Running With Cancer: One Dude's Journey with Lung Cancer

Running With Cancer

One Dude’s Journey with Lung Cancer

One year ago today, I was sitting at home and my phone rang. It was the pulmonologist. She said, "Are you at home?" I said, "Yes, " feeling in my gut that this was not good news. Then she asked, "Are you alone?" I said, "No," as my gut sank even further. Her next words were, "Your biopsy results show you have adenocarcinoma—lung cancer." I went completely numb. I wasn't emotional or falling apart, just numb. The doctor was very kind and I'm sure she said more to me, but all I remember are her words, "You have lung cancer." Eventually, I heard her explain she was setting up an appointment at the Wesley Long Cancer Center with an oncologist. 

What the hell? I’m a runner. Been a runner for 40 years. Runners don’t get lung cancer. I’ve never smoked or vaped. Ever. Not even a puff. Nonsmokers don’t get lung cancer. I live a healthy lifestyle. I run and exercise several times a week. I eat pretty healthy. People who live a healthy lifestyle don’t get cancer. There’s no obvious link to lung cancer in my family history. These are all thoughts running through my head after I hung up the phone.

To help this make a little more sense, I’ll back up a little, back to late December 2022. Just before Christmas, I noticed I was getting a cold and a mild cough. I did several Covid tests, and the results were all negative. I just figured it was a little touch of the crud going around. 

For the past several years, on Christmas Eve morning, I’ve hosted a group run for my runners. I was planning on running the 6-mile route. During the run, I had no energy, and I was a bit short of breath. My buddies I normally run with were well ahead of me. I only made it 5 miles and walked part of the last mile. I was a bit perplexed, but I attributed it to the crud. After Christmas, my cough continued to get worse, so I called my GP. They had no openings, so they sent me (virtually) to the Walk-in Clinic (keep in mind, because of the whole Covid thing, it was a phone-in, not a walk-in).  The nurse practitioner, thought I had a sinus infection. I have them periodically, so it seemed like a pretty accurate diagnosis. I was prescribed an antibiotic. After a week, I was worse, and I was completely out of breath just walking up the stairs to the second floor in our house. I called the doc back and requested an in-person visit. I was sent to the Walk-in Clinic again, but this time, I actually got to walk in. After an initial exam and listening to my breathing, the doc thought I may have pneumonia and did an X-ray. 

The doctor returned with the scan and a furrowed brow. He showed me the scans and I could see that my lungs were filled with what looked like cotton balls. The doc explained that this wasn't pneumonia. He said he was concerned it was cancer and that he was sending me to a pulmonologist who would do more tests. Only problem, it would be about a week before he could get an appointment. I learned very quickly that waiting during this whole discovery process was almost as painful as the cancer itself. Luckily, one of my runners who works at the pulmonology center was able to get me in the next day. 

The pulmonologist did a CT scan and confirmed that she also thought it was cancer. The next step was to determine the specific type of cancer. Initially, she thought it might be melanoma. In the past, I've had two melanoma removed, and because of that, it was a possibility it could have spread to my lungs. The doctor explained she'd need to do a biopsy to accurately identify the exact type of cancer. This time it was a week that I had to wait. Tik Tik Tik....I know lung cancer is not good. All sorts of things are running through my head. The biopsy went well, and it was almost another week later when I received that phone call, "Are you at home? Are you alone? You have Adenocarcinoma-lung cancer."

Seems like it was another week before I met with my oncologist, Dr. Mohamed. He told me
and my wife that I had Stage 4 Lung Cancer. It was in both lungs, more heavily concentrated in the lower right lung. The numbness crept back in. I remember the room beginning to blur-out to me. 

Dr. Mohamed was supportive, but very direct, saying this was not good. As my head began to clear, I asked the doc how I could have possibly gotten lung cancer. I’m not a smoker. I’m active, fit, and live a healthy lifestyle. He said about 20% of those who get lung cancer get it by being exposed to environmental factors such as being exposed to radon, asbestos, second-hand smoke, diesel fumes, extreme pollution, etc. None of which pertained to me. (We even got a radon tester to check the radon levels in our house and that wasn't the issue.) Then he said that for about 2% of those who are nonsmokers, there is no apparent/obvious cause. That was me.

Dr. Mohamed explained my treatment options. There are typically 4 treatment options: surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. Because the cancer was so evasive and in both lungs, surgery was not an option. (Down to three options.) Because I also have ulcerative colitis, immunotherapy was not an option. My colitis has been pretty much under control for several years, but because of that history, immunotherapy was not an option. (Down to two treatment options—chemotherapy and targeted therapy.)

Dr. Mohamed explained that Targeted therapy is a new therapy only available the past 2-3 years.  Targeted therapy does not work for everyone. It depends on whether the cancer itself has a specific genetic mutation. Nonsmokers who get lung cancer have a higher chance of the cancer having this mutation. If the mutation exists, then there’s a possibility that the mutation will have one of 11 different biomarkers. If it has one of these biomarkers, then Targeted treatment is an option. Biomarkers are what allows the cancer to grow and spread not only within the lungs but to other parts of the body and other organs as well. The treatment targets the specific biomarker keeping it from allowing the cancer to grow and spread, and helps to shrink the cancer.

We did the needed testing. To be prepared, in case the testing revealed my cancer did not have the genetic mutation and bio marker, I was slated for my first round of chemotherapy for the following Monday. Before the results came back, I also had a PET scan and a Brain MRI to see if the cancer had spread to other organs or other parts of the body. The results did show some cancer in the lymph nodes in my neck but otherwise it was localized within my lungs. While driving home one night with my wife after one of the scans, I got a phone call. It was Dr. Mohamed! He didn’t want to wait nor make us wait to tell me that he had received the results and my cancer did in fact have the genetic mutation as well as the best biomarker of the 11 (EGFR) and the best sub level marker (Exon 19), making it a best-case scenario for Targeted Treatment.

Soon thereafter, I began Targeted treatment with Tagrisso. It arrives at my house once a month in a Hazard bag. No one is supposed to touch it but me. Sounds scary, but it’s not. After the first week of treatment, I could tell a difference. It felt like one of many weights was lifted. I could breathe better. Now, after almost a year of targeted treatment, I’m doing so, so, so much better!

I started treatment at the beginning of March of 2023. By the end of March, I was able to start running again. I started with 1 mile. Each week I added a half mile to the run. It wasn’t pretty and it was slow going, but I made progress. In April of 2023, I ran in a 5K. I just wanted to know I could do it. It wasn’t about pace. It was about completion.

Adjusting to the “new normal” has been a challenge. When a 4-miler takes the same time you use to run a 6-miler, it plays with your head. I used to be a fairly speedy runner. My half marathon PR was a 1:30 and some change. I often tell my runners coming back from an injury to “Start where you are, not where you were, and you’ll get where you want to go.” I’ve reminded myself of that quite often over the past year. I’ve also come to realize that where I want to go, isn’t going to be where I was a few years ago, and that’s okay. I’m just so grateful to be able to do the things I love to do. Since that first 5K after starting targeted treatment, I’ve run two more 5Ks and a 10K. I even placed in my age-group for two of the races.

There are some side effects related to my targeted treatment. I’m very lucky that mine aren’t severe. The main side effects I deal with that affect my running are fatigue, muscle soreness, slowed recovery, muscle cramps, balance issues, and often intestinal issues. It also causes very dry skin, dry mouth, and brittle nails. All things I can definitely deal with.

Looking back, one of the things that really kept me focused on beating this cancer was not dwelling on the statistics. Actually, I just recently looked up the life expectancy stats for lung cancer. Here’s what I found:

In 2023, approximately 238,340 adults in the United States were diagnosed with lung cancer. 20% of all cancer deaths are caused by lung cancer, the biggest cancer killer worldwide. The national average of people alive five years after a lung cancer diagnosis is 26.6%. Just 19% of those diagnosed with stage 4 survive more than 12 months. According to the American Cancer Society, those with stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have a five-year relative survival rate of 9%. (Info from, The American Cancer Society, The American Lung Association, AstraZeneca and The Lung Foundation)

I have to say, I was quite taken back and glad I chose not to focus on that. My oncologist was the same, he focused on treatment and beating this cancer. Another factor in fighting this disease is the fact that I’ve been in good health the majority of my life. Being a nonsmoker increased my chance of having the genetic mutation. Also, being an otherwise healthy and fit individual has helped me so much in recovery. I know some may say, “Why bother? Look he’s fit and never smoked, but still got lung cancer.” But, I know I would not be as far along in recovery as I am now without having been a fit and healthy person. I am positive that being healthy and fit at whatever age plays a huge impact when thrown a curveball like cancer or other disease. Healthy and fit doesn’t mean being in the gym every day or running excessive miles. It does mean moving several times a week. It also helps with mental health which also takes a beating when going through something like cancer treatment.

A third factor bolstering the positive trend of my recovery is the support of so many in my immediate and extended family as well as my running family and community. That support has meant and continues to mean so much to me and I’m convinced that it has played a huge part in my recovery.

So, what lies ahead? Well, I’ve started training for the Coast Guard Half Marathon in late April. This training is much different from any other training I’ve ever done for a race. A major difference it that I have no written plan. Why? Because I have learned that my body will tell me each week what I can do. Having a written plan that I'm not able to follow week-to-week would only frustrate me. I try to run three days a week, but that doesn’t always happen. Some weeks, fatigue is a huge factor affecting whether or not I can run. My recovery time is much longer now. I need at least one recovery day in between each run, but often I need two or three. Training paces are not a factor either. Some runs I feel great and run with relative ease and other days, I’m a minute or two slower. I never really know what to expect, and I’m okay with that. I wasn’t initially, but I’ve come to realize how lucky I am and I appreciate every run. Accepting the new normal doesn’t me you’re not moving forward, it just means that forward movement is a bit different.

Targeted treatment isn’t a cure, but it’s a way to extend my life as well as the quality of my life much longer than with more traditional treatments. I'll continue to have CT scans about every three months to check  progress. My next scan is later this month. There can be long term effects related to the treatment for which I’ll continually be monitored. It’s actually a miracle that I’m here one year later. Three days ago, I celebrated my 59^th birthday. A year ago, I didn’t know if that would be possible. I guess you know what my birthday wish was and it will remain the same wish for years to come. I’ve got too much life left to live! Hope to see you out on the run! Trust. Believe. Conquer! 

Take Control at Any Age

The first time I had "Mary" do quick steps on the agility ladder, she got so frustrated that she couldn't make her feet do what she wanted to. I told her, "That's why we're doing these drills to help you get better mind muscle control." Second round of quick steps on the agility ladder in the same workout, she went so fast she almost lost control. When she finished she had the biggest smile on her face and said, I can't believe I just did that!" 

Mary who is 70, came to me not too long ago inquiring about fitness training. She shared with me that she had had breast cancer and had had a mastectomy. She said she wanted to do whatever to make herself as strong as possible. We decided on one-on-one training sessions, two times a week.

During our first workout, I asked Mary to get down on a mat on the floor for one of the exercises. She looked at me and said, "I have to get on the floor?" I replied, "Yes."  Then she said, "One of my biggest fears is falling and not being able to get up." I said, "That's exactly why we need to get on the floor. Getting up and down is part of the workout." 

After completing the exercise, I could see the difficulty, Mary had in getting up and a big part of it was not being confident in her ability to get up. So, I showed her how to bend her knee with her foot out front and how to distribute her weight so she'd have better balance when standing up. She did it perfectly and that same smile that I saw when she conquered the agility ladder appeared. 

At the first workout of her second week, Mary told me that she almost didn't come. She said she felt weak and a little lightheaded after the last workout and she almost talked herself out of coming back. But she came and we talked about it being normal to experience a fitness dip when adding new intensities to the body and about the importance of properly fueling and hydrating before and after a workout.

Mary's learned that lack of balance and muscle weakness doesn't entirely happen because of age, it has more to do with inactivity. We've worked on full-body strength as well as working lateral muscles such as her hip abductors to increase balance and that ladder to increase mind muscle control.  Mary is now doing dumbbell step-ups on a 16" step. Every time I increase the number of reps for an exercise or the weight for an exercise, she'll look at me to make sure she heard correctly and then she'll smile before doing the exercise.

Mary continues to conquer the ladder, get up and down with ease and is even starting to run. Even with cancer, Mary is taking control of her life. She's a true inspiration. 

Runner of the Week: David

This week's Runner of the Week is David Pittman. David has a great blog of his own and has a great story to tell about his own running milestones as well as the various reasons for his running. Read on to learn more about David.

RD: So, David, where are you from?

David: Originally from Central Indiana farmland (about 20 miles northwest of Indianapolis), now living in suburban Chicago

RD: Share a little about yourself. What do you do for a living? Hobbies?

David: My first job was as a high school English and journalism teacher, which is where my love for writing and telling stories originates, but for the last 21 years, I’ve been in high-tech marketing. Until this year, I worked mostly for small companies, but in February my 350-person company was acquired by 450,000-person IBM. I’m now part of “Big Blue”!

RD: How long have you been running?

David: Wow, it’ll be 36 years this fall. When did I get to be so old?!

RD: You and be both man! Been over 25 for me. Where did all that time go (or miles) go?

RD: What got you into running?

David: One day, my 7th grade basketball coach pulled me aside and said, “Son, as a basketball player, you’d make one heckuva runner.” At first I thought he was complimenting my fast-break abilities (I could fly!), but then I realized he was telling me I really wasn’t very good.

RD: What do you enjoy most about running?

David: Oh my, where to start? My health and well-being are important to me, and running keeps me fit and reasonably stress-free. I have an enormous sweet tooth - running keeps me from ballooning to the size of a VW Beetle.

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But what I enjoy most about running is the fact that I, like any other runner, can make a positive difference to other people. For the past eight years, I’ve run with the American Cancer Society’s DetermiNation team of runners and triathletes. In that time, I’ve raised over $45,000 to fight cancer. I originally joined the DetermiNation team as a way of dealing with my sister’s cancer having come out of remission. I knew I couldn’t cure Sharon's cancer myself, but I could provide funds that would help someone get to a treatment, or help a family cope with the stress of being care-givers, or help a researcher who might one day find a cure. [Click here] for more on this story. By the way, everybody always asks about my sister. She has once again kicked cancer into remission and is doing very well.

RD: What are your favorite training foods?

David: I’m not obsessive about any particular food. When I’m in the heavy training time for a marathon, my body just sort of naturally craves food that’s good for me -- fruits, veggies, yogurt -- and let's me know it doesn't appreciate my one true love: french fries. However, I do love me a good ribeye now and then!

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Before a race, any race, I eat a bagel with peanut butter (crunchy, by the way. I don’t even like to acknowledge the existence of “creamy”). After weekend morning runs, I love pancakes! Actually, to be more precise, I love pure maple syrup. Pancakes are just a very efficient and tasty syrup-delivery system.

RD: You and my wife have the cruncy peanut butter thing in common. I don't get it. LOL!

RD: Are you a lone runner or do you run with some buddies? What do you like about each?

David: I run most of my training miles by myself. My time running is when I solve the problems that seem insurmountable any other time, whether that’s how to meet a pressing deadline at work, or how to raise a teenage daughter, or how to convince my wife that I really need to go away for a long weekend in the Florida Keys to run a relay race with 5 other guys.

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When it's time to race, I really enjoy participating with friends and family. Several people in my extended family are runners: a brother-in-law, a niece and two nephews on my wife’s side, and two nephews on my side. We’re spread across four states, but we get together frequently at races, either to run with one another or to cheer on one or more of the others. We’re all very competitive and enjoy the occasional side bet on which of us will do best. Bragging rights can last a loooooong time.

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RD: What’s the funniest or oddest thing that’s happened to you while on a run?

David: I've had some good ones over the years, and most of them involve peeing.

Pee Story #1: Earlier this year, I had the honor(?) of running the Seven Mile Bridge leg of the Keys100 relay. This famous bridge is a two-lane road that is the only link between the keys and the Florida mainland. My relay leg started just after noon on a blisteringly hot, humid day. I had a 24-ounce bottle of water on my belt and carried another 24 ounce bottle in my hand. By the time I'd reached halfway across the bridge, I'd finished one bottle and had to pee ... badly! The end of the bridge was still about 30 minutes away. There I was, at the top of a bridge, with cars whizzing by in both directions -- and me peeing over the side.

Pee story #2: A couple of years ago I was preparing to run the local 4th of July 5K that I do every year. I had jogged a nice warm up then slammed a few cups of water. I glanced at my watch and saw there were 6 minutes till start time, so I sprinted over to a vacant port-o-let for one last squirt. When I was about halfway through, I heard the report of the starter's pistol. My watch said there were still 4 minutes to the gun! I finished as quickly as I could, then flew out the door and across the parkway just in time to be the very ... last ... person ... to ... start.

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RD: What’s your biggest running accomplishment? Why?
David: Without question, my biggest running accomplishment was recording a 3:28:42 at the 2009 Chicago Marathon. Why, because that broke the 3:30 time I needed to qualify for the Boston Marathon! I used to be a middle-of-the-pack guy. (In fact, of my 8 marathons, exactly half are over 4 hours.) Until 2008, I never thought I would ever have a chance of qualifying for Boston. But in 2005, I had surgery to repair an ACL I tore playing volleyball. I worked hard at rehab for a year, then ran the 2006 Marine Corps Marathon ... and finished in a very disappointing time.

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After that, I “retired” from marathons and focused on half-marathons. Whaddya know, I started getting faster. And faster. In December 2008, I ran 1:35:13 at the St. Jude’s Half Marathon in Memphis, beating my previous personal record by 8 minutes! At that point I thought, “Hey, if you continue to work hard, you can go to Boston!” For the next 10 months, my mantra was, “Three twenty-eight will be great.” When I crossed the finish line at Chicago and saw 3:28:42 on my watch ... wow, I can’t even describe how amazingly fantastic that felt. [Click here] for my race report.

RD: Do you have a favorite brand of running shoe? Which model? Why?

David: For two years, I’ve been “playing the field.” Right now I’m alternating between Asics 2150, Saucony ProGrid Omni and Mizuno Wave Inspire. My next pair is likely to be Saucony Kinvaras, but I am strongly considering going “barefoot” with Vibram FiveFingers KSO or Bikila.

RD: What’s your favorite race distance(s)? Do you have a favorite race you run each year?

David: For sheer enjoyment, I’m really into half marathons right now. They’re easy enough to train for without huge miles, but they’re also challenging. They also give you enough time and distance to enjoy a city. In the past seven months, I’ve run halfs in Texas, Arizona, Illinois, Indiana and Washington. My “go to” half is the Indy Mini Marathon. It’s the largest half marathon in the country; it’s back in my old stamping grounds; and it is, in my opinion, the best organized large race in the country. But for the ultimate feeling of accomplishment, give me a marathon. And for a marathon I would love to do every year, take me to Boston!

RD: If you were speaking to a group of non-runners or runner wannabes and trying to encourage them to run, what would you say?

David: You can do it. It doesn’t matter if you’re old, young, large, small, blind, have one leg or no legs. You can do it. IF ... you want to.Oh, and by the way, the feelings of self-confidence and accomplishment you will get from trying are soooo worth it!

RD: Open Mike: Share anything you‘d like about your running experiences, past accomplishments, goals, dreams….anything you haven’t previously shared.

David: My Twitter name is @DP_Turtle, and people often comment about my "pace" as a turtle. That's funny, and I really enjoy it. But truth is, pace is only 1/3 of the story behind the "turtle" name. Back in 2003, when Sharon's cancer returned and I decided to fight it through running, I came up with a "hook" to gain people's interest. (Hey, I'm in marketing - would you expect anything less?) Thus was born Turtles Against Cancer. The turtle metaphor has a three-pronged meaning:

1. My pace at the time was just enough to put me smack dab in the middle of the pack. While my speed has improved, I'm still no Meb or Ryan.
2. I likened the fight against cancer to the parable of the tortoise and the hare. We won't defeat cancer overnight, but slow and steady wins the race.
3. This is the best part - Sharon makes these delicious chocolate confections called turtles: pecans swimming in caramel and drenched in chocolate. Mmmmm! My big hook is for a donation of at least $50, you get a box of turtles. With Forrest Gump's box of chocolates, you never know whut yur gonna git, but with mine, you always know it's gonna be tasty!

Lastly, people occasionally ask me, "Don't you ever get tired of running?" or "When are you going to stop?" My answers are "No," and "When I die." I really love running. I love those days when I head out for a run by myself on one of my regular routes, then suddenly realize that I don’t quite know where I am. I've drifted so deeply into my thoughts that everything looks different. I love feeling strong and healthy. I love being within single digits of my high school graduating weight.I have two dreams for the future. In one, I'm standing on the starting line of a marathon, and people all around me are whispering "Man, that old guy looks great! I hope I can still run a marathon when I'm his age."

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The other dream involves my daughter. Last year, she joined the junior high cross country team. She loved it and is looking forward to this season. When I watch her run, I remember standing on the side of the road at mile 24 of the 2006 Marine Corps Marathon. As I stood there, waiting to cheer on my friends, I saw a beaming young woman in a yellow T-shirt that read, "I'm running with my dad." Alongside her was a man in his 60s, wearing an ear-to-ear smile and a yellow T-shirt, "I'm running with my daughter." In my dream, one day, I'm that dad.

Thanks for sharing your story David! You've given me inspiration that one day, I too will be at Boston! Be sure to check out David's blog!

Runner of the Week: Christopher Wilno

Over the past year-and-a-half of writing this blog, I've interviewed some amazing runners, like Grannie Annie who started running at 50 and by 66 had run her 70th marathon and at least one in each of the 50 states! Then there was Noah, who lost 60lbs in 5 months and who's being an awesome healthy role model for his young son and thousands of others who've heard his story. And now there's Christopher Wilno. Christopher has turned hardship and family tragedy into an amazing life journey and has inspired many a runner. Read on to find out more about his amazing story.

RD: Where are you from?

Christopher: In my head I am from Atlanta but at 43 years old, I have spent most of my time in Los Angeles. I was born in Florida, moved to Chicago for one year and then spent 4th-10th grades in Georgia. I moved to Los Angeles in 1982 and still reside there.

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RD: Share a little about yourself. What do you do for a living? Hobbies?
Christopher: Most of my career has been spent in Finance. I exited college in 1991 and entered the world of public accounting where I stayed until I was promoted to senior manager at KPMG. At that point, I left for a company that I helped to take public. From that point through 2008 I was always in a finance position as a controller, VP Finance or CFO. In April 2008, the company I worked for was acquired by Synnex, Inc. All of Finance was absorbed and, although I was offered a job within Finance it would have required a move to Northern California. I was not ready to uproot my family at that time so I turned it down. I was instead offered a position as Director of Product Management and have been in this role ever since managing a $1 billion portfolio of consumer electronics.

Outside of work, I love to run and bike. I am desperately trying to learn to love swimming but I am not there yet. I swim but it is work for me. I love all sports but primarily baseball, basketball and football.

Outside of work and my own training, much of my time is spent as a marathon coach for Team in Training. Coaching and fighting cancer is a big part of who I am. Since 2004, I have personally raised over $70,000 for Team in Training while completing 3 marathons, 2 Century rides and 3Triathlons (one of these was Ironman distance). I have completed more races than these but these are all the events for which I fundraised.

RD: How long have you been running?

Christopher: Depending on how you look at it, 27 years or 6 years.

RD: What got you into running?

Christopher: My very first exposure to running was in Atlanta as part of the wrestling team for my high school. It was very limited exposure but I mention it because it left a mark on me. I remember thinking there was a great deal of mental toughness needed to keep moving forward. When I later moved to Los Angeles, I dropped other winter sports and joined the cross country team. This move came out of nowhere but I think it ties to my exposure to the sport in Atlanta. Sometimes it only takes limited exposure to affect someone's life and a few miles in Atlanta made an impact on me. I ran cross country and track for my junior and senior years. In a short period of time, I was running 16 minute 5K's and sub 5 minute miles. As I think back, I am amazed at how fast a young body can adapt. I had horrible shoes and no idea what a good or bad time was. I just ran. I remember going out early into my running career with the more experienced folks on the team. It was a fartlek workout and about 5 miles in, these experienced runners turned around and I still remember the shock on their face to see I was still there. I remember that moment like it was yesterday. It was a moment that made me think I might actually be okay at this sport.

I wish I could say I stuck with running after high school but this did not happen. I stopped fairly cold turkey in 1984 and did not take up running again until 2004. I had always wanted to run a marathon and a series of events that hit my family over an 18 month period brought me the opportunity. In late 2002 my father was diagnosed with leukemia. I spent a lot of time flying from CA to South Carolina where my parents were to help support my Dad during this tough time. While he was battling, my wife became pregnant which was amazing. One unexpected blessing this news brought was providing my father another reason to keep fighting despite the torture chemotherapy was bestowing upon him. Unfortunately, on August 1, 2003, one day before the due date for Isabella Soleil Wilno and one day after my wedding anniversary, my little girl passed away before ever taking a breath on this planet. It was needless to say a awful day. My wife still endured labor knowing that the outcome was not going to be a happy one. I also had to make the toughest call of my life to tell my father that he would not be holding his granddaughter anytime soon. This marked a turning point for my father as he lost a little of that fight to live. Shortly after the loss of my daughter, my father was pronounced terminal and was given a few months to live. I quit my job and spent the next few months with my father. In January 2004, my father lost his battle.

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Shortly after his passing, my wife became pregnant again with my son Jaden and shortly after this she was diagnosed with cancer. We had the tough decision of risking our baby or my wife. We chose to fight the cancer after my son was born. I am happy to say that a few years later, my son Jaden is very healthy, my wife and I have had another child, Thalia and, although the cancer returned in November 2009, I am happy to say she is currently cancer free.

To take this back to running...during the final few weeks of my father's life, I decided that I would run a marathon. I have no idea why. I think it is because it is something I wanted to do but was always afraid to do. My father was always amazing at sports so it was my gesture to him...to attempt something beyond myself and do it to honor his life and all he did for me. To get started, I found a little store on Hilton Head Island, Go Tri Sports, and set off to buy shoes. When I got there, I walked in to meet the owner of the store. His name was Al...coincidentally my father’s name. I proceeded to tell him the story about my father and he handed me a purple and green flyer. This flyer was from Team in Training.......a program I knew nothing about. He was a coach and told me the program was to teach people to run a marathon while raising money to fight blood cancer....the disease that ultimately would take my father’s life. It was amazing. My desire to run a marathon for my father became even more meaningful now that I could raise money to fight back against this horrible disease. While a long story........this is my entry back into running after a 20 year break. I have been running and with Team in Training ever since. I am now a coach and try my best to give back and make a difference in people's lives and ultimately make a difference in this world.

RD: What do you enjoy most about running?

Christopher: There are so many things I like about running which ties to all the reasons that I run and ties to my coaching with Team in Training. From a personal perspective, I really feel whole when I am running. Running, and training in general as I try to stay Triathlon fit, really defines who I am. It is in many ways an escape for me...not an escape from reality but a way to work things out, leave stress from a long day on the road and be fit for my family. It is a sport that theoretically does not get easier because you are always pushing yourself to go faster or farther. It may get easier to run a certain pace, but when your body adapts...you go faster so you are constantly challenged. Running builds mental toughness and really tests who you are as a person.

While this may sound a little odd, running keeps me somewhat connected to my losses. This was very true right after I lost my daughter and father. When I was running, I felt like I was with them. I felt like they would come join me on the road and keep me safe. It probably ties to the Team in Training experience because when I was tired or sore, I had my daughter, father and wife's battle to keep me in focus and drive me to push forward. I remember my first marathon finish line well. I was having a bad day and had to draw on every bit of my story to push forward. I crossed the finish line, found my wife and burst into tears. I felt like my daughter and Dad were there at the finish line to share the moment and to this day I like to think my Dad takes a break from some golf course in Heaven, grabs my little girl and comes down to watch me cross every finish line.

I also enjoy running because I think the community of runners is amazing!!! Everyone is so supportive of each other and supportive of those that are thinking about entering the sport. I think we are a welcoming bunch because we know the impact that running can have on one's life. As part of Team in Training, I have seen running change lives and even save lives. Yes, some of this change is tied to fitness and health but I think it goes well beyond this. I have seen running get someone off the couch that didn’t think they could make a difference in the world. I have seen running get someone out of the despair caused by the loss of a husband to murder. I have seen running teach so many that we are capable of anything we set our minds to. I keep all of this close to my heart every time I set out for a run. When I go around my neighborhood and see someone running that I know wasn’t running the month before, I like to think I might have had an impact on their decision to hit the road simply by seeing some else take those steps first.

People come to Team in Training for many different reasons and I think many of these reasons apply to running in general. Some come because they are overweight and need something to kick start their life. Some come because they are tired of hearing society tell them what can’t be done. Some come because of some personal hardship that they believe running can help them push beyond. Some come simply to meet new people. Running can meet every one of these needs. It can be the catalyst that leads you to a different lifestyle. It can teach you what you CAN do. It can help you work through and past hardship and it certainly can take you to some amazing people.

RD: What are your favorite training foods?

Christopher: I am probably not the best to ask about food because I am not the healthiest eater in the world. I have always been very skinny and struggled to gain weight but during my first Ironman this became exponentially worse. I was training so hard that I was losing weight. I compensate, I ended up eating 5,000 to 6,000 calories a day just to maintain. To this day, I still eat quite a lot of food and have not quite figured out how to eat that much and have all the calories be good for you. Don’t get me wrong…..I am not eating candy all day but I certainly am not afraid to pull out some Ben & Jerry’s S’mores flavored ice cream and down a pint.

When I am actually running, I train with Gu (Vanilla or plain flavor), Shot Bloks (all flavors), and Nuun sports drink. I also lose a lot of salt when I workout so I supplement the above with Endurolyte Electrolyte replacement pills. On the bike, the only thing I do differently is that I use Carbo Pro in my Nuun sports drink to supplement carbs and calories.

After a long workout.........I eat whatever I want. I will always get some type of strange craving on long runs or rides and will eat to that craving. During training for one of my recent races, the last 5 weeks of hard training lead me to a Chili cheese dog, fries and a root beer float. My son was very grateful for this craving!

RD: 5,000-6,000 calories...and skinny....a lot of people aren't liking you right now. LOL!

RD: Are you a lone runner or do you run with some buddies? What do you like about each?
Christopher: I lead a very busy life so most of the training I do for myself is solo and at very odd hours. I work 60-70 hours a week and I coach and am a Dad and am a husband so I try to train at hours that interfere as little as possible with the rest of my life. There are very few people that want to run at 11pm or 4am so I generally am on my own.

My group runs come on Sundays as part of coaching for Team in Training. Most of my teams are approximately 100 or so athletes and I try to spend time with everyone on the team.

RD: What’s the funniest or oddest thing that’s happened to you while on a run?

Christopher: When I am training for an event, I will not let anything get in the way of my workouts. During one season, I was scheduled to get in a 19 mile run but it conflicted with my friend’s wedding. This particular wedding was held on a Friday night and ended sometime around midnight. While my wife thought I was insane, along with everyone else at the wedding, I wore my running clothes under my suit. When the wedding was over, my wife dropped me off near the beach with a fuel belt and off I went for a long run home. My path home happened to take me past every bar in Southern California. Needless to say, between midnight and 2am there are a lot of drunk people at the bars. On this particular night they all seemed to be out on the patios as I ran by. I must have heard 'Run Forrest Run' no less than 50 times. It was the drunk battle cry of the evening.

RD: What’s your biggest running accomplishment? Why?

Christopher: From an overall perspective, my biggest accomplishment is being a coach for Team in Training. It is amazingly rewarding and a way to honor the losses and battles that brought me to running. To have the ability to affect lives is a blessing I do not take lightly. I have been a part of teams that in total have brought no less than 500 people across the finish line and combined we have raised millions of dollars to fight cancer.

From a personal perspective, I would say the slowest marathon of my career is my biggest accomplishment. It was part of my first Ironman. It was 100 degrees for the race and I do not do well in heat. I cramped so bad on the bike that I actually fell over from the pain causing me an inability to pedal. I sat for about 30 minutes with my bike and I only left at news that medical was on their way to see me. I was afraid they would shut down my day and I was not going to let that happen. I fled the scene despite horrible cramps and made my way to the bike finish. I remember heading out onto the run and hearing my wife offer words of praise telling me "You've got this Baby". I remember looking at her shrugging my shoulders because I really did not know if my future held an Ironman finish. I tried to run but it did not take long before my legs went into horrible cramps. A lot of folks were having bad days. The dropout rate was very high from the oppressive heat. I fell down on many occasions from the pain but I always managed to pick myself back up and keep going. I experimented with every run-walk interval combination I could think of and sadly ended up at a 30 second run - 2 minute walk......this was all my body could handle. It was pitch black before I could hear the crowds cheering letting me know I was near the finish. I remember some guy in the crowd yelling those infamous words you hear near the end of a race "Great job, you are almost done". I remember going right up to him, grabbing his shirt and asking exactly where the finish line was. I was very close to a complete collapse and was trying to make sure that collapse did not happen until I crossed the finish line. This kind gentleman clarified the location of the finish line so when I felt it was safe….. I started running it in. I gave a few high 5's but realized quickly this was a bad idea as I almost fell down from the impact. Four hours after I should have finished the Ironman, at just under 16 hours, I crossed the finish line and was crowned an Ironman. About 2 feet after crossing the finish line I collapsed and was carried to the medical tent. I remember a pain I didn’t think possible from cramps alone. It took four people to seize my muscles while I clung to an iron gate writhing around. My time on this particular day was not anything to be proud of but I did not give up when many people would have. On this day, I lost 16 pounds which is a lot of anyone let alone someone as skinny as I am. My body just shut down and, honestly, it was a mess for a few weeks into the future. It was this race that led me to preach that it is not always your fastest time you are most proud of.

RD: Do you have a favorite brand of running shoe? Which model? Why?

Christopher: I wear Saucony Grid Hurricanes. I have been through many shoes and this has been the best performer for me. I pronate and don’t have the best feet so I prefer both motion control and cushion. If I am not running but like to kick it in some running shoes I will wear K-Swiss K-Ona shoes.

RD: What’s your favorite race distance(s)? Do you have a favorite race you run each year

Christopher: Marathon is my favorite distance because of the mental and physical challenge it requires to finish. I coach both the half and full marathon and am proud of the finishers of both distances. I just find the journey to the marathon finish much more challenging and, as such, much more rewarding. On any given day you can kick the marathon's ass, but on any other given day, the marathon can kick yours. I truly believe that 26.2 miles can change your life!

RD: If you were speaking to a group of non-runners or runner wannabes and trying to encourage them to run, what would you say?

Christopher: I would first say to be patient when starting into the sport. It takes 4-6 weeks for your body to adapt and for you to see positive results. As a coach for Team in Training, the hardest part of the season is the first few weeks because of the initial struggle folks have in the transition from non runner. If your very first run is a struggle, how could you possibly finish 26.2 miles. This is natural conclusion, but far from the truth. The world is not a different place on your second run or your third run or even your fourth run. In 4-6 weeks, however, you will go out for a run and, 3 miles into that run, will realize that it was remarkably easier than that first workout of your running career. It is at this point that you will start to get joy out of running. It is also at this point that you can first see the affects running will have on your life. You ran 3 miles and your entire being was full of doubt but you pushed through that self doubt and made it happen. This happens time and time again over the course of training for any race. Doubt comes and you learn to shove it aside. This thought process begins to invade all that you are. People tell you something is not possible and you shove them out of the way to show the world anything is possible. If you trust that all this can come from running, why not start running today!

RD: Open Mike: Share anything you‘d like about your running experiences, past accomplishments, goals, dreams….anything you haven’t previously shared.

Christopher: The only thing I would like to add that although some of my circumstances above are tough to read and sad in nature, I am not one to focus on negative. The events above taught me that blessings come from even the worst of times. Yes my daughter passed away and yes it was and continues to be something that can bring a tear to my day but the event also gave my father comfort when it was his time to go. He believed that he would get to meet Isabella and that made his exit from this world much more tolerable. Isabella’s passing also led to a lot of tests that ultimately led to the discovery of my wife’s cancer. If she had not passed, my wife’s cancer could have kept growing undetected. This cancer could have ultimately cost my wife’s life. I like to believe that my little girl knew all of this and volunteered for heaven.

Cancer taking my father’s life was also a sad moment but also brought with it many blessings. It brought me back to running. It brought me to some amazing people and it brought me to an amazing organization where I have affected many lives. I like to think that cancer regrets it’s decision to attack my father because it picked the wrong guy’s son to mess with.
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So, if some sadness or hardship enters your life, please be patient. The blessing or blessings may not immediately present themselves but I am confident they will appear. Keep your head up and your eyes open. You are where you are meant to be.

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Thanks Chritopher for sharing your amazing story! You truly are an inspiration! Be sure to follow Christopher on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Run2SaveLives! For more information on Team in Training, [click here].

RunnerDude's Runner of the Week: Joe—Part 2

Yesterday I posted the first half of an interview that Lara from Saturday Morning Zen conducted with Joe, the amazing marathoner and blogger who is running two marathons in thirteen days as a cancer fundraiser for his friend Dom. This is the second half of the interview. When you’re done reading, please consider clicking over to Run For Dom and donate by sponsoring a mile of one or both of Joe’s marathons.

Lara: These are Dom’s Lessons, then. We can do so much more than we thought we could, because we’re healthy, and we’re alive. That seems like a pretty good message to impart.
Joe: Agreed, Lara. I think we all have times in our life that we thing about being a better “me”. This really was a wake-up call for me that life is really precious – the most precious thing that there is – and whatever I can do to honor Dom and help his family get through this challenge so he can see his kids grow up, help make a dent in their medical bills or contribute to the kids’ college funds… This is a small price to pay for the lesson I was taught this August.

Lara: People can support your efforts by sponsoring a mile in either Boston or Pittsburgh, or both. How would they do that?
Joe: We’ve had people donate anywhere from $26.20 ($1/mile) for one race, $52.40 ($1/mile) for both races and have sponsored an individual mile for a $100 donation and above. The “Sponsor a Mile” initiative has been really neat as a friend, family, sisters etc. can pick out a mile of either marathon that they want to “name”. The donors are listed on my blog and right now there are 7 miles that are unclaimed for Boston, and 9 unclaimed miles for Pittsburgh. I’m going to have the “Sponsor” lists with me on the course so I can think about the people who have donated while I race. Just today, a friend of mine from Alabama sponsored mile 24 at Boston. He asked if I would play the song “Maniac” on my iPod during “his” mile. It’s moments like that over the course of 26.2 miles or 3 hours and 20 minutes (give or take a few) that you draw on for a quick smile or some encouragement to keep pushing when the race gets tough. 26.2 miles is a challenging distance that really tests every runner at some point, and the more friends that I can have with me along the way, the better!

Lara: You mention “Maniac” will be on your Playlist; what else will get you through the miles? And, can someone suggest a song for you?
Joe: Absolutely! I am always looking for new music and would enjoy the encouragement. It’s funny; I have music I run to, and music I listen to – and their paths do not cross very often. I listen to faster, “louder” music when I’m running; Green Day, The Clash, Social Distortion, but I’m much more mellow when I’m just hanging around the house. Then, I listen to Bruce Springsteen and Pat Green. I have a funny story about music and racing. I’m originally from Philadelphia where Rocky isn’t just a character; he really exists in the collective minds of Philadelphians. For the Pittsburgh Marathon last year I wanted the theme from Rocky to come up in my list right around mile 20 based on my Boston qualifying pace. I hit it really perfect and was about .35 miles into mile 20 when it came on my Nano. I was running next to a guy for a couple of miles who was also trying for a Boston Qualifying Time, and we had chatted a bit. He was 10 years younger than me and needed to run a sub 3:10 to qualify (I needed sub 3:20, one of the few benefits of being a 41 year-old marathoner at the time). When the song came on he caught me smiling and asked me why. I told him that the theme from Rocky just came on my earphones. He looked me dead in the eye and said, “Dude, can I listen?” It was the funniest moment of that race and I remember it like it was yesterday. Unfortunately a BQ (Boston Qualifying Time) was not in the cards for him that day, even though he was a really strong runner. If he hasn’t made that time already, I know he will.

Lara: HA! I can just imagine him running next to you, wanting to share your earbuds! That’s a great visual… two hot, sweaty guys running along in silence, connected by a cord of technology that’s jammin’ out the theme song from Rocky…
“Runners are passionate people by nature, and nobody knows how to make a difference like runners do.”
Joe: That’s the part that is so great about races. There are only a handful of people actually competing against each other – everyone else is competing against themselves, which is what makes it such a great experience. I actually dropped one of my water bottles around mile 13 and knew I couldn’t go back for it because I was trying for that specific time. About 50 strides later a runner tapped me on my shoulder and handed me my water bottle. He had sprinted to catch up to me when he saw me clap my hands in a bit of anger when it hit the pavement… that’s what it’s all about. I think about him as well a lot. He helped me to my 3:17:43 time also. Marathoning is a sport that everyone thinks is a “solo-mission” but the fact is nobody is alone out there.

Lara: That’s pretty accurate for the adventure of life, as well… we all think we’re so alone, and we don’t always realize just how many people are truly supporting us. Which leads to my next question: You’re “Joe” from Joe_RunForDom. Are there other people out there who have offered to dedicate a marathon to Dom as well?
Joe: Great question Lara – I just got an e-mail this week from a young woman who is a friend of Dom’s brother Matt. She and three of her friends are going to run the Relay portion of the Pittsburgh Marathon and are going to be getting folks to support Run for Dom through their efforts. I’ll be getting another page set-up for them at www.runfordom.com under the “other fundraising efforts” tab, and donors will be able to keep up with them as well. I’m hoping that a few more runners or running groups want to get involved – with the races now 9 and 11 weeks away respectively – now is the time to get cracking if we are going to do it.

Lara: And what about people that aren’t able to run Boston or Pittsburgh? Can they run solo or form a Relay team in another race and have that count as a fundraiser for Dom?
Joe: Absolutely! That’s one of the amazing things about runners; we are always looking for a cause to run for. Runners are passionate people by nature, and nobody knows how to make a difference like runners do. I would love to have as many friends and supporters as we can find toe the line for Dom. He is truly a remarkable young man. I refer to him as “All-Time” because that is what he is. All-time. He’s had more than 9,700 visitors to his personal page that’s hosted by the Caringbridge organization. I wish more people could really get to know Dom as I do. I know that if our roles were reversed, there isn’t a thing in the world he wouldn’t do for my wife Dawn and me.

Lara: It sounds like you’ve known him a long time.
Joe: My wife Dawn has known Dom basically their entire lives. She and I have been together for 15 years and married for 10. I’ve known Dom since Dawn and I first started dating. I met him in the parking lot of a Pittsburgh Steelers playoff game. He was there with a ton of his buddies at the tailgate and I really only knew Dawn. Dom spent a couple of hours talking to me and getting to know me when he could have been hanging out with all of his buddies. I’ve never forgotten that about Dom; because Dawn was such a close and important person in his life, he wanted to get to know me, because I must be pretty special too. Funny thing is, it was Dom who was the special one.

Lara: You’re pretty humble about that. I have a feeling it was more about “kindred spirits” recognizing each other.
Joe: Maybe Lara, maybe. All I know is that I plan on him being around for a long, long time.

Lara: Is Dom going to be at the Pittsburgh race finish line?
Joe: (Laughs) I’m actually angling for his mother to cook my pre-race meal on Saturday night, too. With a name like D’Eramo, you know the pasta is legendary!

Lara: That’ll be the best pre-race meal you’ve ever had! (Laughs)
Joe: And her Christmas eve dinner this year was incredible.

Lara: Speaking of family, how’s Dom’s family doing with his illness? You said he has a wife and two small kiddos…

Joe: It’s been really hard. His wife, Val, is doing a great job keeping Dom’s spirits high, but when you’re recovering from such an aggressive surgery there are plenty of tough days. His kids provide a pretty big energy boost for him though. Sierra is 3 ½ and is completely adorable. She actually took my blood pressure with her doctor’s kit when I was there at Christmas! And Nico is 9 months old now is such a cute little guy. He was the recipient of the first baby bottle I’ve ever provided. True!

Lara: I can only imagine that there are so many family and friends rallying around this family. It seems only right that with all the good thoughts, energy, medical treatment and will, that he’s going to get better. It’s almost too much to think of the alternative. He HAS to get better.
Joe: Absolutely. On Christmas Eve a few months ago, when all his friends and family held hands to say grace it made a circle around the entire downstairs of his parents’ house. Kitchen to living room to dining room to hallway and back to the kitchen – it was pretty amazing to be a part of that circle of love.

Joe is raising money for Dom’s cancer treatment. People can sponsor a mile for Boston or Pittsburgh, or both. Donations have ranged from $1/mile in one race to $100+ for a particular mile in one of the races. People are putting together Relay teams and raising funds for Dom’s battle to kick cancer’s ass to the curb. All of this is so that in a few years, Dom will be there to pick his kids up from kindergarten.

You can visit Dom’s personal site on Caringbridge.com’s website and offer good wishes to him and his family. To sponsor a mile, visit RunForDom.com and Donate. [Click here] for more info on linitis plastica.

RunnerDude's Runner of the Week: Joe

This week's RunnerDude's Runner of the week interview comes from a guest blogger, Lara. Lara is a runner and host of her own blog Saturday Morning Zen. Lara interviewed an awesome runner named Joe. Joe is on a very special mission and he's using his running to help achieve that mission. Read on to find out more about Lara and Joe.

Sometimes you meet a person and there’s just something about them that strikes a chord. Maybe it’s the way they thoughtfully answer a colleague’s question, or how they offer sincere encouragement to their students, or even how they rush to hold the door when someone is fumbling with their heavy load.

With the advent of social media and the Internet, some people we get to know and love are folks that we’ve never actually met face to face. Social media is so inter-connected that you can become friends with someone through Twitter, Facebook, DailyMile, and the blogosphere. This is how I met Joe Marruchella.

I came across Joe’s blog by way of a comment he left on ChicRunner.com, a blog we both visit regularly. Struck by the thoughtful way he commented on a post, I clicked on his name, landed on his site, and started reading. After I finished reading the entry I got up to walk around and clear my head, then came back to read it again.

The premise of his blog is simple; Joe’s dear friend Dom was recently diagnosed with a horrible form of cancer. To raise money and awareness for Dom, Joe is running two marathons in thirteen days. He had already qualified for the Boston Marathon when Dom was diagnosed with cancer last summer, so Boston is the first of his two marathons. Dom lives in Pittsburgh, the place where Joe met his future wife who also happens to be a close friend of Dom’s. So it made sense for Joe to choose to run the Pittsburgh Marathon. All signs point to Dom being at the finish line in Pittsburgh this Spring.

A lot of people get cancer. Every person that is affected by this brutal disease has a compelling story. The first thing about Joe’s blog that stood out was the title; “Joe is Running for Dom”. His name on Twitter and DailyMile is Joe_runfordom. He has linked his online identity to Dom’s as a way of raising awareness and funds for his friend’s cancer treatment. I’ve seen this from parents whose child is seriously ill, but never from a friend.

Over the past two months I’ve been a faithful reader of Joe’s blog, following both his marathon training and Dom’s progress and set-backs. With Joe’s first marathon only six weeks away, I approached him and asked if he’d be willing to do an interview with me. He graciously accepted, and now I’m honored to share the content of the interview with the world at large. It is my hope that a few people will be as moved as I have been by this story and will sponsor a mile or two, for Dom.

Due to the length of the interview, this will be posted as a two-part story.

Lara: Joe, you surprised me when you said that you weren’t always a runner, and that there was a period in your life where you called yourself “Fat Joe”. How did you turn from “Fat Joe” into the amazing runner that you are now?
Joe: Well, “Fat Joe” made an appearance when I turned 34 (I’m 42 now). I was traveling for work about 35-40% of the time, eating late meals, not exercising and the food quality was not the greatest… lots of big meals, desserts and the like. I’m 5′ 8″ and at one point weighed 176 lbs. Not good! The worse part was I just didn’t feel healthy. I was always an athlete growing up, playing baseball, basketball, football – but never running. I didn’t even know how to start. But I was determined to do something about my weight and lose a few pounds before going on a vacation to the Outer Banks in 2005. I started walking on my lunch hour which gradually morphed into running 1/2 mile, walking 1/2 mile… by that fall I was running three miles about 4 times a week. I changed my diet (which included swearing off all fast food, which I am proud to say I have not had a single fast food meal in about 5 years). I stopped drinking Coca-Cola, cut a few other things from my diet, and the pounds came flying off. Now, my race weight is about 137 pounds and my body fat percentage is about 6.3 percent.

Lara: You sound incredibly healthy! You dropped 39 pounds and a lot of body fat; when did you decide to start racing?
Joe: Great question! I was on the road traveling with the CEO of my company, who is a great mentor and friend. He caught me coming into the hotel from my morning run in NYC and asked how my run went. I told him it was “okay”. He then asked why it was “only okay”; didn’t I enjoy it? I told him not really, I was only running because we had eaten a big dinner the night before and I needed to burn some calories. He said that the reason I didn’t enjoy running was because to me running was punitive. I needed to run for a reason OTHER than burning calories. That I should in fact run a race, and not any old race, a big race – a MARATHON! I honestly thought he was crazy. But when he talked about the experience that he had – it started to sound not only possible, but truly amazing. I flew back to Texas the next day and during the flight home I decided that I was going to train for a marathon. The second I walked in the door I told my wife what I was going to do, and dove headfirst into trying to figure out the first steps; how to train, who to listen to, etc. I remember my run that Saturday morning (my next run) – which in a lot of ways was really my “first run”. I had a purpose, I had a goal and I absolutely loved it. It was only 4-miles, but it honestly changed me from “a guy who runs” to “a runner”. I am so grateful that my CEO took the time to talk with me that day.

Lara: So you’re saying that it took a literal “Reason to Run” to make a difference in how you approached the thing that you did for your health.
Joe: Absolutely; having a reason really provided a great perspective. It was my ATTITUDE toward the activity, not the activity itself that needed to be adjusted. Don’t get me wrong; I like rest days – they are an important part of training and they help you get stronger and stronger as a runner. Without a break every now and then you are only tearing your body down and not giving it a chance to come back stronger. But I LOVE my run days. I could hardly get to sleep last night looking forward to this morning’s 16-miler. I know that sounds a little crazy, but 100% true.

Lara: And now, you’re running for Dom, a friend of yours who has cancer.
Joe: You bet Lara, and I’ll tell you that this one hit me like a ton of bricks. Up until this point I had been pretty fortunate that the people that I am close to are healthy. Other than a scare with my father about five years ago (who is doing great and turned 81 this month – Go Dad!) I have not had a lot of health-related challenges in my life. Last August my wife called me in tears because our friend Dom had just being diagnosed with cancer. He’s 39 years old and has a wife and two little ones at home. I felt like someone put a hundred-pound weight on my chest. I spent the better part of a week trying to make sense of it – but as you can imagine, there really is no sense to make of it. I felt like I had to do something to help Dom and his family as he was in literally the fight for his life. I was on a Sunday long-run of about 10 miles, not training for a race in particular (I had just completed the Pittsburgh Marathon three months before getting the news about Dom). He was actually one of the friends and family members to come to the post-race breakfast in Pittsburgh that day. On my 10-miler I kept thinking about how great it would be to go back to Pittsburgh in 2010 and run Dom’s hometown race. But with it being only 13 days after the Boston Marathon that I had worked so hard to qualify for.. what could I do? I remember the exact spot on the trail that I have run literally hundreds of times when I thought “Why not run them both? Why can’t I run Boston and then Pittsburgh 13 days later?” If you want big rewards you have to take big risks. If I could put myself out there and take on a challenge like that, surely people out there would be interested in hearing about Dom’s battle and support me in honoring him. That’s how Run for Dom started; on an August morning in Austin at Brushy Creek Park, down by the lake.

Lara: What kind of cancer does Dom have?
Joe: Dom has linitis plastica which is a rare, invasive cancer that attacks the organs. Dom’s stomach and spleen were affected the most. His initial diagnosis was very bleak; 100% mortality rate and not a long life expectancy. After visiting several specialists he found his doctor at Pittsburgh Medical who is a pioneer with this type of cancer. In December Dom underwent successful surgery that was quite invasive. His stomach and spleen were removed, along with parts of his intestine and parts of a few other adjoining organs. He had a Hot Chemotherapy Bath that bathed all of the areas affected, and is now approaching the second of three chemotherapy treatments and that will mark the end of his treatment course. His PET Scan three weeks ago was 100% clean. His doctor is extremely happy with the results from the surgery, but Dom is really struggling with nutrition now. He has a lot of pain and nausea when he eats and/or drinks, so since his surgery in December, he gets most of his nutrition through a feeding tube. It takes him about eight hours to take in 2,000 calories. After my 16 mile run this morning, I ate almost that much at breakfast… unbelievable.

Lara: I have to pause here because this is hitting me pretty hard. It’s incredibly difficult for a healthy person to imagine the intensity of this disease. Dom is 39 years old and is supposed to be in the prime of his life.
Joe: I know Lara; it makes me so thankful to be healthy and able to do pretty much whatever I want, whenever I want. What the hell was I doing eating McDonald’s Double Cheese-burgers and lying around the house. FAIL!

Lara: So this is a wake-up call of sorts; health can be pretty fleeting. When you go out on your training runs for the purpose of running two marathons in 13 days, is it possible that you’re giving yourself the health and exercise that Dom can’t have? If you BOTH can’t have it, at least one of you is living the healthy life?
Joe: That’s an interesting point Lara; I’ll tell you one thing that has changed about my training runs that I attribute to training for Dom. There is a hill along one of the routes I run, it is a really good hill to train on because it forces you to practice running downhill for almost a full kilometer with not a single flat place. It’s steep enough that you have to lengthen your stride, but not too steep that you have to “brake” the entire way down. It’s perfect practice for the start of the Boston Marathon where the early portions of that race can really destroy the quadriceps over the first few downhill miles. Up until I started training for RFD (Run For Dom) I had run up that hill exactly one time. It seemed unfair. Too steep, too long, no breaks, no recovery. Since I started my 16-week to Boston, 18-week to Pittsburgh training schedule I run up that hill every Sunday and I place it in the last 1/4 of whatever distance I am going. I run that hill now and think only about Dom. How if, given the chance, wouldn’t he relish that hill? Would he celebrate it? Run up it and at the top, laugh to himself at just how easy that was compared to the other things he is going through? So that’s what I do now once a week. That hill gets shorter and shorter, flatter and flatter every time I go up it. Heartbreak Hill in Boston at mile 21? I’ll have a little something for that one when the time comes.

For the 2nd half of the interview, [click here.]

How Running Changed My Life: Danica's Story

Danica is a fellow Twitter friend of mine as well as a frequent visitor of the blog. She has an amazing story about her courageous mom's battle with cancer and how running helped Danica gain back some normalcy in her life after the passing of her mom. Here's Danica's story in her own words:

"I share a story that I never thought would be my life. I never imagined any of the things in my life would happen to me, and that I would be 'that girl', but through it all running has helped me grow and reflect on so many different aspects of my life, that without it, I don't even know where I would be today. I begin with a background.

My sophomore year of high school, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was on and off treatment including chemotherapy and radiation all throughout my high school and beginning of my college years. She was never horribly sick, but she was tired, and took many more naps and cut back on her 40 hour work weeks volunteering at the Christian school I went to growing up. If any of you met my mom, you would know instantly that she was a fighter. She was so stubborn and she bullied the cancer to have her life stay as consistent as it was before she was diagnosed.

I went to many doctor appointments with her, and once I moved away to college, we became very close. This time really allowed me to see the core of my mom, the person she was, her beliefs, her thoughts, and her wishes and it made me see who I wanted to become.

In March of 2006, the doctor came back after some testing and told her and my father that she had three to six months to live. Three weeks later she passed away. I spent those last three weeks in an abyss of artificial smiles and complete confusion. I had no idea what was happening, or how I would handle everything, and once the reality hit, she was already gone.

I was exhaustively lost after that happened. I had been running every year in high school and off and on in college. I completely stopped running. I stopped functioning. I couldn't get one foot to go in front of the other, none the less make my legs follow. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't eat. Everything had lost flavor and I had lost interest in life.

One day, I decided that it was time that I stop wallowing in my confused state, and get my life back together. I was still going to school at the time, and decided that I had to finish out the semester, after dropping one class. I finished my 18 units, but I was still very lost.

I felt like I didn't want to run because it was something I did when my mom was alive. Though I absolutely hated her at my cross country races, and I hated her watching me run track, and even hated her watching me sit the bench while on the soccer team, I wanted her there for me. I wanted to know she would be there when I got home from my run. I wanted to see her again and I felt like running was something that I couldn't do again, it wasn't apart of me anymore.

It came to me one morning. I needed it. I wanted it still. I wanted the consistency, and I wanted the control. This was when I went out once again, and found the comfort of the road under my feet. The first run I completed after she passed was a short three miler, and once I got under the cover of the brush around me, I broke down and just cried as I ran, but nothing had ever felt so good. I had consistency again, I had a path in front of me, and I had something that no one could ever take away from me.

I had breath in my lungs and with tears streaming down my cheeks, I just ran. I allowed myself to hurt, and to feel again, and I allowed myself to think. To think about the changes, about the future. It was a time of thinking. After that run, I didn't run again for a while, life got in the way, but since then, I have realized that running through the hardest times in your life, gives you something that you control. You can do it. You can come back to it. You can make a change, but you have to choose too.

So granted, I also went to counseling, and did a lot of prayer during this time, obviously, but I know, without running the biggest transition of my life wouldn't have led me to the story I have today, to the outlook I have today, or the attitude I have today. So many people tell me they are so sorry, and I am sorry too, but I can't change that, and I am lucky that I got to see a great example of what I want to become one day, and learn so many life lessons at such a young age.

Sometimes I look back at my short life thus far, and think about things that could have changed, or could be different, but I know that God had this all happen for a reason, so I got it to take it and run with it. —Danica

Thanks Danica for sharing such an inspirational story. Be sure to check out Danica's awesome blog The Chic Runner. Danica has decided to take on an awesome challenge. She's decided to do the Avon Los Angeles 2 Day Breast Cancer Walk. This is 39 miles in 2 days throughout the Long Beach Area. In order to take part, Danic's needs to raise sufficient funds. To help Danica reach her fundraising goal [click here].