Always look sexy. A doctor might refer to ALS by its real name (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). However, Denise DiMarzo, who was diagnosed with the disease less than six months after her wedding, prefers the former. She radiates positivity in spite of her struggles with the progressive neurodegenerative condition known as Lou Gehrig's disease (Search: What is Lou Gehrig's disease?). When she drops food on the kitchen floor, too weak at times to hold up her fork, she'll quip, "The good news is that I'm losing weight, but the dog is getting fatter."
DiMarzo's wit and courage inspire her husband, Christopher Benyo, who vowed at their June 2010 wedding not only to love her through better or worse, through sickness and health, but also to run a marathon with her. (Find out how to run your first—or fastest—marathon ever with our Big Book of Marathon and Half-Marathon Training!) Benyo, 47, has run more than 30 marathons and was training DiMarzo, 49, to run her first before the diagnosis. The disease, which affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, has no cure, and the average life-span from diagnosis is three to five years. DiMarzo, who previously had been very active skating, cycling, and running 5-Ks, went from requiring a cane to a walker to using a wheelchair outside in six months.
10 Mental Tricks to Run Better
The couple remains determined to run their marathon, but with a slight twist—Benyo will push his bride (Video: How to run with proper form and technique). "When we married, I promised her the rush of a marathon, and I will deliver on that promise," says Benyo, a physical education teacher in Naperville, Illinois. They chose the May 6 New Jersey Marathon since DiMarzo grew up in Long Branch, roller-skating on the boardwalks where the marathon finishes.
DiMarzo's first symptoms didn't seem like much. She started getting tired more easily. Then her legs started to hurt. After a few false diagnoses (including Lyme disease), the devastating news shocked them both. "It was difficult to let go of my life as I knew it," says DiMarzo. "But I had a choice: either allow ALS to consume and destroy me or accept it and learn to live my life differently and set new goals."
How to Cope With Recovery and Injury
The couple has adjusted their lives and household to DiMarzo's needs. They share their home with his daughter Leah, 15, her daughter Maddie, 9 (both girls are from previous marriages), two cats, and a dog. They'll soon move to a one-story house to ease DiMarzo's mobility. "It pains me to see this woman who was like an Energizer Bunny reduced to a wheelchair," Benyo says. "I definitely have my moments and break down, but when I am around Denise, her contagious spirit fills me with such love."
Benyo began his marathon training by pushing an empty wheelchair to get the feel of it. He gradually added weights to the chair until he felt confident pushing a person. DiMarzo has her own training to do. Sitting in the specialized jogger for up to four hours will make her muscles stiff, so she is learning isometric exercises to keep her flexible. (Inspired to run a race but don't know how to get started? Sign up for our half-marathon jumpstart program!) Obstacles have included getting her in and out of the jogger—Benyo often has to pick her up—and weather. Starting out on one 10-mile run, the couple encountered three inches of snow, which was enough to soak DiMarzo as they moved along. Frustrated at not being able to keep up with their training schedule, the couple nevertheless laughed it off and went home.
While running, DiMarzo uses hand signals to communicate with Benyo. Being pushed at a fast pace doesn't intimidate her; rather, she's begun "visualizing that I'm running alongside him, feeling the sun and wind on my face, listening to the cadence of his breathing, and my heart is happy."
"I know he wants to fix me, but he can't," DiMarzo says. "That's tough on him, and he takes it personally. But training together has brought us closer. Now that I am actively involved, I'm not 'just along for the ride!'"
50 Quick Ways to Slim Down
