- April 20, 2024
-
-
Loading
Loading
Jenny Enslin started out her running career as a jogger in her 20s.
But Enslin’s life, and her routine jogs, would take a turn in 2008.
The Port Orange resident starting becoming sick, which led her to seek medical help. Doctors thought it was stress from being a mother, stress from teaching, but Enslin knew that wasn’t the answer. She finally found a doctor who sent her to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. The plan was for an electrophysiologist to perform a regular evaluation, but it was quickly determined that Enslin would need heart ablation surgery then and there to correct a heart arrhythmia.
The surgery was a success, and, when Enslin returned home, she began to slowly return to her jogging routine. However, Enslin would not be jogging for long. Several times while using the treadmill at her local gym, Enslin was approached by other gym members who told her she should participate in races.
Enslin decided to give racing a try and started out with 5K races before graduating to 10Ks and then to the Daytona Running Series, which includes 10 races and provides a way for runners to get points for placing.
“I was doing well and I was really shocked because I didn’t know I was a runner,” Enslin said.
Then, in 2013, a terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon left three people dead and hundreds injured. It was then that Enslin decided she wanted to be one of the many runners that would take a stand against the attack and fill Boston’s streets once again.
Enslin began with the Lighthouse Loop 5K and Half Marathon. Soon, she was “itching to try a marathon.”
She finished her first one, the Space Coast Marathon in about four hours, which left her with a new goal: Cut her time down to 3 hours and 40 minutes to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
“It was a big dream for me to be able to achieve that,” Enslin said.
In 2017, during mile 20 of the Tomoka Marathon, she realized she could very likely qualify for Boston.
Enslin finished with a time of 3 hours and 39 minutes. It had taken five years, but she was going to Boston, and she would be the only Port Orange resident to do so this year.
When the marathon rolled around on April 16, 2018, the weather conditions were enough to discourage even the most optimistic runner. The temperature had dipped into the 30s, the wind was steadily picking up and rain, which Enslin called “relentless” would soon soak the runners.
By mile 15, Enslin realized she would have to get rid of the sweatpants she had put on over her leggings. A volunteer gave her a trash bag to put over herself and Enslin continued to run.
“It was kind of awkward, but it saved me,” Enslin said.
As Enslin ran, she watched runner after runner stop racing due to hypothermia, making her worry if she herself would have to stop.
“I didn't care about my time,” Enslin said. “I just wanted to finish, for my friends and family who supported me.”
Enslin had another reason she wanted to finish. Last year, her cousin, Cameron Fulling, died after fighting a seven-year battle with brain cancer. That day in Boston, she was running for him.
“Anytime I felt weak, I thought about how strong he was to fight for seven years,” Enslin said. “He always had a smile on his face. He was my inspiration.”
Finally, Enslin turned onto Boylston Street to reach the end of the course. After 4 hours and 11 minutes, she crossed the finish line. She had done it, for herself, for her cousin, for everyone who believed in her.
Now that the race is over, Enslin said she is thinking about focusing more on swimming or possibly hiking and biking. Maybe follow the Appalachian Trail.
But before then, she had one more trip to make.
“I want to go up to the Mayo Clinic and have my doctor sign my medal,” Enslin said.
