Together, finding our stride after diagnosis.

When I started this blog, I had no idea the following I would get. I really just wanted to document my journey and be a place of encouragement and inspiration for other survivors going through something similar. When I was first diagnosed I knew one person who had cancer. Now I have met many survivors who, post-treatment, have completed amazing adventures, ultra-distance running, and even climbed mountains. These athlete survivors inspire and show me how to find healing in the outdoors. This blog is a way to share those experiences with others showing hope, not fear.

My goal of 32-Miles is to empower survivors to better themselves. I want to inspire others, through my vulnerability in the rehabilitation process, to push through and achieve goals thought impossible. Giving just one survivor purpose and hope to take that first step, would fulfill my goal for this project.

So now, 5 months into this journey, I feel I have taken big steps toward those goals. Not only have I found healing and strength in my training, this May, 32-MILES will sponsor a team of four survivors and myself to run the Xterra 5 x 5k Trail run in Oak Mountain State Park, near Birmingham, AL. Each woman is at a different stage in recovery- from being in active treatment to 4 years out and all at different fitness levels. This group has inspired a new accountability check-in and a community to share struggles and encouragement.

Some of these women may be new to running, but all are bad ass survivors who have accomplished amazing things. I can’t wait to run with them!

32-MILES is an environment that creates new relationships, inspires hope, and restores confidence in all cancer survivors by encouraging healing through movement and community. Not only will I continue to train for my 32-Miles I am so excited to encourage these women to take the next step in their recovery. Together, finding our stride after diagnosis.

This past weekend my family drove down to Oak Mountain State Park to check out the trails. I ran the 5k trail around the lake plus two more miles to complete my training miles for the week. The trails were well maintained and scenery was beautiful. The only problem was they were not well marked. Matt and I both had our moments of feeling lost. Besides that, I felt strong. Even though there are hills, I really enjoy trail running compared to running on the road. I am excited to race this year. I am excited to have that push to run at the next level.