Colette Plantz
Chicago, IL
Total Raised: $440.00
1. Tell us about yourself and your family?
My name is Colette Plantz and I have lived in the Chicago area for the past 25 years. I’m originally from New Mexico where much of my extended family still lives. I met my husband Dan at New Mexico State University where he was a big, bad football star and we decided to marry and move to Chicago where he had received a job after he finished graduate school. Dan is one of the high school pastors at Harvest Bible Chapel. We have 5 children. Ryan (22) married and living in Chicago with his wife Kerry. He just graduated from Moody Bible Institute. He serves at Harvest with the worship department and junior high ministry. We have three daughters, Danielle (21) a senior at Trinity International University pursuing a career in public relations and communications. Candace (19) a sophomore at Judson majoring in graphic arts and design. She is a student-athlete with a scholarship in basketball. Madeline is our only child at home; she is a sixth grader who loves her dog Ike. Finally, there’s Kyle. He was diagnosed with cancer when he was 2 and succumbed to the disease when he was 3 1/2. Watching your child suffer through this sort of disease and die in your arms is one of the most difficult things anyone can experience. I ran my first marathon as a tribute to him and raised money at the time for a cancer research organization.
I’ve been working at Harvest as the Junior High Ministry Assistant for almost 7 years. It is an amazing job and I am thankful that I have the privilege of serving God in full time ministry.
2. Have you ever done a half or full marathon before?
This will be my 3rd full marathon and I have completed a number of half marathons. (I’ve lost count) I have been a runner for over 30 years and it has been a passion of mine through the years.
3. What are your biggest challenges for this race and what is your goal?
The training is hard and time consuming. My husband and I spend most of our summer serving at Camp Harvest. It is amazing ministry opportunity but very tiring. It will be difficult to find the time and energy to train during the weeks I’m at camp. Also, my second marathon I ran alone, I trained alone and I didn’t have any accountability. It was not a great experience. I think the biggest challenge is making sure I train with others (I’ll be training with my daughter Danielle, it’s her first marathon). My goal is to make this a memorable experience for my daughter and to finish the 26.2 miles with smiles on both of our faces. Finishing a marathon is an indescribable feeling.
4. How did you know Mitch?
I met Mitch once or twice at Harvest. My connection is the pain that I felt when he passed away knowing that another family was feeling the same devastating heartache of losing a child that we did. To be able to empathize with other parents and to be able to pray for their pain and grief with an understanding that most people can’t.
5. Why are you doing this race for MSF?
I have been running for so many years and feel so blessed in so many ways. It just seems fitting to support something worthwhile in the process. I’ve been attending Harvest for almost 10 years and it still amazes me to see how God is using Harvest to change lives and help others. I wait in anticipation to see how God is going to use the Elgin campus and this new gym facility for His glory as He furthers His kingdom. The accountability will be an encouragement to me and others as well.
Journal
November Update • Thursday, November 01, 2007
1. Would you or are you planning on running this distance again?
Yes, we decided somewhere around mile 8 that we were going to have to do this again next year.
2. Explain what it was like to run on the hottest day in the Chicago Marathon 30 year history?
Oh my goodness, it was crazy, and amazing and emotional. I knew after listening to the forecast the Wednesday before that it was going to be a tough race. All summer long as I thought about “race day” I just kept praying, “Lord, just please give us good weather”, and I never thought it was going to be super hot and humid, I just kept praying it wouldn’t be cold and snowy or rainy. My worst training runs were those on days just like this one. So, I knew this was going to be brutal! Anyway, I decided to just go out and do the best I could and not get discouraged. We ran a pretty consistent pace until mile 6. Danielle’s stomach decided it wasn’t happy and she had to throw up. We decided at that point to run/walk until we could get into a rhythm. The heat just was unrelenting. We never did had an issue getting water at the aid stations. As a matter of fact, I was one of those people who took more than one cup of water at each station and filled my water bottle. (Which made a huge difference).
We were moving along at a good pace considering the conditions until mile 20. That’s when we were told it was over and that we couldn’t run anymore. The reports we were getting were that we would be rerouted to Grant Park and we would not be able to finish. WE WERE SO BUMMED! We were walking along and when we got to Chinatown we realized that they weren’t rerouting us and they were going to let us walk the last 4 or 5 miles. So, we just started walking as fast as we could. Our family met up with us at mile 24 and we walked the rest of the way together. Danielle and I ran the last several yards to the finish line. (Where she threw-up again!) :) It was a pretty interesting day.
The most amazing part of the day was to experience the generosity of the people in the neighborhoods of Chicago. They come together and really give of themselves. They sprayed us with their garden hoses, bought bags of ice and were passing out handfuls of ice for us to cool down with, they even kept cheering us on with encouragement even after they knew the race was over. It was very cool to be a part of this historic day. No pun intended!!
3. Lastly please write something to each of your sponsors, it can be a thank you, share a verse, something from your heart.
Being part of the MSF team was so amazing. I was so motivated to complete the training and finish the marathon because I knew that I wasn’t in this alone. So many people were supporting us. For those who sponsored me, I am in such deep gratitude to your generosity and support. I appreciate you and want to thank you for participating in this amazing experience with me. Do you want to be a running partner next year? The invitation is open! Thanks again, I feel blessed and loved.
October Update • Monday, October 01, 2007
1. Please tell us how many months you have been training for this race and if you have your training totals please share. (include running & biking mileage and any other cross training you have done)
We’ve been training since last February really, we signed up for the marathon in February so it has been on our minds for months… We signed up for “Hustle Up the Hancock” and that was a really cool event (a lot different than half marathons and marathons). We went form that to training for the Indy Mini half marathon in May and then ran the Soldier Field 10 miler. We started our official Chicago Marathon training in June but felt like we had a pretty good base so added more miles to our original long run schedule. Our longest long run was 23 miles on September16th. And our total mileage in running is about 450 miles. We did a lot of biking early in the training but I haven’t done much in the last few weeks.
2. Tell us what you’ll be doing the Saturday before the race?
I have to go to work for a few hours ... : ) Then my plan is to go home and put my feet up and watch a movie, drink mas aqua and eat carbs. We’re going downtown to spend the night at friends condo.
3. The race is almost here, please share your thoughts about the endless hours of training, your sacrifices and what this has done to impact or even change your life?
It just blows my mind that God has made our human bodies so remarkable and our minds too. When you talk to people (who are not runners) about your weekend long runs and tell them that you ran 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 miles and they’re like, “you run the entire time? How long does that take?” and of course for someone who is not about the speed I tell them how long it takes and I am even amazed that I would get up at 4:30 a.m. and run for 3 + hours. But the feeling of accomplishment, the totally exhausted but elated feeling is incredible. I am so thankful that I can still do this and I pray that I can continue running for years to come.
September Update • Wednesday, August 29, 2007
1. Share with us your workout schedule for August?
August 4 we ran 16 miles- it was great!
August 12 – The Chicago Distance Classic…Hot & Humid and not so much fun..:(
August 15—18 miler up at Camp Harvest by myself…it was an amazing morning. Praise to God for His faithfulness.
August 25—19 miler on the Lakefront in Chicago.
During the middle of the weeks we’ve been doing a mid-distance run on Wednesdays—around 7 or 8 miles and then the other days we are doing 3 0r 4 miles with a little more intensity. I guess that is our “speed work”.
2. How are you holding up physically and mentally?
Some days I’m totally pumped up for this and others I’m feeling drained and discouraged. I have to say that I’m in a much better place than I was for the last marathon I did in 2004. I’m feeling pretty good about our training and I’m looking forward to the actual day of the marathon. I’m mentally preparing now for what the race will be like. Trying to visualize each part of the race and remembering: “I need to run the mile I’m in” and not think about how far I still have to go. To remember to pace well and not go out too fast. The next few weeks will be tough with a 20 miler and a 22 mile on the schedule.
3. Athlete’s Journal: Please make this your journal for the month of August and share with us everything and anything you would like?
August has had it’s ups and downs. I ran the 16 miler and 18 miler up at Camp Harvest in Croton Michigan and both runs were AMAZING! The beautiful North Woods with the cool crisp mornings. I felt like I could keep running for both. Danielle and I ran the Chicago Distance Classic on August 12th. It was a half marathon in downtown Chicago. It was already in the 70’s by 6:00 am and the humidity was suffocating. Needless to say it was not a fun race and I was discouraged afterwards. The same can be said for this past Saturday’s 19 miler. After the crazy storms that ripped through the entire area and the rain that just wouldn’t stop it was just sticky and warm last Saturday. Most of the run I felt great and had a wonderful time running along Lake Michigan but when we hit mile 17…I hit a wall. We finished with a decent time. We are running a 20 miler this weekend. (and we are driving up to camp) I’m hoping to have a good run and asking for God’s grace and strength as the mileage gets cranked up.
August Update • Monday, August 13, 2007
1. What makes you keep going on a day when you just aren’t having a good run or training day?
I always think how much harder it will be the next time if I blow off a run. I also know how much better I will feel once I get out there.
2. What things are you doing to prepare physically and mentally for the marathon?
First, I’m trying to keep everything in perspective. I’m so thankful that I can run and I know it is a gift from God. Second, I know how key it is to stick to the schedule (maybe with a little flexibility). I read an expression in Runner’s World magazine from an elite runner who said, and I quote, “Run the mile your in!” That is so key when you are running long distances. If you start thinking about mile 14 and you are barely on mile 4, you will have a mental blow out. This has helped me tremendously.
3. In what ways are your family or friends helping support you while training?
In past marathons my husband has not been thrilled about the amount of training and how it wears me out. When I committed to running this one I asked him for his blessing and support and he has been VERY encouraging and supportive. My oldest daughter is running with me, we train together and that has been HUGE!
Is there anyone in particular that helps motivate you?
Not really. Like I said, it is key for me this go around to have my husband supporting me.
4. Athletes Journal:
July was an insane month and it is a miracle I was able to keep up with the training. My best run was a 16 miler up at Camp Harvest last Saturday. Danielle and I got up at 4:30 so that we could get done before the high school students left on the bus to get back to Illinois. It was a chilly (dark) morning and I felt so good. We ran very consistent and I enjoyed the entire run. By the way, it really helps to run in some of the most gorgeous country in the country! :)
My worst run was a 12 miler we ran in Estancia, NM in mid July. I had just finished two crazy weeks at Camp Harvest with the junior high ministry and I was exhausted. It was the longest twelve miler of my life :(
Sponsors
Dan Plantz • $100.00
You rock lady, your strength both physically and spiritually continues to blow me away. Know that I will be there cheering you on the whole way. Love you with all my heart.Dirk and Jane Recker • $100.00
We think you're the coolest Colette! But you need to be careful, at your age...Terri Quaid • $50.00
You go Colette... I have great confidence in you my friend! Love You! tqJoe and Joy Stowell • $100.00
Go Colette! Go for Marathon finish number 3.Darlene Schmerschneider • $50.00
You are an inspiration!Alex Neukomm • $20.00
Keep up the training!Dorothy Howell • $20.00
Congrats on finishing. I'm proud of you. Love you, MomThank you for your support. Mitchell Swaback Charities is a non-profit organization, exempt from federal income under section 501(c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Service code.
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