Before get to today’s post ….
What with the end of the school year and all of the concerts and graduations and class parties and locker clean-outs, the Ragnar Adirondack giveaway deadline might have snuck up on you like it did on us. Guess what? We’ve extended it to June 30! More info about how to enter right here.
And, now, on with our post.
Hi, I’m Katie. I’m many things: a mom, a wife, a professional, an AMR team member, and I’m also a breast cancer survivor. I’ll be sharing my story here on Another Mother Runner as I get back into a regular running routine and train for a half marathon. I hope you’ll come along. Feel free to ask questions or share your thoughts in the comments section below.
I have a confession, the longest I’ve ever run is a 10K and I’ve been running off and on for years. It’s a combination of a few things: I really haven’t had a desire to run longer than that, I always feel like I don’t have enough time because of the kids, work, etc., and perhaps the real reason is I never thought I could do it.
The first year I ran the Bolder Boulder was in 2015, shortly after we moved to Colorado from NYC. While I’m being totally honest, I ran this race after a 5 year hiatus of consistent running, due to pregnancies, nursing, laziness — the list goes on and on. It was such a fun race. Almost 50,000 people run 6.2 miles through the streets of adorable (and weird Boulder) and end the race in Folsom Field, the University of Colorado’s football stadium. I’m proud to say that I beat my husband by a few seconds that year. #girlpower
2016 was another great race. I was slower than 2015, but didn’t care. It was just fun to be out there on another gorgeous Colorado morning. Little did I know how much my life would change just 6 weeks later.
Fast forward to 2017. I was hesitant to sign up because I honestly didn’t think I would be able to finish. I had taken off the 4 weeks prior to the race because of my implant surgery and my surgeon said there “was no way I would be able to race.” Well, that’s all the motivation I needed. As my parents can attest to, the best way to motivate me is to tell me I CAN’T do something.
On race day, Dan and I packed the kids up at 5 in the morning and made the short drive up to Boulder. After dropping them off at their cousin’s house (with a gigantic box of donuts, thank you very much), we headed to the starting line. I got a little emotional letting it all sink in: I thought about what I had been through the past year, how thankful I was to be able to run again, and how grateful I will eternally be to my husband who has been by my side though it all.
You would think I was getting ready to run Boston with all of the waterworks, but for me, the Bolder Boulder 10K was my Boston. It was something I had to do to prove to myself that I’m healthy, breast cancer is a thing of the past, and now I can keep pushing myself to run farther, thanks to the awesome Heart Rate Training Program. Denver Rock N Roll Half Marathon, here I come.
Your post brought tears to my eyes. Congratulations!!!!! Can’t wait to hear about the Denver Rock N Roll Half!!
The road back from cancer seems long and treacherous (from an ego perspective, perhaps). I look forward to learning your progress, as it gives me hope. <3
some days just a regular old run can bring up those feelings, and the waterworks. It has been 6 years for me, and it still hits me on occasion. Congrats to you, and many, many more happy miles!
This is just the best! Congrats on your perseverance, strength, and another Bolder Boulder! Happy training and lots of good thoughts to you.
Congrats!!! And good luck w/ your Denver RnR training!
This is wonderfully inspirational!!! I wish you nothing but lovely new achievements in your return to running!
Congrats to you. I was in the same wave in the Bolder Boulder. I love the Bolder Boulder too. I’ve run it every year since coming to Colorado (21 years) and it is my race that tells my life story. Walking times after having my kids, getting faster some years, getting slower other years. My race times tell the story of what is going on in my life. It’s the only race that I have done year after year and I don’t want to stop. I’ll look for you in next year’s race! Ha!
Running side by side for many more years … that’s my hope for you and your husband. (And by the way, I’ve been known to cry on training runs – just out of gratitude – and I haven’t been through the trials that you have – so let the tears flow whenever they arrive. Life is beautiful!)
Congratulations! I am a breast cancer survivor as well. I was diagnosed in November of 2015 just a month after completing my first marathon. After a year of hell I am training to complete my second marathon this October. Many thoughts and prayers to you as you prepare for your half!
Way to go Katie! You have a cousin in boulder ( elizabeth Gerrity). She is really into physical training. PM me if you want her contact info. Wishing you healing and peace! Maureen (Patton ) Gerrity
I’m so happy for you, Katie. I haven’t been reading AMR’s blog long but an earlier post of yours was one of the first posts I read as I scrolled through the blog… shortly after learning that I would need a biopsy after suspicious changes were seen in one of my breasts on a mammogram. That was in late April and on May 2, I was diagnosed. Long story short, my cancer is/was invasive but caught so early that the original biopsy removed it completely. My lumpectomy June 8 showed no evidence of residual cancer cells and my sentinel lymph nodes were clear. I feel very fortunate and I know it could have been so much worse. Throughout the 6 weeks in between the diagnostic mammogram and the surgery, I went back to read all of your posts. They gave me hope during a very uncertain and scary time, probably the most difficult time of my life thus far. So thanks for sharing your story here and I’m so happy you are back on the road to full health, a full life, and running. Best of luck to you in your training and I look forward to reading more updates from you.
Congratulations! I’m half-way through 12 weeks of chemo and looking at a third surgery (a mastectomy, since I couldn’t get clear margins with my lumpectomy or re-excision) in September. When this is all over, I hope to train for my first 10K. You’re story is inspiring!