Distance runners are not supposed to have to clear hurdles. Competitors who run a half-marathon are already proving their athleticism without clearing obstacles.
Nevertheless, the obstacles are there for Neely Spence Gracey.
Gracey, 24, turned pro after winning eight Division II National Championships at Shippensburg University, competing in national and international events. But the last 18 months have brought some impediments to her progress: a knee injury and Lyme disease.
The injury to her left knee has had more of Gracey's attention recently. She fell on ice last autumn, but at first did not think it was a big concern.
“I ran a 10K on Thanksgiving,” said Gracey, a Shippensburg High School grad. “Then, the Monday after Thanksgiving, I did a long run, and had severe knee pain. … At first I though it was a tight tendon and did a lot of massage.”
But as the injury didn't heal, Gracey had her knee checked out. She discovered that she had Patella Bipartite, a genetic disorder that prevented both her knee caps from fusing together.
“They say that 75 percent of the people who have it never know,” Gracey said. “It was probably a fluke thing with my 11 years of intense training.”
Although she has the condition in both knees, only the left kneecap completely separated. But that was enough to keep her from running for four months.
Two weeks ago, Spence was able to return to running, 32 days after she had surgery on her left knee.
“Typically, when I'm 100 percent healthy, I run 70-80 miles a week,” Gracey said. “Last week I was at 25. Hopefully in about a month I'll be back to usual.”
She has been training throughout the injury. However, training and running are two different worlds for Gracey.
“Hours in a gym, hours in a pool, it's emotionally draining,” Gracey said. “It may not be as physically taxing as running a distance, but [running] takes the stress and pressure away. I lose my life a little. But whenever I'm cross training, I'm confined to a gym.”
But the training and consistent practice runs have paid off for Gracey. Her personal bests in various races include:
Mile: 4:41
5K: 15:26
5-mile: 25:22
10K: 32:16
Half-marathon: 1:19:00
Her husband, Dillon, is also a distance runner. His personal bests include a 4:20 in the mile and a 14:55 in the 5K. However, Gracey has Dillon beat in the 5-mile (25:43) and the 10K (33:50).
But while they share a love for running, they also share a personal challenge. Both have Lyme Disease.
Gracey realizes now in retrospect that she has had the condition for several years, though she only learned of it in late 2012.
“I was diagnosed 18 months ago,” Gracey said. “I've had a couple of flare up in the last five to six years. We've had flare ups and been treated. Since we've been treating it, we've been more successful. I don't think it's a thing to end my career.”
After learning about her condition, but months before the knee injury, Gracey was 13th at the IAAF World Cross Country 8K Championships in Poland with a 25:08. It appears that if her knee recovers fully, she will be able to compete on the international level again regardless of Lyme's disease.
Keeping a positive attitude on her recent challenges, Gracey hopes to have a busy time for the rest of 2014.
“I think I'm at the point where I can say I'm looking at long term goals,” Gracey said. “I play to go to Colorado this summer and do altitude training. … They start racing probably in August and have a solid fall with road racing and some track events.”