In January of 2008 at the age of 36 I was diagnosed with stage IV terminal colon cancer. Stage IV means that the cancer has metastasized to other organs. For me that consisted of 12 tumors in my liver. So began the journey of chemo.

I didn't start running until I was 33 years old and had run mostly 5k's and 10k's but never a half marathon and was definitely not an Olympic contender!! I was still running up to the time I was hospitalized and needed emergency surgery to remove the tumor blocking my colon which 4 days later led to my cancer diagnosis. Shortly after starting chemo I tried to continue to run and found it very taxing.

I remember watching runners running a marathon past my house and feeling very depressed that I wasn't out there. It wasn't until a very close friend of mine (who also has stage IV colon cancer and is younger than me, we we're diagnosed within a week of each other) challenged me to run a relay race about a year after starting chemo. I didn't hesitate to say yes! So began my journey back into running. And I've been at it since then.

Since I started chemotherapy 5 1/2 years ago I have run 3 half marathons, a relay and a smattering of 5k's and 10k's, all while on chemo. I have to confess that running while on chemo is not a cake walk, it takes a lot of determination to get out the door some days but the satisfaction of knowing I can do it is valuable beyond measure.

I was so excited to run the Big Cottonwood Half Marathon! It was another half marathon under my belt and hopefully the 4th of many more!!!