Athlete Stories

Alexandria Haynes: Overcoming the Odds
BY: ABIGAIL GORRITY

“I never wanted to run a marathon. You couldn’t have paid me back in the day. But now it’s like, someone said I can’t. So of course, I’ve got to do it.”

Alexandria Haynes is on a mission to prove her doubters wrong — and she is doing a pretty good job at it. This September, she is taking on the Life Time Chicago Half Marathon, not just as a race, but as a reclamation of independence and ability. After being diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2012 and undergoing two major surgeries, the second of which left her paralyzed on the right side of her body and with 90% vision loss, Alexandria began a long journey of rebuilding.

“After my first surgery, I lost myself mentally. After the second, I lost myself physically. I had to learn how to walk again, how to run again. And now… I’m learning to skip — because a 60-year-old at the park challenged me.” Her recovery has been years in the making. During her time training at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Alexandria spent three years relearning how to run. Every step forward is a battle against doubt.

“People don’t realize what success means in neurosurgery. It means you didn’t die. But I lost vision. I lost movement. And I still said, ‘This can’t be it.’” Now, after earning her Master of Fine Arts, writing her memoir, and graduating from Northwestern, Alexandria is closing a chapter in Chicago, and the Life Time Chicago Half Marathon is her final page.

When asked what crossing the finish line is going to mean to her, Alexandria responded with “I remember when I drove again for the first time to my grandmother’s house for her 90th birthday — and when I pulled up, I just broke down. It’s that feeling of, ‘I’m here. I made it back’ — I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s one of those moments for me”. When she crosses that finish line, it won’t just indicate the completion of 13.1 miles. It will signify the completion of her chapter in Chicago. 

Thank you for sharing your journey with us, Alexandria! Keep on defying the odds and good luck with the rest of your training. We can’t wait to see you on race day!

#ChiHalfAthleteHighlight