Babcock completes marathon in honor of her friend

Lindsey Babcock's t-shirt says “finisher.” And, after running 26.2 miles in 5 hours, 45 minutes and 52 seconds in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon this past Sunday, Babcock is wearing her shirt with a great deal of pride. Just don't expect her to move too quickly for the next couple of days. “I know I won't even be hurting as much today as I will tomorrow,” Babcock said Monday. It was just this past June that she announced to family and friends she was going to run the marathon. Many were caught off guard by Babcock's urge to participate. After all, though she has always been athletic, she was not a runner. But it was a cause much greater than Babcock's cross country skills that influenced her decision to run the marathon. It was her childhood friend Paul. Riding home on the train from a Chicago Cubs game, Babcock saw a poster for “Best Buddies,” an organization that provides opportunities for friendships and employment to those with intellectual disabilities. The organization was asking for participants to raise money and run on its team in the marathon. Raising money for the organization was something Babcock really wanted to do in honor of her friend Paul Warrick, who has Down's Syndrome. So Babcock's training and fundraising began. When she wasn't working at Illinois Valley Industries in Morris this past summer, Babcock could be found running. Working closely with a family friend, Babcock followed a strict training schedule. And despite three midterms last week, the Illinois State University senior didn't let anything stand in her way of accomplishing her goal - to complete the race. “I always knew I could do this, but last week I really started having some doubt,” Babcock said. “It's been an emotional rollercoaster with school and training. But then, as the race started to approach and I saw Paul, who was in great spirits, I knew I could do this.” Without an ounce of attitude, Babcock smiles and looks up. “There were no ifs, ands or buts, I was going to complete this race,” she said. As the race began, Babcock used mental exercises that family friend and trainer Kirk inspired her to use. Babcock's mother LeeAnn James made bracelets for her to wear and take off after each mile. “The first five miles I concentrated on actually being in the race,” Babcock said. “I was thinking about running with 45,000 participants. Then I concentrated on how beautiful Chicago scenery really is and I took off a bracelet for different buildings and monuments I saw.” But as much as Babcock concentrated mentally, it was Paul who continued to inspire her to keep running, even when she hit the hard physical and emotional aspect of running 26.2 miles. “Knowing that Paul was in a hotel room in Chicago with his parents just waiting for me to call and tell him that I finished was my inspiration. He is the one who got me through it.” The Warrick family has not missed many events in Babcock's life. When Babcock was 6 weeks old, MariLou, Paul's mother, babysat for her. A lifelong bond began between the two families. “They are not just family friends,” Babcock's mother said. “They are our family.” And it is the support of family and friends Babcock credits for raising $3,000 towards “Best Buddies.” Babcock raised the most money on her team for the organization. “I am so grateful to everyone in the community who supported me,” Babcock said. As Babcock made her way through each passing mile, James and her husband, Dave, held up a stack of big, yellow smiley face balloons that would help Babcock recognize where her family - a.k.a. her support team - was located. “We did run a couple of miles with her,” James said. “I was trying to talk to her because I knew she was so tired and emotional ly exhausted. She just asked me to keep talking to her, but told me that she could not talk back!” Working through each mile was, at times challenging for Babcock. But she credits the city of Chicago for their support to the runners. “I could hear perfect strangers cheering me on and calling my name from my t-shirt,” Babcock said. “People would turn on their hoses to cool us off as we ran by their home. It was such awesome support.” Because she was wearing a chip on her shoe, Babcock's family could track her progress through text messages sent to their phones. Stations were also set up through the entire race where people could check the progress of the runners. “There were signs throughout the whole race motivating us,” Babcock said. “One said, ‘This pain is only temporary.' It was really uplifting and so true.” And as Babcock's shoes hit the pavement during the final mile, one last obstacle faced her - a hill to the finish line. “I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing!” she said. Having placed 26,919 out of 45,000 runners, Babcock began her cool down. After a medal was placed around her neck, Babcock then connected with her family. They explain the scene like something out a movie. “The fire department had a huge mist of water going,” James recalls. “When we saw her, we all just ran at her under this mist of water!” Knowing that Babcock is now in an elite group of people, James beams with pride. “With all of her other sports, she has had a team to work with and a coach that was there with her. But she really did this all by herself. And really it was all for just one person, Paul.” Shaking her head and relaxing her sore muscles, Babcock agrees. “All because of Paul.”