Five years ago, on Aug. 19, 2010, I was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer. As I reflect on the past five years I think about how lucky I am to have such wonderfully supportive family and friends. To celebrate my health I recently participated in something I had never done.
I play tennis for fun and exercise. Although I run on the tennis court I have never been a runner. I have never liked it and frankly wasn’t “good” at it. But I started looking at people running over the past year and wished I liked doing it.
In May 2015, I started using an app on my phone that builds up non-runners to be able to run a 5K. In the beginning, I would alternate walking a couple minutes and then running a couple minutes for a total of about 20 minutes. The sessions gradually increased the amount of time I ran and decreased the amount of time I walked. I completed these walk/runs about three times a week for nine weeks.
On Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015, I ran my first 5K! It was a very hot day but I didn’t stop at all and actually finished the run in 30 minutes and 45 seconds. After the run I felt a strong sense of accomplishment. I took small steps to build up my ability to complete something I had never done. I didn’t give up when it was hard or when I was tired. I really think the same is true for how I felt after being diagnosed. There have been hard times, but I have been able to focus on my health and my family, which has helped me tremendously.
I am already signed up for my next 5K!!
Share Your Thoughts
Is there something you did to mark the milestone of your cancer diagnosis? Share your comments below.