Why first-time runner will never forget the ‘Race to Remember’
Even though she will be a first-timer in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, Savanna Sanders already knows about the “Running In Honor Of” bibs worn during the race.
She already knows, too, the name she'll put on hers — Sonja Sanders. Her mom.
Sonja was killed in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. She was the chief teller of operations for the Federal Employees Credit Union, which lost 18 employees that day. She was only 27.
Her youngest daughter was just 22 months old.
“I don't remember her whatsoever,” Savanna said. “We have family videos and pictures and stories.”
But just because she and her older sister, Brooklynn, have no memory of their mom doesn't mean they don't miss her.
“We do get sad ...,” Savanna said, “just at the thought of what could have been.”
On Marathon Day, Sanders will join the ranks of victims' family members who've done the race over the years.
Some form relay teams. Some walk the 5K. Some go all out and do the marathon.
But all race to remember.
For Savanna Sanders, remembering is done a bit differently.
After Sonja was killed, raising her young daughters became a team effort.
Their dad, Mike, was the primary caregiver, but their grandma and aunt were heavily involved, too. Granny Shelia was Sonja's mom, and Aunt Kristi was her sister, so they made sure to tell the girls about their mom.
They told the stories. They shared the memories.
Sonja had a friendly, outgoing personality. She smiled big. She laughed loud. As Savanna and Brooklyn got older, everyone said how much they were like their mom.
Several years ago, Savanna followed in her mom's footsteps when she took a job as a teller at Allegiance Credit Union. What had been Federal Employees Credit Union had changed names, but several of the folks working there had worked with Sonja.
Several had also done the Memorial Marathon, including Amy Downs.
She survived the bombing after being trapped in the rubble for more than six hours, and in the years since, she became the CEO of the credit union and a fixture in the running community.
Almost as soon as Sanders started at Allegiance, Downs started talking about the Memorial Marathon.
The past couple years when Sanders did local turkey trot races on Thanksgiving, Downs saw that as a sign.
“Oh, you're getting ready for the marathon, right?” she would ask.
“No, I wasn't,” Sanders would say with an eye roll. “These are 5Ks.
Everyone's there to have fun.”
But eventually, Sanders began to embrace the idea of doing the half marathon. She had volunteered at Allegiance's water stop along the race route the past few years, and she loved the energy of Marathon Day. It was a celebration of life and an exercise in perseverance.
She started training in January.
“The first weekend ... my long run, I did 4 miles,” the 24-year-old said, “and I thought I was going to die. I was like, 'I cannot do 13 miles.'”
But a month or so later, Sanders was talking to her sister about her training.
“Oh, I'm doing a short run today,” Savanna told Brooklynn. “I only have to do 3 miles.”
In that moment, Sanders realized her view of running had changed. She had already gone 7 miles, and even though she was sure she'd never be the fastest person, she would start and finish the Memorial Marathon.
That's still her plan, even though a foot injury has slowed her down.
But as it turns out, several of her co-workers have struggled with injuries, too. They plan to do the half marathon as
a group. They'll be at the back. They'll be walking mostly. But they'll be together.
“We'll see how emotional I get,” said Sanders, who now works in Allegiance's fraud department. “I'm not one to get really emotional, but this'll be something different.”
These are often the times she misses her mom most. She missed her at college graduation. Same for when her when sister, Brooklynn, got married.
And yet, she'll smile, too, when she thinks of her mom on Marathon Day — she knows her mom would be shaking her head and cackling her amusement over all those miles.
“She would call me crazy just like my entire family,” Sanders said with a laugh. “She would say, 'Why? You could’ve spent so much time doing other stuff.'”
But Savanna Sanders will do it for her mom. She'll do it to celebrate, to honor and yes, to remember.
Jenni can be reached at 405-475-4125 or jcarlson@oklahoman.com. Like her at facebook.com/JenniCarlsonOK, follow her at twitter.com/jennicarlson_ok or view her personality page at newsok.com/jennicarlson.