Brain Cancer Diagnosis
In September 2010, my ex-wife and I were blessed with the birth of our baby girl. We were very happy to finally have a little girl after having three boys to start off with. Unfortunately one month after the birth of our daughter, I was diagnosed with a 2 inch brain tumor and had to have brain surgery to remove it at Shands Hospital located in Gainesville, Florida. Soon after the surgery, I was diagnosed with a rare type of brain tumor called Oligodendroglioma, which changed my life.
I started cancer treatment for the grade 3 malignant tumor with six weeks of radiation and combined it with taking chemo every day. After the initial cancer treatment, I continued to take chemo five days every month, have MRIs to check for updates, lab work and follow-up appointments for over four years up until March 2015. I was finally taken off chemo since the cancer hadn’t been growing and because it’s not good to be on chemotherapy for that long as it can do more damage to your body than good with continued use.
Becoming A Runner
To cope with the changes in life, I turned focus on getting healthier and found running to be a great physical and mental medication, which has caused me to feel more healthier now than I ever have. I’ve been told by one of my oncologists that he was convinced that my running was probably why I could tolerate my chemo so well. Before running, the chemo would wear me out and I would ball up on the couch with my eyes shut (but not sleeping) and my brain would just wander. I remember feeling like I was trapped in my house and that I couldn’t do anything but give-in to the lack of energy my body had. But once I decided to start walking and progress further into running, things started to change for the better. In fact, (and oddly enough) I feel my brain cancer has become a blessing to me because not only has it got me into getting healthier now, but now I’m more focused on reaching my goals in life. I hope to share with others that just because you get a life threatening illness or you experience something negative, it does not mean you should let it control your life. Try using it as fuel for the fire and push forward.
Raising Funding For Brain Cancer Research
After getting into running I started running 5k races and started looking for races that helped support brain cancer research. After not finding any nearby, I started the Brain Tumor Run for Research 5k in 2013. The fundraiser was started in Pensacola and after four events, we raised over $60,000 for 501(c)(3) non-profits focused on brain cancer. I have made many friends and met many families from the Brain Tumor Run and it will forever be a part of my life. I often think about others who are dealing with their own health issues or have lost their battle, as these memories help motivate me and make the best in my life while I can. You never know what’s going to happen in your life.
I made the tough decision to end the Brain Tumor Run fundraiser as I could no longer dedicate the time, money and resources required to continue the event. I didn’t earn a penny from the event myself and needed to focus my time on my own family and business. I did meet many strong fighters, loving families and made new friends who I will cherish and honor forever.
Marathon Running & Pacing
After I started running and was finally able to run a mile without walking, I got into the routine of building my mileage up on my weekend long run. Once I was able to run 10+ miles on a long run, I remember going to the local running store in Pensacola (Running Wild) and the person working (Shannon K.) told me I should signup for the marathon training program. I remember thinking something like, “that’s crazy, I can’t run that far”. I ended up signing up for the training program for the 2013 Pensacola Marathon and throughout the training program, my love for endurance running was ignited.
Ironically, on my first marathon I ended up passing out about a quarter mile from the finish line and was taken to the emergency room via ambulance. I had a high fever the night before and although I felt good enough to run the next morning, my legs got wobbly and I collapsed due to extreme dehydration. I remember the race director checking on me later that day and asking me if I was done with marathon running. I told him I was not and he referred me to an upcoming marathon in 2014, which I signed up for and finished and with a time of 3:39:13. Even though I have brain cancer and I was taken to the ER by ambulance after collapsing so close to finishing my first marathon, I wasn’t going to quit. This crazy experience actually pushed me even further.
After completing a couple marathons, I started pacing for the marathon training groups at Running Wild, as well as for some of the marathons held around the region. Being able to help others reach their goals and push themselves further than they thought they could is a great feeling. I really believe it’s a win-win situation as the inspiration goes both ways. Many friendships have been made from spending many miles on our feet together.
Pacing the different training groups has also helped me build up my mileage for my own runs. Since I end up running long distances at an easier pace, I feel it has truly built my body up for the long haul. Besides, pacing others and watching them reach their longest distances ever helps inspire me and pushes me forward.
Ultramarathon Running
Once I finished a few marathons, I saw an article online that referenced an ultramarathon and was curious about what it was. Once I started looking into it and seeing all the beautiful views from trail runs, I was immediately sold. I quickly signed up for my first 50k and started building up my marathon runs for training for ultras. Since I finish my first marathon in 2014, I have completed 69 marathon runs with 45 of them being 30 miles are longer. You can view my running log to see how many of the different distances I’ve achieved or view my adventures to see photos of the runs and other things.
When I run ultramarathon distances, I simply feel free and enabled to let any stress or negative thoughts go. Especially when running through trails, seeing wildlife in their natural environment, navigating through water crossings, watching the sun rise or set, climbing up mountains or viewing beautiful views most people miss out on, my love of running long distance adventures keeps me moving forward.
There’s something about running ultramarathon distances that is hard to explain, especially to others who do not run them. It’s like all the negative things going on in my life are non-existent and I’m able to enjoy nature at it’s finest. The highs and lows you go through as you truly find out what our body is capable of if you push forward. The camaraderie you have with friends or random people you meet on the trails who are supporting and looking out for each other. The beautiful views you see and the amazing sounds of nature you hear in the wild. All of this makes me feel free from any negative issues no matter what they are. This is why I love ultramarathons. This is why I run. Besides….. if my cancer wants to get me, it has to catch me first!
