My heart and soul soar with the pursuit of most any outdoor adventure and the opportunity to explore both what’s within me and around me. I recently found an email explaining to a friend why I love all the outdoor activity and endurance stuff I’ve done throughout my life, and here’s what I said, “Immersing myself in the elements of nature and humanity, while pushing myself and getting my heart rate up, creates an exhilaration for me followed by a peaceful calm.”
I’ve also lived a life of relatively clean eating. I’ve been a vegetarian, flexitarian or vegan “ish” pretty much my entire life. Long before it was a fad, I was throwing all sorts of “green things” in bowls with beans and brown rice. I’ve evolved from an outlier, to an early adapter and finally to a trend setter with Bowl franchises popping up everywhere! So, to put it simply, living a healthy life with a balance of exercise and clean eating is at the core of who I am. It’s made me fit – not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. It’s given me structure and control over my life. It’s shown me how my actions impact outcomes. As an adolescent, when so much feels uncertain, this way of living was an anchor for me, and as a mom with young kids, running marathons gave me long uninterrupted time for myself and with other mom friends.
As my kids grew older, I also discovered triathlons – even enjoyed being on the podium a decent number of times. It charged me! I pushed hard because I loved exploring my potential along with the friendships and the way it allowed me to see the world. With this growing passion, I decided to go all-out, training for my first full ironman and with a goal of trying to make the World’s Championships for 70.3, but life had another plan for me.
Cancer… Just when I thought all was falling into place, I got this hiccup; the unexpected curve ball. I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, an incurable blood cancer that forms in the plasma cells of the bone marrow.
Suddenly, my world was on tilt and my head was spinning from being thrown way off life’s course. I certainly didn’t choose this path. It became abundantly clear that much was going to be out of my control. AND, there was going to be A LOT of letting go…of my former goals and former identity, for starters. One thing I did know… how I was going to get through the cancer was MY CHOICE. For me, it was going to be with fun, laughter and love. So I hung a disco ball in my hospital room and used my IV pole for dancing. I decided that I was not a victim. I was not sick. I had a condition that I had to manage and this is how I was managing it.
Cancer gave me the opportunity to slow down and evaluate what and who was important to me. It gave me the opportunity to connect with so many in a very beautiful and meaningful way. It also taught me many lessons: to focus on what I do have, not what I don’t…to think of how I can, not why I can’t, to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, to embrace uncertainty, and appreciate the strength that comes from having a good team. I realized that my life’s passions and mantras prepared me to take on cancer. In many ways, I took on cancer the same way I took on triathlons. I was in it to win it!….while connecting with others and having fun along the way. YES.. there were and are many challenging days, but this strategy continues to get me through life’s tough times.
Living a healthy lifestyle didn’t prevent me from getting cancer, but it made it much easier for me to manage the cancer. Despite many rounds of chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant and some residual kidney damage from the disease, I have been able to recapture some of my former self, while also creating new paths that have led me to a vibrant life. While I still live with Multiple Myeloma, it has also learned to live with me and my aspirations. One year after my transplant, I rode 550 miles through the desert. One year and a half later, I ran the Boston Marathon. Two years later, I did the Lake Placid 70.3 Ironman as a relay…all to raise funds, hope and awareness for Multiple Myeloma.
Anything is possible with a plan, hope, and determination. Endurance sports laid that foundation for me.
Equally as important is the team around you. They can push you, encourage you, comfort and uplift you – making you better and stronger.
Even in times of fear and darkness, there are many opportunities for smiles – enriching connections and beautiful moments, if you are open to finding them.
For me, my challenge has been cancer, but everyone has their own challenge. I want to share with others what I’ve learned through my journey. We always have choice and the ability to empower ourselves. We can choose to shed what drains us and add more of what invigorates us… and achieve a greater sense of optimism, well-being and peace.
