The Herald-Mail

January 18, 2010

Sharpsburg teen completes Walt Disney marathon in Orlando

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SHARPSBURG - The Web site for the 2010 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend promised a "weekend of races that are as magical as they are memorable.

When Bridgette Nitza-Buwala, 16, of Sharpsburg signed up to run the half marathon - 13.1 miles - in Orlando on Saturday, Jan. 9, she wasn't expecting the weather to be the memorable part.

The Boonsboro High School junior started the race at 6:20 a.m., running the first four miles in 32-degree temperatures and sleet. The final nine miles were run in rain.

"It was neat. The weather was not what I expected. It made it more difficult, but I felt more accomplished," Bridgette said.

She was one of 17,102 runners to finish the race. A distance runner on Boonsboro High's cross-country, indoor track and outdoor track teams, Bridgette said her coach, Becky Walter, had given her a goal of 2 hours and 5 minutes for completing the race.

By mile 10, Bridgette was worried that her pace wasn't fast enough, checking her watch regularly. She said she couldn't depend on the race clocks throughout the course, because runners started in waves and Bridgette's group started 37 minutes after the race clock was started.

Bridgette met her goal, crossing the finish line in 2 hours, 3 minutes and 24 seconds, the 2,782nd runner to finish.

"I was sore, but it was worth the pain. My family was almost more excited than I was," she said.

Her cheering section included parents Paul and Stacie Nitza and older brother Craig Buwala, who drove with Bridgette from their Sharpsburg home to Orlando. Her grandparents traveled from Ohio for the race.

Stacie Nitza said they have long been fans of Walt Disney World and have been going there as a family since Bridgette was 3. Bridgette expressed an interest in running a long race and when they discovered the marathon weekend at Walt Disney World, it seemed like a perfect fit.

Bridgette began training over the summer, with practices during the fall providing the conditioning she needed. Walter was supportive of Bridgette's efforts and had her run the last 16 miles of the JFK 50-Mile in November with her as preparation.

That helped Bridgette realize she wouldn't have any trouble with the distance.

"Bridgette is one of the hardest-working, most-dedicated athletes that I have had the pleasure of coaching. She set her mind on running the Disney Half Marathon, and has been training hard for it over the past few months," Walter wrote in an e-mail.

Bridgette raised at least $600 for the Rally Foundation, an organization that helps fund research for childhood cancers. In the process, she selected a little girl named Miracle she saw on the foundation's Web site as the recipient of her fundraising efforts.

Stacie Nitza said Bridgette wore a locket with Miracle's picture in it to remind her of why she was running.

"That little girl has been her inspiration," Nitza said, noting her daughter was using her love of running for a good cause.

Bridgette felt her physical pain was dwarfed by what Miracle must experience in her fight against cancer. The night before the race, two families spoke about their experiences with childhood cancer and how they had been helped by the Rally Foundation.

"It was cool to hear firsthand. It showed how much of a difference you can make," Bridgette said.