Rachlis: A runner's spirit lives on at the Ottawa Marathon
There will be thousands of runners at the starting line of the sold-out Tartan International Marathon on Sunday May 25, part of the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend.
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I give those runners some advice from my friend, the late Linda Rainville-Wagar, a red-headed dynamo who encouraged me and many others in writing and running: 'Think of all the people who can't, won't or don't have this incredible experience. For all those who never have, and all the people who never will, on your own terms, and at your own pace … just GET IT DONE!'
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Linda's passion was 'helping others cross finish lines.' Unfortunately, life is not a Hallmark movie, and adversity hit her early. When she collapsed from a severe brain aneurysm in October 2009 at the age of 52, her devoted family and friends optimistically hoped for a good recovery. It didn't come about: much of Linda's difficulty in recovering was due to damage to her frontal or pre-frontal cortex, which affects short-term memory and decision-making.
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She passed away in December, 2024. But in order to allow her many friends and family to travel to Ottawa, the mass and celebration of her life was held in late March, at St. Patrick's Basilica, a chance for all to remember Linda's life in two parts.
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Linda was a bit of a celebrity back on Oct. 11, 2009, when former running columnist (and now Ottawa mayor) Mark Sutcliffe wrote about her in his Ottawa Citizen column, noting, 'It's no surprise that when it (the aneurysm) happened, Linda Wagar was talking about running. And that she was offering her help.'
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While she was in hospital, friends contributed messages of hope on squares for a recovery quilt. The quilt was on display with her running medals at the Celebration of Life.
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She spent her last years in a wheelchair in long-term care at Carleton Lodge, with visits home with family and friends. 'It kept me going and kept us all going, to know people cared,' said her husband, Carl.
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'Linda was an inspiration and a truly strong person,' said Edward Shammas, Linda's longtime next-door neighbour in Hunt Club and author of Arab Role Models: Dream, Lead, Inspire. 'I've always admired how dedicated she was to her family, her love for running, and her passion for travelling. She lived life with purpose and made a lasting impact on everyone who knew her.'
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