Hallettsville native to run in NYC Marathon
The running of the 52nd New York City Marathon will take place this Sunday (Nov. 5) and one of over 45 thousand runners taking part will be Hallettsville native, Amy Grindeland. Grindeland, who resides in Brooklyn, New York with her husband Alex and children Andreas (16) and Sophia (14), decided to run in this year’s marathon as part of a cause for raising funds for awareness of May-Thurner Syndrome, a condition she suffered from seven years ago. In explaining her episode with the condition and her reason for running in the marathon, Grindeland said in a post on the National Blood Clot Alliance – Stop the Clot website, “I am so grateful to Dr. Windsor Ting and the team of doctors at Mount Sinai. After years of painful days and searching for answers, my diagnosis of May-Thurner Syndrome in 2016 was life changing.” Grindeland said she had several stents placed in her blood vessels in her legs, which allow blood to flow freely back to her heart. “I have my life, my family and the excitement of living one day at a time,” Grindeland said. “I am grateful for this new challenge of completing the NYC Marathon, while raising money for a team that is literally close to my heart.” According to the May-Thurner Syndrome website, the condition is rarely diagnosed in which patients develop iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis (blood clots) due to an anatomical variant in which the right common iliac artery overlies and compresses the left common iliac vein against the lumbar spine. The website says, “Blood clots do not discriminate. They can affect anyone, regardless of age, ethnicity, or race.” Amy is running as part of a team, referred to as Stop the Clot and she is one of 100 runners chosen for the team.
The goal of the team is for each member to raise $5 thousand for National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA). The National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, voluntary health organization dedicated to advancing the prevention, early diagnosis and successful treatment of life-threatening blood clots such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
NBCA is the leading nonprofit organization in the United States focused singularly on building awareness and building community among people who are affected by blood clots or at a risk for blood clots. According to Grindeland’s father, Warren and former mayor of Hallettsville, Amy has never run in a full marathon, but has completed 20 mile runs in the past.
“She (Amy) does not run in marathons, and in fact has never run the 26 miles. She feels she can and hopes adrenaline will take over,” Warren said. “Amy is already a winner. If she makes it all the way, ‘great’, but if she doesn’t — she is doing it to raise money for this cause.”
The Stop the Clot team, actually start two and a half hours later than the main marathon runners and Amy said, “I am honored to be running in the NYC Marathon. I am enjoying the journey.” Amy is a 1992 graduate of Hallettsville High School and went into a career as a flight attendant for Continental Airlines, later United Airlines, and worked primarily on international flights for 17 years. Also in 2016, Amy and Alex co-founded the Fort Hamilton distillery in Brooklyn.
Their distillery produces the finest New York Rye Whiskey, Bourbon, and more from locally sourced grains, and is open to the public six days a week, excluding Mondays. Amy is the daughter of Barbara and former Hallettsville mayor, Warren Grindeland. If interested in making a donation to Amy’s cause, visit donate.stoptheclot.org or contact Julia Thompson at jthompson@ stoptheclot.org.