Woman runs in ultra relay MS Run the US
CRANBERRY TWP — Wexford physical therapist Lauren Wentz ran more than 30 miles Tuesday, and some of them were in Cranberry. She doesn't just love running. She loves her patients.
One of them, John Platt, inspired her to join MS Run the US, a 3,260-mile ultra relay from Santa Monica, Calif., to New York City.
In 2016, Platt was recovering from multiple orthopedic injuries when he saw Wentz for treatment.
“He stumbled into my evaluation room,” Wentz said. “(He was) handling multiple sclerosis as well.”
Wentz bonded with Platt over a shared love of running. When he asked her to run with him as an adaptive athlete in the Boston Marathon, Wentz said yes — twice.
“She became my running guide,” said Platt. “She does a lot. She does a whole lot.”
“I'm doing it for him,” Wentz said.
Platt sits on the MS Run the US board and introduced Wentz to its mission: generating awareness about MS and raising money for research. Wentz had to raise $10,000 to be part of the 19-leg relay. That was her biggest challenge.
“I think it was just the pressure of raising that (much),” she explained.
Wentz raised about $11,500. Most of it came from donations she gathered while hosting events such as yoga at local breweries and craft nights.
Wentz started training for her part (roughly 180 miles) of the coast-to-coast relay the moment she was approved as a runner in October 2018. She did strength training with sports trainers at Allegheny Health Network and prepared for her journey mentally.
With temperatures in the 80s and running routes that take her through heavy traffic, Wentz averages 30 miles a day — about five miles an hour — according to Peter Oviatt, her runner's aide. She has run 92 miles since starting Monday in Ohio, stopping only to rehydrate, eat (particularly pickles) and sleep.
“She blew right through (Tuesday),” said Oviatt. “She's doing good for someone running 30 miles a day in 80-degree heat.”
“I didn't think you could push your body this far,” Wentz noted. “But you can.”
There have been difficult moments, but Platt's “tagline” has inspired her along the way.
“You can always just take one more step,” said Wentz, quoting the tagline.
Wentz's journey ends Saturday in Brookville, where family and friends will cheer her on. After she takes her last step, Wentz plans to celebrate with the people who supported her along the way. The next runner begins the next leg of the journey Sunday.
Wentz has one piece of advice for runners interested in being part of MS Run the US.
“Have a passion for running,” she said.
Applications for the MS Run the US 2020 event are open. More information is available at www.msruntheus.org.
