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Catching Kayla - Feature - 2013 DyeStat - Thanksgiving

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DyeStat.com   Nov 28th 2013, 5:09am
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Kayla Montgomery 'thankful' to be running

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Kayla Montgomery made a hard right turn and came into full view of the crowd.

The cheering mob at Beeson Park, framing the alleyway to the finish line, erupted when it saw her. Kayla felt the sound begin to lift her over those final meters at the North Carolina Class 4A championship cross country meet. As she passed through the tunnel, the joyful noise became a figurative wind in her sail.

Kayla MontgomeryKayla heard voices that she knew. A couple guys from her Mount Tabor team. Her dad. She looked at some of faces on either side of her, didn’t recognize them, but heard their shouts: "Go Kayla!"

She focused on making sure she passed over the finish line. As usual, she couldn't feel her legs. She would arrive, at the end of 5,000 meters, like an airplane without operable landing gear. She saw Coach Cromwell, his face flushed with emotion, and aimed straight for him.

Eighteen minutes ago, Kayla had offered up a silent prayer.

"I'm thankful that I'm able to run today. I know it's something not guaranteed to me. If you don't mind, could you show me the way?"

At the end, 11 seconds in front of second-place finisher Bianca Bishop, Kayla crossed the line and pitched forward into waiting arms.

Patrick Cromwell had pre-arranged it with the meet officials so he could be there to catch Kayla.

"I did it," Kayla said as her legs gave out.  

"Yeah, you did!" the coach said. He picked her up and whisked her away to a spot where she could sit on the grass. Her mother opened the cooler lid. Inside it was ice to rub on her legs, neck and wrists. There was a frozen washcloth for her forehead and face.

More than anything, Kayla wished she could stand near the finish line and shake hands with the girls who came in behind her. But this is her life and her racing with multiple sclerosis. Every race ends this way. Every race ends with someone there to catch her so that she doesn’t crumple to the ground and get hurt. Every race ends seated next to that cooler, with her mom, or friends, or her coach, easing the wait until she can stand up again.

On Saturday, Kayla will run in the Foot Locker South regional at McAlpine Park in Charlotte, N.C. with another improbable goal in mind. 

'I want to run fast'

See a local TV news feature on Kayla Montgomery

The sensation is difficult to explain. When Kayla’s core temperature rises, the lesions on her brain and spine interfere with the electrical messages going back and forth between her head and her legs. They still function, but she can’t feel them. A mile into the race there is first a pin-prick sensation in her toes and then that tingle moves upward, all the way to her waist.

“A lot of people think it might be beneficial,” Kayla said. “I can’t feel the pain or lactic acid, so in that way, it can be. I can’t feel my legs or tell how much I’m picking up the pace. I judge pace by the rest of my body, by my arms and breathing. I might think I’m going faster than I really am.”

So long as Kayla stays focused, she can control the movement of her legs. They just don’t communicate any feedback.

It was three cross country seasons ago that Kayla first experienced the numbness and went to see a doctor. Scans revealed the tell-tale lesions – they look like white splotches on the MRI – three on her spine, three on her brain. The diagnosis was multiple sclerosis. What that means for a 15-year-old is something awful.

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. It is caused by damage to the myelin sheath, the protective covering that surrounds nerve cells. When the myelin sheath is damaged, nerve signals slow down or stop.

There is no cure. The symptoms, over time, get progressively worse.

It is unclear what causes MS. Kayla traces her symptoms to the moment she fell and landed on her tailbone while playing soccer, prior to entering Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Kayla Montgomery 'caught' at the finish line of the North Carolina state meet. (Dr. Phil Ponder photo)She had run her first cross country race as a freshman, in 24:29, before noticing the numbness for the first time. After the diagnosis, she endured eight months of no feeling in her legs. She could walk, just not feel them. She said, at first, it felt like she was floating.

And it seemed kind of funny the first time someone tested her lack of feeling by kicking her in the shin. No, she didn’t feel it. But yes, it left a bruise.

After eight months of this, Kayla began to respond to the medication she was on and went into remission. New symptoms have been held at bay. The disconnect that happens between her brain and her legs, that’s a symptom that wasn’t reversed soon enough. She’s stuck with that one.

Kayla injects herself three times a week with a flu-shot sized needle containing Rebif, a drug that helps prevent relapses and further damage from MS. The feeling came back, but her legs still go numb when she gets hot.

As her sophomore year started, Kayla approached Cromwell, the cross country coach. She wanted to press on.

“The biggest thing that impressed me is that she looked me in the eye and said ‘I want to run fast. Don’t hold back,’” he said.

If Kayla was ever going to find out what kind of a runner she was, she had to find out soon. Nobody knows how much time she’s got.

Kayla was also becoming an expert on her disease. She was aware of the studies that noted regular exercise slowed down MS symptoms and made patients healthier. She read about the courageous feats of Patrick Finney, a man diagnosed with MS who completed 50 marathons in 50 states. And she learned about Josh Harding, an NHL goalie for the Minnesota Wild. He was diagnosed with MS, too.

As a sophomore, Kayla achieved a personal best of 19:02. There was potential there and Kayla was eager to explore it. 

A team effort

The Catch Kayla Committee was formed from some of her friends on the track team.

Yet beyond the race-day pit crew, the input of her friends helped Kayla cope with her situation and stay focused and positive.

“I think having a team that supported her gave her some of the ability to overcome it,” said Susie Oliver, a junior. “The hardest part was figuring out what to say. Most of the time, you just have to tell her ‘Look how far you have come, and how far you still have to go.’”

Kayla Montgomery is caught by two teammates at the end of a race during track season. (Courtney Montgomery photo)Oliver got started catching Kayla at track meets because she had her own injury and couldn’t help the team any other way. Those first catches were a little clumsy. Meet officials and others standing nearby didn’t know what to make of it at first.

“The more times I did it, the easier it got,” Oliver said. “I would typically grab her legs and someone else would grab her arms. It’s better when you have a team.”

The Catch Kayla Committee works even better as a trio. One to grab her legs. One to catch under her arms. And a third to carry the cooler.

Katherine Leak was part of the crew. She’s a year older than Kayla, a freshman at UNC now.

“What we tried to do is stay calm all of the time,” Leak said. “She’d come around the final corner, we’d see her coming and get ready to catch her. Then we (took) her to the side, sat her up and got her cooled off. We tried to show that it was no big deal. I didn’t mind helping her out because I knew she would be helpful to me if I needed it.”

Being discreet is part of the job. The ends of races were stressful enough for Kayla. She knew every time there would be a catch. It could be dramatic. And it could hurt.

Morgan McBride, a senior, put it bluntly:

“It’s a tough job. It’s a boulder coming at you. A few times she’s knocked me to the ground because she’s coming at full speed.”

Once the catch is made, the next piece is calming Kayla down.

“There were times it was very emotional. The first year it happened it brought me to tears,” McBride said.

During track season, the catch sometimes happened twice during the same meet a few hours apart. Kayla started off in the 4x800 relay and then came back later to run the 3,200. The catchers have to be quick and deft to grab her out of the exchange zone of the relay. If a race is close at the finish, Kayla moves to the outside lanes to avoid a pile-up. 

A new set of goals

As a junior, Kayla’s progress brought her near the top girls in North Carolina.

Running gave her a reason to establish goals. Better to focus on those than the worst-case scenarios of MS.

In the summer, she got up early to run at 6 a.m. so she could stay cool and run for an hour.

“She’s an aerobic monster,” Cromwell said. “She can go all day at six minute pace.”

If it’s a long run, Kayla can handle 60-75 minutes without getting too overheated. On days with interval workouts, the coach has to keep an eye on her because she may need assistance. Or she may need to lean against a tree. At a recent workout of hilly mile repeats, Cromwell had to catch her twice. But she finished the workout.

At the state cross country meet last year, Kayla was hoping to finish in the top five.

But it wasn’t a good day for her.

Kayla Montgomery receives treatment at the conclusion of the state meet. (Patrick Cromwell photo)Four hundred meters into the race, Kayla tripped on another runner’s foot and fell. She was able to stand up and keep going. Later, near the mile mark, she stumbled across the roots of a tree and fell again. This time it was much harder to stand, on legs that were beginning to falter, but she did. She continued to run as hard as she could and finished 10th.

At Foot Locker South, Kayla broke 18 minutes for the first time and finished 15th.

The end-of-race collapses are not quite the physical and emotional shock to the system that they used to be. She has learned, after going through it enough times, to trust that someone will be waiting for her and that she will be OK. Where once she used to worry that maybe she wouldn’t be able to stand up afterward, she has found solace and hope in recent MRI scans that show some of her lesions have gotten smaller, others have disappeared entirely. Now, she doesn’t have to worry that each race could be her last. She trusts that the end is not near.

But she is also aware that her disease could rear its ugly head.

“I could go to bed tomorrow and wake up and not be able to walk, or not be able to see,” Kayla said. “It always bothered me to not know what’s going to happen in the future. I’m someone who likes to plan everything. So that’s always in the back of my mind, but not as often as it once was.”

Kayla’s neurologist, Dr. Lucie Lauve, told EverydayHealth.com: “She’s an incredibly gifted athlete and she’s so positive.”

Those words tended to ring hollow with the Division I college coaches in the area. Who offers a college athletic scholarship to someone with MS?

“It was a little frustrating at first,” Kayla said. “My coach has confidence in me and my teammates do, so I assumed others would have confidence in me. I never took into consideration that it’s a business or (doubted) that I will be able to run all four years. (Colleges) all did their research on it and they weren’t willing to take a risk like that, which I respect.”

Lipscomb University of Nashville, Tenn., a small private school that competes in the NCAA Division I Atlantic Sun Conference, did its research, too. And the coach extended a scholarship offer.

“They are well aware I might not run all four years, but there’s also a possibility that I’ll be fine and do some amazing things,” Kayla said. “That outweighed the negatives (for Lipscomb).” 

Thankful for the 'gift'

Chugging up the final straightaway at the North Carolina state meet, the crowd responded to Kayla because they knew her story. The meet officials know her. They understand what she’s going through. They’ve seen enough catches.

Can a girl with MS qualify for Foot Locker nationals?

“I definitely feel a lot more confidence after winning state,” she said. “It’s a lot more of a realistic goal than I once had. Earlier in the year it seemed a little uncertain. It seemed a little far-fetched. I’m going to run my hardest and hope for the best.”

There are few words to describe racing on legs that don’t communicate any feeling, Kayla said. She notices them vanishing from her, but does not dwell on it.

“I’m good at keeping my focus,” she said. “I don’t think about it until I’ve finished. If I do think about it, by accident, it could make me emotional and scare me. So I ignore it.”

At the state meet, Kayla sprinted those first 400 meters to make sure she didn’t trip over anybody else’s feet. And by the mid-point, she had other things to think about than her MS.

I’ve worked really hard for this.

I’ve overcome so much.

I think this is my day.

Kayla will sit down with her family on Thanksgiving Day and give thanks.

“The number one thing I’m thankful for is that I’m able to run still,” she said. “It’s not something that’s guaranteed. I’m so thankful for that, beyond words. I can’t waste that gift.”



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10 comment(s)
Scott Joerger
I just watched the feature on the Today show. Nice summary story. Can't believe what you started Doug!!
DougB
Pretty cool to see the Kayla Montgomery story on the front page of the New York Times today.

I sort of think they took a leap with the premise that not feeling your legs is some sort of benefit or advantage ... but it's a small quibble. Great to see that her story has been amplified so that it can reach more people.

http://www.nytimes.c...ref=sports&_r=0

Because it was in the Times today, it was also picked up by the paper in Sydney, Australia. (among many, many others, no doubt).
Scott Joerger
Great story! Thanks Doug!
DontStopPre
I don't know when the last time was when I cried, it's been many years, but this article made me ball like a baby. Such an inspirational person!
DougB
Coach Cromwell - Thanks for your post.

Kayla's a hero in my book regardless of the outcome today. I suspect that the example of her spirit, determination and character will inspire Mount Tabor runners for a very long time.

Saturday was interesting all across the country and some very very good runners did not qualify for the NXN or Foot Locker spots they were shooting for. Sometimes it just doesn't work out and that's sports. (Ask any Alabama football fan today).

There will be more races. And because it's Kayla, we'll always be pulling for her.
Bsarno1
Well said coach. MS has hit my family hard. It is always the elephant in the room. Those that have it may struggle at times, but they never use it as an excuse and to be supportive I do not often help, although I want to, unless asked.
Looks like Kayla asked no quarter today and 11th in the region is a great accomplishment. Dick Francis, the British mystery writer, once wrote that there isn't always a happy ending in horse racing stories. This may be true in cross country sometimes but in Kayla's case the race is far from over and on the real championship course of life, she not only is a qualifier but already has won the gold medal. Way to go Kayla.
MTXC
As Kayla's coach I must say it was the best article ever written on her. Doug did a excellent job capturing the essence of what it is like to run with MS and how she has not used it as an excuse. Thank You Doug! Footlocker South results? Well, everyone wanted the fairy tale ending for her, but she finished in 11th place in 17:22. Every other year this would have made it to Footlocker Nationals but not so for Kayla in 2013. She improved 33 seconds from her 17:55 a year ago. How did she take it seeing it slip away? I guess I will keep that as private between coach and athlete, but it was a PR and she displayed class in her disappointment. She really went for it during the 2nd mile and led a pack of six out of the woods with 800m to go. Unfortunately, only five of those girls would make it to San Diego. She did beat MS one more time today! Yes, there was a catch, and a long hug 30 min later. She was thankful for the opportunity to compete. She is our school record holder and #5 All Time for NC. Kayla will continue to beat MS and give 100% like she did today. She improved 6:07 in 4 years. I think the lessons learned from all those miles is what she will take away from this in time. Thank you for sharing her story and bringing it to a National audience. She definitely felt the support today. Hopefully all of us can be a little more thankful and inspired because of it. Life is rarely a fairy tale. It sure was an amazing experience to pursue one though.

Coach Cromwell
Mount Tabor High School
Lazarus
Such a nice story. Good luck Kayla.
Bsarno1
I do not understand how Kayla does it but I am glad she does. MS has touched my family very deeply and I have seen how it slows people....run? How about just walking. Will be rooting for Kayla not only for her to run well but also to outdistance her MS. Go Kayla!
Chardongirls1978
Just amazing. Thanks for a great Thanksgiving Day story. I am so grateful for my healthy daughters and wish Kayla the best race she can have at Footlocker this weekend.
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