Mike Guizar: Running for his Wife

This profile is part of a series highlighting people who are participating in the Team Make Your Mark program. Keep an eye out for our upcoming Spring and Fall events or join the Choose Your Own Race team to run or walk in any race or distance you prefer. For more information, please visit www.lupus.org/teammakeyourmark.

Margarita’s health complications started when she was pregnant with her son, Kyle. A routine check-up during her pregnancy turned into a life-changing visit. Margarita’s doctor told her that her kidneys were failing and they would need to induce labor. The complications continued into delivery for both Margarita and her newborn son. Two weeks later, Kyle was released from the NICU – but at the same time, Margarita received the news – she has lupus.

“We took it day by day,” shared Mike, Margarita’s husband. “We try to stay positive and prepare for the worst, but as long as we are doing it together, that’s all that matters.”

Following Margarita’s diagnosis, Mike tried to do all he could to support her. While he had run in junior high, high school and ran a half marathon before his 40th birthday, he had never run a full marathon. Mike decided to make his miles matter by joining Team Make Your Mark and signing up for the 2018 Rock ‘N’ Roll San Diego Marathon.

“During my training, it wasn’t until I got up to runs of 15-20 miles that I started feeling pain,” shared Mike. “What kept me going was that the pain I was feeling was probably nothing compared to what my wife goes through when she is in a flare. When I would feel my joints stiffen, if I got tired – I just thought of what she must feel and go through.” 

Mike crossed the finish line of the San Diego marathon with his wife, son and their family dog (his wife’s service dog) cheering him on.

“It made me feel like we were fighting lupus together,” shared Margarita. “I feel like we could win this battle, and I’m not alone in it all.”

This year, Mike will be running the Rock ‘N’ Roll San Francisco half marathon through Team Make Your Mark’s Choose Your Own Race program. “I’m going to continue doing this as long as I can. For every mile I run and whatever I can do to keep raising funds to find a cure, I’m going to do it,” said Mike.