. He went on to say that he followed her on social media and that she had motivated him to keep going.

“You never know whose life you are impacting when you are running these races,” she said.

She has raised over $18,000 for each Abbott Six Star Marathon in support of organizations like New York Road Runners Team for Kids, American Cancer Society, Help Age, Sports Legacy and Smile Train according to a proclamation honoring Brustmeyer-Brown by the City of Creedmoor.

“I want to inspire people to take that first step, don’t worry about anyone else, go at your own pace. I think that is really important,” she said.

Brustmeyer-Brown is passionate about fitness, wellness and community and has started a beginner walk-run group, the Creedmoor Cruisers to help people take that first step.

Whether she is leading a race on the pavement, or leading in the community as a former city commissioner, Brustmeyer-Brown has a zest for running and is on a mission to inspire everyone to accept the challenge of taking that first step.

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