Jim Williamson, Gorham Savings Bank Maine Marathon Ambassador – Sarcoid Warrior
“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or walk around it.”- Michael Jordan
My running career didn’t start until I was 37 years old, and I thought it was over at 43. In January of 2021, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Pulmonary Sarcoidosis. When I say that to most people, I generally get two responses, “What is that?” Or, I know what that is, I watch House. Ironically, I use a line from House to describe it. You know how it’s never Lupus?” It’s a disease that most commonly causes granulomas to form in the lungs and causes general havoc with your entire body. Having a lung disease, with the possibility of cardiac involvement as well, I didn’t know if I would be able to run again, and the steroids that are part of the treatment accelerated the effects of not running. Long story short, after months of medical tests I was cleared to start running again.
In that time, I had gone into a deep depression, since running had been my therapy for the previous six years. During that period, I made a deal with the “powers that be” that if I got out of this intact, I would do something that had been a bit of a joke amongst my running friends and myself. I was going to run a marathon, and I would use that platform to illustrate to others with my disease that we don’t have to be defined by it. There are very few resources regarding Sarcoidosis, and it’s so rare that the A.D.A. (Americans with Disabilities Act) doesn’t recognize it. One symptom must be intense enough to qualify on its own, instead of the total disease. That can cause a feeling of isolation, and hopelessness. I wanted to use the platform of one of the largest races in Maine to show others with my affliction that we can still do these things, and even excel at them, despite the physical challenges presented. The Gorham Savings Bank Maine Marathon recognized what I was doing that year. The organizers arranged for WMTW to do a story about my experience as a “sarcoid warrior” trying to raise awareness and working to try and inspire others to pursue their own goals and overcome the challenges in front of them. This race was so good to me on every level possible I wanted to give back to it this year by being an ambassador and encouraging folks to sign up and run. It doesn’t matter how fast you are, if you must walk some of it, if this is a goal come accomplish it. At the very least, I’ll be there to help encourage whoever needs it. Whether it’s 26.2 or 13.1, we’re all here for each other, no matter how daunting the course.
