For Claire Macosko, Running is More Than a Finish Line

After an epilepsy diagnosis at 21 and brain surgery earlier this year, longtime UH Cleveland Marathon participant Claire Macosko is preparing to return to the Cleveland start line in 2027.

When Claire Macosko crosses the finish line at the 50th Anniversary of the University Hospitals (UH) Cleveland Marathon in May 2027, she won't be chasing a personal record, and she won't be worried about her pace, either, she said.

After undergoing brain surgery in June as part of her treatment for epilepsy, simply getting back to the starting line carries a different meaning.

“I just want to cross the finish line and be proud of myself,” Macosko said.

For Macosko, 36, running has been a source of strength for more than a decade. It has given her a community, a challenge, and, at times, a sense of control while living with a condition that has brought uncertainty into her life.

Now, as National Epilepsy Awareness Month is recognized throughout November, Macosko is sharing her story in hopes that others living with epilepsy know they are not alone.

The Start of Something Special

Macosko was a 21-year-old student at Baldwin Wallace University (BW) when she was diagnosed with epilepsy in February 2012.

She was in college and entering a period of her life that she expected to be defined by independence. Instead, she suddenly found herself facing questions about what her diagnosis would mean for her future.

“It felt like a rug was taken right from under me,” Macosko said. “I was in total shock.”

Over time, those feelings became more complicated.

“I felt stuck, sort of, like helpless,” she said. “And disappointed and kind [of] scared because I'm like, ‘What is [going to] happen to me and my life?’”

Macosko grew up active. She played soccer and ran cross country and middle-distance track. As she adjusted to her diagnosis, she wanted to return to something familiar: running.

“Even though I felt helpless … I wanted to find something that I could control,” she said.