766. Christine Thorn Fischer, Stage-4 Breast Cancer Survivor & 3:09 Marathoner

Welcome to the Alley on the Run show. I'm your host, Allie Feller, and on every episode I talk with people who are doing exciting things on the run and beyond. From professional athletes and celebrity runners to the everyday, amateur, and back of the pack runner, we are here to celebrate everyone and anyone

who enjoys a life on the run. Whether you are running toward something big or away from something that has been holding you back, I am here to help you pick up the pace. My guest today is Christine Thorin Fisher. This conversation has been a long time coming. Christine has been one of my biggest inspirations and resources over the past year and a half.

Christine was diagnosed with stage 4 invasive ductal carcinoma, breast cancer, just a few months before I was. I followed her journey obsessively. I reached out to her often for advice, for insights, for comfort. I was a total stranger and she always responded.

Christine's diagnosis was really scary. She found a lump in her breasts while putting on a sports bra to go for a run, found out she had breast cancer, and then found out that it had spread to her spine and her sacrum. Christine's treatment was pretty intense, and she crushed it, all while continuing to teach at an elementary school and keep running whenever she felt up for it. Christine is an absolute ray of sunshine. You will pick up on that immediately.

Finally getting the chance to talk to her. It was a joy in many ways and turns out it was kind of therapeutic for me. Turns out I have not unpacked any of my own cancer stuff and this

brought up some stuff for me. I did not expect to cry as much as I did right off the bat in this conversation, and I definitely did not intend to talk about my own stuff as much as I did, but I'm not surprised. Christine has a way of making people feel comfortable and getting them to open up, and so that's just what happened. Plus, you know, we have some stuff in common, so this was certainly more of a conversation than an interview which

was really nice. You may know Christine from her cancer story, you may know her as an elite runner, or you may know her as Reed Fisher's wife.

Reed of course is a professional runner and most recently, he served as Christine's coach as she trained for and raised her very first marathon, the TCS New York City Marathon just a few weeks ago. I am so happy for Christine, who became a 309 debut marathoner exactly two years after she first discovered that lump.

Please enjoy this conversation with the indomitable Christine Thorne Fisher.

Okay, this is kind of a selfish one for me because, Christine, I have wanted to talk to you and hug you and meet you for a long time. And I feel like I need to tell the world before we get into this, that you have been, now I'm going to cry right off the bat. You have been such a resource and a person for me to lean on in the past year and a half. So I just appreciate you and admire you and I'm in awe of you.

Thank you for being here. I'm glad that I made it eight seconds in. Welcome to the alley on the run show. How are you doing? Oh, my gosh, Ali, it's so, so good to get on a call with you. And I can just echo the exact same things back to you. I'm also like already like inters. Um, but yeah, like I have just it's been so

Incredible and inspiring to see how you've been so willing to share your story and how, um, especially since we are, you know, diagnosed like right around the same time, like, you know, within the same year or so, um, to see that like things that like I had experienced, like, if you were experiencing them, like I wasn't like on my own in that journey. So I just like also want to like echo that back to you that.

You've been a lot to me the last year as well. I wish we were hugging and snuggling. Yeah, I know that we have so much to talk about. I feel like I will, you know, there's certain things that you just in this journey, never forget. And I remember being in Traverse City, Michigan for the Bay Shore Marathon. And I was having, I was going to say dinner. I think we were just having drinks. Me and Emma Bates.

And I had just gotten my diagnosis, but no one knew yet. Like I hadn't told people and I told her that night. And she was like, I need to connect you. Like you need to know Christine because she's going through this. And I think that's when I, and I think I knew because it was out there you had shared. But yeah, you just, I just, especially with the cold capping, I asked you a lot of questions because it was such a mystery. So.

We're going to talk about that. We're going to talk about the fact that you just ran the New York City Marathon. We're going to talk about the fact that in so many ways, you are a hero, including that you teach fifth graders, which I think I just bowed down to you. Thank you for your work. We are like a couple weeks out of New York City. You ran the New York City Marathon, your first marathon since your diagnosis, your first marathon ever.

three oh nine fifty two. Yeah, pretty darn good. Reflecting on New York as a whole. We're going to get into the nitty gritty. But looking back on the New York City marathon, the experience, the race day, what's top of mind for you when you look back on it all? Yeah, you know, well, it's, it's so funny because, yeah, that was my first marathon ever. And my husband Reed had ran it the year before. And he was actually kind of like battling a calf injury that year. So he dropped out at 14 miles. And so because of that, that was the first time that I really

stuck around and I watched everybody finish. And it was so special to watch the non-professionals come and finish through. And I was so in awe of all these people who I was like, I know they're working full-time jobs. I know they are grinding to get that work in. And that was what really inspired me to run the marathon this year. And so that is, I think, what stands out the most to me is just like,

being around, you know, all these people who have been putting in months and months and months of work. And now it's like this like big celebration. And the city of New York is just unlike anything I've ever experienced. And I've ran some really fun races before, but nothing quite like that where every time you get into a new mile, it's, you know, like a different like, different band on the road or all these signs on the streets or just the expression of culture as well throughout throughout the city was just so special to watch.

And when I've really talked about my favorite moments in the race, I'm kind of diving right into it. I don't know if that's what you're talking about. No, I love this. Yes. I've reflected back on after Queensborough Bridge, which for those who are unfamiliar, it's like right in between like 15, 16 miles and spectators aren't allowed on the bridges. They're allowed just on the streets. So it's about a mile or so, if I remember correctly, like incline up and then

And it's silent other than just like the studying of footsteps. And it's just all these people going through the bridge. And I had, you know, people run past me and there's a pace group and they're like, you're just ahead of, you know, the seven minute paces right now. And, you know, like, and like it's just this collection of runners, which is so special. And then you come down the other side and it's still silent, but you get about a quarter mile out on the ramp and you can start to hear the crowds on the other side.

And then you turn around the corner and it's just the loudest thing I have ever experienced. And that was the first time in the race that I started crying of like many of probably three times. So I did, I cried, honestly, maybe less than expected. But that was like one of the first times. And still when I think back to it, it gives me like full body goosebumps just to like be back in that moment. So I guess, yeah, like that is kind of like the

The biggest takeaway for me of like that race is just the community of people who show up in New York City. What were the other two times you cried? There was another moment. Well, so actually in that moment, I'm going to name one other thing. It was actually really special as well. I ran as part of the TCS teachers program. And so TCS had buses out to the start and we got a tent to hang out in a warming tent before that.

And as I'm kind of chatting with the other people in there, like kind of figuring out like, is there anybody I could run with? I met another woman and I was like, what is your goal for today? And she was like, I'm going to try to like go for under three hours. And I was like, I'd love to like go for that with you. And we just get to talking. And she was like, actually, you know, I also was diagnosed with cancer at 25 years old. She's 33 at this point. I was like, okay. And then she's like, and my middle name's Christine. And I'm like, okay. And then she's like,

Yeah, my friends out there who are going to have like my cat's head out there. I was like, me too. So it was just like all these moments. I was like, I feel like this is just like meant for us to run together. And so as we are going up Queensborough Bridge as well. So still in that same kind of moment.

She, you know, looks over at me at one point and she's like, we've been through so much harder than this. We can get through this. And like, that was like another moment that like got me kind of choked up. And then that kind of blended into then popping out on the other side of it, which I'm just like all about reading into like the different signs and meanings of things. And I feel like that's kind of like similar to, you know, like what we've been through. And you're like, whereas like you go through such hard things and

You like pop out and you're on the other side and you're like, have all this support of all your people and love. So that was one, that was like the biggest, probably moment. Another moment was at mile, it was probably mile 21 or so. Reed had met me out on the course and he jumped in and like ran a couple of strides with me and he's like, how are you feeling? And I look over at him. Terrible. And like in a way where I was still having so much fun and I was smiling the whole course and

Um, but at 21 miles in a marathon, your legs are pretty heavy as I experienced for the first time. Um, and as Reed was out there on the course with me, some, another runner, um, who was racing, came and ran over kind of next to us and, and just said, I've been following your story. I'm, you know, you're so inspirational. And like, so that got me going again. And then.

At the finish line and read was able to be at the finish line because he also TCS is one of his sponsors as well. So he was able to be at the finish line and he met me and was able to give me my medal. And that was a moment that we will started crying because we just, you know, have known all the hard work that's gone into.

not just the marathon, but just the last couple of years of our lives. And so those are like the three moments that they got to me that like fully brought me to tears. Oh my gosh. So did you end up running the whole thing with your new friend? Most of it. We got to about 20 miles or so before we ended up separating.

Have you stayed in touch? Like, do you have information? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. The magic of the marathon and so many other things. One thing that, you know, I know I think about a lot is the phrase cancer survivor, right? Which obviously is so powerful and meaningful. Are you at a point where you'll use that phrase for yourself? I, you know what? I don't know that I've ever, um,

ever actually used it. When I hear that phrase, it might still feel not fully real. And it's one of those things where we know it is real and we know that we're constantly surviving it. And so yeah, I think maybe at some point that would be a phrase that I would use to describe myself. I don't know that I'm quite there yet.

Yeah. Are you, are you so sick of being asked about cancer and talking about it? Or are you in the mindset of like wanting to talk about it? Because it helps people like where are you at with just like even knowing that we were recording tonight and being like, okay, means I'm going to sit down and talk about cancer quite a bit. How does that feel? Yeah. You know what? I think for me, um, when I was first diagnosed, um,

read especially was like he would like look for different blogs and I would look for different blogs and like look for podcasts and I was constantly trying to get more information about what my life was going to look like post diagnosis. And so for me, if I can help give anybody, you know, a little bit of insight of like what things look like for me and like what it could like look like for them as well, I think that I am

so open to that. And I am so happy to be that support because I truly, truly believe that the reason that I'm in the place that I'm at now, which is no evidence of disease is because I've had like a really strong community of people around me. I've, you know, gone to boarding for breast cancer is an organization that I was able to go on a retreat with them. And I met some incredible women, but I also still stay in touch with today.

And I've learned so many things from them about healing from the inside out as well. And so I think, again, if I can be that for even just one person, that's made things much more worthwhile, in my opinion. When you went on that retreat, I wanted to ask about that. Where were you in your treatment when you did that? And what were you needing, or what were you hoping to get from that experience?

Yeah. So I had just finished my last round of chemo. Um, I had finished my last round of chemo, I think two weeks before, um, going on this retreat. And I had just, if I remember correctly, just gotten my post chemo pet scan that showed that things were shrinking and that they couldn't really see anything on the scans. So I guess what I was hoping to take out of that was one, um, I have found my best healing, uh, emotionally and like soulfully,

in nature in general. And so, born for breast cancer gets women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer into nature and get some active and moving. And those are all things that I feel like are so crucial to my holistic healing. So that was one thing was just to get out into nature, be around people who, to your point, you know, it's like, it's, it can be so nice to talk about it, especially when you're talking about it with other people who

have been through it or are going through it and like fully understand it. So that was, was really healing for me as well, just to be out in nature with other young women who have had this diagnosis. And I was, there was, I think one other woman, woman there who had been diagnosed, um, later than I had. So most of the women there had been a little bit further along on their journey and were able to give me a lot of like insights and tips and tricks and things like that.

And the organization in itself, again, like really promotes nutrition, really promotes movement, all of those things. So we got on hiked every day. We did yoga. We did sound bass. Like it was just, I left the weekend feeling so whole and so ready to really focus on, um, really focus on, on myself and my own healing. And it really, that weekend actually caused me

to make a lot of decisions to prioritize myself and just really make sure that I am taking care of my stress levels and I'm taking care of my body and my mind and all of those things. So I will say that that changed my life honestly. If anybody has the opportunity to do it, I would really recommend it.

And I will make sure that I link to that in the show notes for this episode for anyone who is interested. I love that you had that experience and that you chose to do that. I'm in awe of a lot of things.

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Can we go back and talk a little bit about what life looked like before you got this diagnosis? I know that, that when you found a lump, uh, you were, I believe, were you putting on or taking off a sports bra? There was a sports bra involved. Yeah. Yeah. I think I was getting ready for a run. So I would have been playing on a sports bra. Um, and yes. So, um, before, yeah, finding the lump, I,

So a little bit of a backstory of my running, just like kind of like journey in general. I was running post-collegiately for a couple of years, focusing on the track and focusing on the steeple chase. And in 2019, I qualified for the US Championships and took 11th at the US Championships and then was really excited to continue pursuing running and like focusing on that, trying to better that position.

at US championships and then obviously COVID happened in 2020 which postponed the US lump of trials and all of those things. And so it was kind of that point that I decided to shift my focus on teaching full-time and went the more that direction. And then I was about a year or so into like that like full-time teaching again and I

was like, I think I'm actually ready to enter running a little bit more seriously into this. So I started training with another elite athlete in Denver. And she was also working on like a teacher's schedule so we could meet after school to get these workouts in. And I was like really getting back into feeling quite fit and thinking like, okay, I might have a chance to qualify for US championships this summer on the track again.

And then it was that fall during that bill that I found the lump in my rest. And after finding that, as I don't know how your experience was with getting diagnosed and just the length of time that that took, for me, it took quite a bit of time. I found the lump in October. I didn't get into my primary, I think, until November. Didn't get imaging until December. And then I had my biopsy in January.

Yeah, so it was a long process to get everything sorted out. And during that time, specifically with running, like typically running is a retreat for me. It's something that, you know, I look forward to every day is a stress reliever at those times that it was when I was going out for a run that probably I was alone with my thoughts a little bit too much that

It was, I was starting to have panic attacks and things like that in those couple of months before knowing anything. So really I kind of stopped running a bit during those months as well. And then obviously once I was diagnosed, running definitely had gone to the back burner as I was getting through all the testing and doctors appointments and all of those things. And then once, actually then once I started chemotherapy, that was when

It almost seems like life slows back down a little bit once, you know, you're like not going to all these doctors appointments and things anymore. And that's when I was able to actually like start running a little bit again was during chemotherapy. And it was in a very different way than it had been that fall, but it was in a way that brought me joy again and brought that like that sense of self again, rather than, you know, a couple of months prior that it had been that, you know,

almost just inducing time. So it was nice to kind of be able to reclaim running. Again, daring chemotherapy.

So I'm curious if you would agree with this. I'm sure you do too. I hear from people all the time in those early stages. Oftentimes it's before they even get the diagnosis. It's, oh my gosh, I think I found a lump or it's, oh my gosh, I had an abnormal mammogram and need to go back or whatever it is. I, of all the things, the surgery, the chemo, the immunotherapy, the hormone therapy, like of all of it, I still think that the,

Feels weird to say hardest because it is all really hard in different ways, but maybe the scariest is in my experience, the phrase I'm looking for. The scariest time is from when you find that lump or whatever that first thing is until treatment starts.

Like once treatment starts, it's almost like, okay, things are happening. Like we're taking care of business here. And that's really hard. But for you, in terms of the mental side of it, and I know this is a huge thing to unpack, but were you that was such a long period of time? It was. And it wasn't helpful that it was obviously during the holidays, because things just get so backed up during those times in general. But yes, that was

Like I said, those were the times where I was actually having the panic attacks. And I can pinpoint different times where that happened. And it would just come out of nowhere. And it was so tricky because most things would point to it not being breast cancer. If you were to have just Googled, I found a lump in my breast, 28 years old.

they, you know, almost everything would say, you know, you have a cyst or, you know, like all of these things. So it was this weird position to be in where it was taking a really long time to get answers. And I felt in my gut something was not right, but everything else was, you know, saying like, why are you nervous about this? Like it's nothing, you know? So that was also this weird position to be in during, during that time. And then actually even, so we, I was diagnosed, I think it was January,

10, January 10th, right around there, like right after the new year. And then I actually didn't do a full body scan until February. And then that was when we found out that it had spread my spine and my sacrum. So it was kind of like almost like a double punch where, yeah, it was February when I went in and did the spine biopsy and we like confirmed that the breast cancer had spread to my spine.

Why did you have to, if you can kind of walk through, which I know it's like never fun to do all of this, but to sort of give everyone listening and understanding of what was going on, because again, people panic and I get it. Obviously we get it. People are like, I think I found a lump and I get how this will happen. Of course we've been there.

for you. So you find this lump. You have the gut feeling, but you have to go through all the steps. So what, what sort of information were you getting from the mammograms, the scans and all that? Or maybe my better question is what led them to say, we're going to do a full body scan and look at your spine. Like, again, I can only speak to my experience, but I never had a full body. Right. Right. You know what? I actually, so when I, after I've been, um, after I've been diagnosed,

Um, my family of course was like, move back to Minnesota and like get all the treatment here. And we have Mayo in Rochester, like the best, some of the best doctors in the world. Um, and I was like, I live in Colorado. We have also great health care out in Colorado. Um, but I was, um, I did reach out to a couple of different oncologists so that I could get opinions from a couple of different people. Um, and so,

It was actually an oncologist that I did not end up going with who followed up with me and was like, did you get a PET scan? I think you should. And I think I'm guessing that at that point we had seen from an MRI that there was a lymph node in my armpit that had lid up. So they did have some indication that it had spread from beyond the breast to a lymph node. I don't know if we, I don't know that we had biopsied the lymph node at that point.

And knew that, but there was some information there from the MRI scan that it may have started to leave. So, but it was actually a PA who followed up with me about a month later and went from an office that I wasn't working with. And just reached out and was like, hey, have you gotten a pet scan? I think you should. And so then I reached out to the oncologist that I was currently working with and said that that's what they recommended. And she's like, okay, I'll get it ordered for you if that will make you feel good.

And then that was when, um, we actually started with, um, a bone scan and the, because the problem is, of course, insurance, um, doesn't want to pay for things. So my oncologist, like I don't think your insurance will pay for a pet scan, but we can do a bone scan and, um, like a chest X or MRI.

And so it was on a bone scan that there was a little abnormality that, again, my oncologist was like, you know, I think it just might be from your years of playing basketball, like some like inflammation there. But let's get you in for a pet scan to be sure. And then yeah, we found it in my spine and my sacrum from the pet scan. And then we went in for a bone biopsy and confirmed that it was the breast cancer that it's read. Were you working in teaching during all of this? Yeah, I was. And honestly,

It was also interesting because people have, you know, so many different opinions on what you should be doing at all times. That includes different people in your life. It includes doctors, you know, especially with, well, yes, includes doctors. I think especially in the situation that I'm in with this,

having spread, but having only spread to a couple locations. Also, doctors have different opinions on that. So that is another kind of stressful thing to have to deal with, you know, seeing one doctor and them recommending one thing, and then another doctor saying a different thing. And me as a civilian, you know, took biology once in high school, you know, I

don't know what the right answer is. So that's difficult. But to back to the teaching portion of it, I saw one doctor who was like, you need to go on long term disability. Like you should not be around children while your immune system is low, things like that. But then another doctor that I saw was like, I think that you were fully capable of continuing to teach here in the time. And if that's something that helps you, then I think that's what you should do. And so I

love teaching and I love being on kids and that group of kids especially is forever going to hold a spot in my heart because they took care of me so much as well and just showed up for me and like I came back after an appointment and you know like so many cards and they were just always checking in on me and they're just so special to me but

I, what I would do is I would have chemo every other week. And so I would be out on a Friday because as you know, chemo day is eight hours or so, especially if you're doing the cooling caps that adds on all this time. And then I would take off the following Monday. And then I would go back into work on Tuesday. So I would get eight out of every 10 working days in the classroom, which I think

also just helped me get through it so much. It gave me something else to focus on when you're around kids, they just bring out this like wonderful joyous side. And you just forget, you know, you forget that you have cancer, you forget that there's crap going on all over the world that's horrible, you know, and like you can just be with these kids. So, yeah, I appreciated that part of it. How did you tell them what was going on?

I sat them down and we had just like a morning meeting and I told them that I was sick and that I was going to be starting some treatments and so I was going to be in and out of the classroom and they of course asked what I was sick with and so I told them that I have cancer and they have a lot of questions as

kids do and as adults do, right? Like, yeah, they're just kind of the unfiltered version of it. Um, like I, one student in particular, just, uh, this is before we knew my staging as well. So because, but I knew that I was going to be missing for appointments and for, um, treatment eventually and things like that. So she was kind of champer day and she's like, I'm a sister. What is your, what stage are you at? And I was like, well, I don't know yet. I need to go get these cans and I will just never forget. And

her when I found out that it was stage four. She, you know, she liked, did you find out what stage? I was like, I did. Let's say to us. And she's like, well, and I was like stage four and said, that's bad. Yeah. It sure is. That's not what we're hoping for. But it is just kind of like, you know, you just like find humor and then you have to. Yeah.

especially with kids because again, they just have no filter and I was thinking it too. Yeah. Like, well, shit. Yeah, there we are. What was that like though for you? I mean, because again, anyone who's had this diagnosis, you know that you get your diagnosis, but you don't get like, I didn't get my find out what stage it was until way later. And I was asking constantly, um,

And yeah, what was that like for you? Because again, if I, I just imagine if I had heard the words stage four, I can, I can kind of picture the spiral that I would have not have been good. What was that like for you? That was what I will classify as the worst day of my life. Um, I, yes, I, um, again, like I had some not great feelings when I, when we knew there was stuff that was showing up on

Um, the bone scan and then I went in for the pet scan. Um, and I, I don't also technology wonderful thing. Did you get your diagnosis from your doctor or from? No, I got it in the portal.

Mm hmm. Yep. So that was. Yeah. That was in New York City with Mary Wittenberg having breakfast and got the in the portal and I'm trying to make sense of all these words that I don't know in my like 19 page report. Yeah. No, it was fun. Yep. Yep. So that's another that I have to look back on humor a little bit. I was sitting with one of my best friends and I was at school and we were in the teachers lounge. We were both on our break and I was like, Oh, I got the results because I told, you know, just

Just that I told two of my coworkers before this who are like two of my closest friends. And so she was in the room with me. I was like, oh, I got my results. And I pull it up on my phone and I said, it says invasive ductal carcinoma. I think that's good. Oh, no. And she's just silent because she's like, I know that this is not good. I mean, invasive and carcinoma sounds good. But wait, you're so sweet though. I am just like,

Unless it's spelled out like you have cancer. I didn't believe it. I didn't have it. And those words are on like page three. You really have to scan. No, there's no there's no like headers. No, no. So I was just like, I think that's good. And then I googled it. And I was like, oh, that's not good. Turns out carcinoma means cancer. Reese said the same thing. He was like, um, so when is the word invasive and medical like ever? Good thing. Like you're right. You're right.

Um, so that is when I got my original diagnosis. And then when I got the news that it spread my spine, um, I told the doctor is like, you need to call me like immediately because I like, I, if I get a notification, my portal, I cannot promise you that I will not open it because no way, not a chance. Yes. So I was actually, I was out at recess and, um, I get started getting a phone call from the cancer center. And so I asked one of my co teachers if they could, you know, take over for my kids.

And I went inside and answered the phone call and it was a nurse. And she was like, I just want to let you know we got your results back and your doctor will be calling you this afternoon to talk to you. And so I said to her, I was like, so I'm guessing that that means it's not good news. And she said, no, it's not good news. So that was how I knew then. And it was, I went into my boss's office.

And my two good girlfriends who I had mentioned before came with me, you know, I texted them and said, you know, it's spread to my sign. And they came into the office and we just sat on the floor and sobbed. And I, yeah, I googled, but of course, like you should never Google anything. But I googled, you know, what happens and breast cancer spreads to your sign. And what pops up is it says 51% one year survival rate or, you know, like,

three to five years survival rate, like those are like the couple things that pop up. And so in my mind, I was trying to process being dead in a couple of years. And Reed came and picked me up from the school and drove me to the cancer center because we were like, we are just going to plop down in a seat and we will stay here as long as we need to until we can talk to her in person. And

My psychologist was just such a blessing to me. I went into the office and I looked at her and I said, am I going to be dead in three years? And she said, no, you won't be. And she just poured life into me this whole time. And just I never doubted her belief that I was going to come out on the other side and have a long life. And I think like that is just such an important thing.

for anybody who's diagonally in any sort of diagnosis, your mind just has so much power in your body, in my belief. And I think that if you believe that you're gonna get healthy, I obviously had science to help me through it. I had community to help me through it, but my mind, I do think played a big part in that. And I think I'm really lucky to have had non-cologists that I did who helped me through that. But yeah, that was the, yeah, worst,

day of my life, I would say. It sounds like then once you talk to her and she said, no, you're not going to be dead in three years. Was it an immediate shift into, okay, I will survive this or was there still some late night googling panic attacks, whatever it looked like after that? Yeah, it would definitely be absent flows. I would say that

One thing that I'm really proud of with myself is that I didn't want myself get stuck in the lows too much, but there would definitely be times where I was Googling or I was following, you know, another family who, or woman who was going through cancer. And, you know, I was over analyzing like every little thing she was doing and again, like, should I be doing these things, things as well. And, um, but there was definitely a shift. Um,

And, and I think that's, you know, also kind of part of who I was raised to be and like my family as well, like a little bit of that. Like I remember that same day, actually, I called my sister-in-laws who are where my three sister-in-laws were my maid of honors in my wedding. And so I was called them immediately as well. And,

We are on like a group FaceTime and I'm in a panic attack mode, essentially being like, it's spread. It's spread at this point. I'm gonna die and all these things and my brother overheard this in the background and got on the phone and he's like, you're not gonna die, you need to keep working and we're going to get through this and you are going to be stronger than this. And basically it was just like, he's like, I'm gonna shut that down like we're not gonna have that conversation.

And so I do think that like, you know, I've been around a lot of that where it's, you know, whatever challenge you're facing, we're going to, I'm sorry, Oliver is getting all of you right now. I love it. Um, but whatever challenge we're facing, like we're going to dive into it and we're going to work through it. So that it was definitely like an ebb and flow of those moments of being like, yep, we're getting through this. And, you know, other times where I'm starting a little bit of a spiral.

And whether that was spiral of like, you know, am I going to make it through this or even, you know, like, as you know, like treatment can be really hard. And, you know, there was a time where I was like, I can't do the cooling cap anymore. You know, it's just too painful. Um, and I just also feel really lucky to like, you know, just had people around me and I, one of the girlfriends who was my co-worker that I mentioned, you know, came up and spent, took a day off work to spend a chemo day with me and, and helped me do all my cooling cap, you know, things when,

you know, Reed went out to race in Germany. And he wouldn't have gone if I didn't feel like I had, you know, the people around me that could help take care of me. So I feel really blessed in that regard as well.

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So I would say other than, oh my gosh, I'm freaking out. I just found this lump, got this diagnosis, whatever it is. The other thing that I know I get in my inbox all the time, and so I'm guessing you do as well, is people asking how to support someone who's going through a scary diagnosis or treatment, whether it's cancer or otherwise, love your thoughts on this. What would you say to it?

All of the helpers and my God, there are so many and and we are so fortunate to have them and anyone going through something like this. Your people keep you going. And if you have people lean on them, what do you say to the supporters who want to know how best to show up for someone going through cancer treatment, whatever big scary thing is going on? Yeah. Yeah, I have a couple, honestly, different responses to this because there's a couple of things that like really stood out to me, a gerine all of that time. And I think

One is being there for them with the cancer and just as a human. I think some of the best days where when I was able to go out on a hike with my girlfriends and just forget about it all and just laugh and talk about silly things that are going on, I think that's so important to be there for them in that way.

it doesn't always need to be about the cancer. But on the flip side of the coin, opening up the conversation for them and just, you know, asking them how they're doing and then letting them talk as much or as little as they kind of want to about it. Um, I think those are were two things that really stood out to me that was so beneficial. And then I know, you know, a lot of, a lot of people for me would reach out and be like, can we come over and clean your house or, you know, things like that, that we're just so, so kind.

And what one of the best gifts we received was Reed's family paid for us to have a house cleaner for the months that I was going through chemotherapy, knowing that we had so much else going on. And that was just a huge burden that was relieved from us is like that we didn't have to get home and get on our hands and need to scrub the, you know, the floorboards. So I think

Another thing that people did for me was they had a meal train and we had meals showing up on the weekends that I had chemo. However, I will say with that, I don't know how your experience was eating during chemotherapy weekends, but it was very hard. It was very hard.

Um, it kind of like one weekend I could get grilled cheese down, but then the next weekend that sounded terrible. Same week. Oh my gosh. It's funny. Cause this is the outfit I'm wearing tonight is what I wore to chemo round three. I don't know if you remember. I remember exactly what I wore to every single treatment. And this was a, and I don't think I've worn it since chemo round three, which was New York city marathon. Okay. A year ago. Um, and the only thing that I could eat after that is I was like the thought of a grilled cheese sandwich. I can get down and I don't think I've had a grilled cheese sandwich since then.

Yep. We're done with those. I can't do that anymore. Yeah. And salami. I ate a lot of salami during chemo. That was like the only thing that appealed to me was cured meats. Yes. Yeah. Well, whatever gets you through. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Wait. So what? So with meal train. So some people would give like gift cards, like a door dash gift card or things like that. And I thought that that was

more practical probably because the people who brought like actual meals, sometimes they would say, well, if my stomach sometimes they wouldn't, um, which all in all, you know, Reed has a mini too. So like that was obviously like nice marathoner. Yeah, exactly. So yeah, I think those would be kind of the, what I guess I would suggest, uh, specific during like, uh, treatment times. Um, and then yeah, I think the biggest thing for me personally was just,

you know, having my people around me and like just like reaching out, I had my, an aunt of mine who has also battled cancer for a really long time. She sent me a card in the mail almost every week. And that was something that I looked forward to every week. And you know, half the time it was just, you know, like talking about what she did that day or, you know, anything like that. But again, it just

it reminded me that like she was holding me in her heart and thinking about me. And that that carried me through a lot of those, those hard moments too. So of all of the treatment that you went through, chemo, you did radiation, correct? Yep. Of everything that you went through, I don't want to be like, what was the hardest? Because we know everything is so hard and it's different ways. But when, you know, now being a bit removed from it, when you look back on those days, and you know, I think,

when you're in the thick of it, you don't realize how shitty you feel. You're just getting through it. And then I'm like, again, I know for me on the other side, I was like, oh my God, I was so sick during chemo. And I was so convinced not to be. And then I wasn't and I powered through it. And I'm like, yeah, Allison, like unwell and like brain fog. And just, but when you look back on all of your treatment and your experience, what stands out to you as like, that was really hard.

Yeah, I think it's it would probably be the chemotherapy is like the most obvious where the radiation for me actually wasn't wasn't too bad. I had radiation to my spine and my sacrum. And really the only thing that was a little bit difficult about the spine is they

Create a custom mold to your face and like shoulders and then they kind of like attach you to the board with that So it's like claustrophobic yes, but it's really it's only like 10 15 minutes So it's stored and I didn't feel any pain from the radiation I know some people have and I also did not have I think I had three sessions to my sign and three to my sacrum if I remember correctly but so I also did not have a ton of

radiation treatments, whereas I know when somebody gets like a lumpectomy or something of that sort, they need to receive radiation to their armpit and breast. And that is typically like every day for, I want to say like 30 days. Yeah. Yeah. And so I do think that that is a different situation than what I went through. So I think the chemotherapy would be what is the most obvious, like I said, there, when I was about halfway through,

I was really struggling with it. And then I kind of like went over the pump a little bit and it got seemingly a little bit easier. Again, like mentally, I think. And then there's also like the hormonal like pills and injections and things like that that are still ongoing. And those are kind of like sneaky hard because they, you know, they affect

your emotions and they, you know, give you just kind of like more like daily symptoms, you know, similar. I don't know if you're on some of these. Okay, yeah. So I'm on a lecture is all, which is similar. And so.

your hot flashes are probably. So I had them. And then I had them for like a week. And it was so intense. And I was like, this is terrible. Is this the rest of my life? And then they stopped. Okay. Okay.

So yeah, I don't know my, and I'm sure your oncologist said this too, is my oncologist was like, ask your mom about what menopause was like for her because they say that it's pretty similar. And so I did ask my mom is I was like, what was menopause like for you? And she was like, oh, I didn't even like notice it. It was totally fine. And I was like, okay, look at me getting a perk here. Yeah, so nice. So I mean, who knows, they might come back.

Right, right. Yeah, my and my blood work shows that I'm not technically So I don't know that I had like conflicting information on like certain things point to me being in menopause and certain things point to be being like For sure not in menopause. So we're just kind of rolling with it, you know, oh interesting. Yeah, because

Would they adjust any dosage or anything like that if you have it? So it's, I mean, at this point, we're past oversharing. Yeah, yeah, certainly not with us. But then I'm like, oh, this is a podcast. So I have not had a period in like two years. And so I.

I didn't really know what that meant. I was just like, and so my doctor was like, oh, that probably means that, yeah, like medically, that would mean you're in menopause. And then when we ran labs and did all these tests very recently, everything was like, no, you're not. And then I was like, okay, quick question. I've also been under a lot of stress.

Right. That'd be part of it. And they were like, yes. So yeah, I'm, I'm not apparently, I'm not technically in menopause, but I'm like, each time we do labs, I'm like trending closer. Okay. Yeah. So interesting. Yeah. Um, because yeah, I would, I would assume if you weren't getting period, that would mean that you were, but.

Yeah, because I don't know. The questions that I have asked my doctors, I feel so dumb every time I talk to my doctor. And you still need the office, like being like, I don't actually, I still don't know. Yes, I'm like, I took so many notes, but I have no idea what just happened. But you, you've shared that you and Reed, it sounds like we're starting to have conversations about having children. Can you kind of walk through how you navigated all of that and with getting this diagnosis and the decision to freeze your eggs?

Mm-hmm. Yep. So yeah, we had been talking prior to finding the lump about starting our family and then obviously found the lump and that was actually Might have been the first time I actually cried after getting the diagnosis. It took me a couple days to Obviously I was in shock, you know, like

Read and I like were like, I guess I probably more was like laughing about it the day that, you know, I figured out that I had it. And, um, and then we went to a doctor, um, my first doctor's appointment and they talked about like just the typical, um, cycle of, you know, when somebody gets diagnosed, like these are the things that typically happen. And one of those things is that you're on, um, medication that means that you can't get pregnant for five years.

And that was the first time that I really cried and realized that like, oh, this isn't something that's just going to suck for a summer. You know, like that is not just going to be like a, I have to do chemo for a little bit. And then I'm, you know, on my other side, other side of it. And so my doctor, which I am so grateful for this as well, that she recommended me retrieving eggs.

Because what some people will recommend is because I'm also on Lupron, I don't know if you're also. So it suppresses your ovaries. Lupron is a monthly injection and I started it before starting chemo and I'm still on it today. And that a lot of times can preserve some fertility when somebody is going through chemotherapy because your ovaries are not so active. So the chemotherapy doesn't attack it quite as much.

Um, but that is not like a hundred percent guarantee. And I think it's like a third of women, uh, leave chemotherapy infernal. Um, and so my doctor recommended that I freeze my eggs. And so I was going through, um, the process of retrieving eggs when we ended up, so that also is part of what delayed the finding out of my diagnosis and then starting chemotherapy. But, and because we had that delay, that was also in the time where the PA reached out to me about getting pet scan.

And then we found out during that time that it had spread, now I'm in a position where, you know, it's, I, there's a good chance that it will just be on this medication for the rest of my life. And that there's a good chance that I just will not be able to carry children for us. That's not a 100% guarantee. And, you know, best case scenarios, maybe years on the road that I can, but that's like,

doesn't seem like it will be the situation for us. And so I feel so grateful that I had made that decision to phrase my eggs before starting chemotherapy because had I not, and then we found out it had spread, we just would not have the option of having children of our own children. So I feel very grateful.

Oh, just all of the things that you have to process and try to make sense of while also still working and still showing up and waking up in the morning and going through life. So I know you shared earlier about how sort of the role that running played for you during that time. But do you remember on any of those specific big scary days if you went for runs or not? No, I did not go for runs.

I did, I would go out and go for a walk. I would need to move my body on those days, but typically it would be the day after that I would be able to get out for a run. And especially during, again, like I said, like during the waiting period, running was really difficult for me, just like mentally, emotionally. Whereas then like during the chemotherapy, it was maybe a little bit harder for me physically, but mentally, emotionally, it was much more life-bringing for me.

How many rounds of chemo did you do? I would have done eight, eight. I had the option of doing weekly for 16 rounds or bi-weekly for eight rounds. And the bi-weekly was higher or was more chemo. So they could basically essentially spread it out thinner or in higher doses. And because I was

younger when I was diagnosed, my ecologist said that she thought that I would do just fine at the higher dose by weekly. So that was what I opted in for. I want to talk about the hair piece, the hair component, I should say. So you made the decision and I did as well to do cold capping. Can you talk about what that experience was like and

what it, what it's like on chemo days to do cold capping in your experience. Yep. Um, and yeah, I'll be so curious to hear from you kind of your thoughts as well. Cause ours were different. You had the kind that's like plugged in, right? So you, you have to change yours out during the day. Yeah. Nope. So I was just able to plug in and go essentially. Um, so yeah, for, um, and it almost seemed, we'll compare notes. Um, what I did,

is I would be on, as I was getting my liquids through the IVs and the hydration, all those things, we would plug me in. And I would also be getting in the cold capping. And that would be for, I want to say an hour before chemotherapy started. And then the chemotherapy day stretched about, I want to say five hours, six hours maybe, of the actual

Um, maybe five hours of the actual chemotherapy drug being pumped through you. And then afterwards, I would stay on for another 30 minutes, I think. I think yours was longer. Yeah. Mine was like four hours after. Yeah. Mine was actually reason that read. Do you remember, um, how long did I keep my clinic app on for at the end? Was it another hour? Was it 30 minutes?

I know. I can't remember. We've blacked it out. Keep it blacked out, honestly. Yeah. He's anything so it's another hour and that honestly sounds more accurate to me too. So I think it was an hour at the front end, an hour at the back end and then the, you know, five hours or so in the middle. So it ends up being, you know, an, an additional two hours onto your day. If not more, if I am, I'm not totally remembering the breakdown of the hours. And yeah, so for how mine worked is,

I would wet my hair and they would put then the cooling cap onto my head. And I think the purpose of that was, I mean, essentially, you know, cooling caps are meant to make your scalp hypothermic so that the chemotherapy drug can't reach the hair follicles and they don't fall out is the thought behind it. So they would wet my hair and then I would put a little conditioner in there so that the cooling cap wouldn't freeze.

to my head all the way. Um, and then we would plug me in and I would just kind of be sitting there. Um, the additional part is one of the dogs that I did. Did you wear the cooling? Did you have the drug where you had the clue? So I had another drug, the cool. What was that? Are you talking about the hands? Mm hmm. Yeah. I never did that. Yeah. So I also had to do a cooling mix and booties. So little gloves and, uh,

booties with ice stuffed in them. Um, because one of the drugs also can cause neuropathy to your hands and your feet. And that is a lot of times irreversible. Um, so I was sitting there with, you know, my cooling cap on my head, gloves, gloves on boots on. And I was like, that's a little icicle. Um, and yeah, it made for a really long day and a pretty painful.

day and and

I don't know if I'd recommend it. I don't know. Do you think you would? So I mean, yeah, so for a similar as our experience, mine was very different. So I only had to do four rounds of chemo. And I almost feel guilty saying that because people do so much, you know, like that's a thing that I've struggled with a lot is like, you know, it's obviously

I mean, there is a component of survivors guilt in there, but it's also just the constant, like, other people have had this so much worse. Like, I was so lucky in so many ways.

So yeah, so I have to explain a bit of that gratitude, but I also think that you should definitely acknowledge that it is unfair what has happened to you. Oh, no, I've not processed that. I've cried for the first 30 minutes of our conversation because I realized I've not processed any of the cancer piece of the past year and a half for me. That became very clear as soon as you started talking for some reason. If I was like, Oh, I haven't dealt with any of this. I've been busy dealing with a lot of other shit. I have not at all unpacked the cancer.

Um, yeah, that's fine. Future alley will get there. Yes. And I will say that I found a therapist who has specialized in cancer. Um, so I am able to speak with somebody who has worked with, you know, a lot of people who have been through similar things and is able to validate the feelings that you are feeling. And, um, I think

That's important. And then I'm excited to that point too. Yeah, I need to. I need to deal with that at some point. So my chemo days were so I did a penguin cold capping, which is where you have to change the caps out like every 25 minutes. So similar in that it starts.

in our while you're getting your pre meds. So the good thing is that they would give me that out of van and I would just start like giggling and just out of it. And I was like, and I just remember thinking like, we're having fun. And of course, I'm like, I was drugged to the guilt. Like I had no idea what was happening. I could barely have my head up.

Yes. So yeah, we had to like roll up with a cooler full of dried ice and our three different caps. I had a team of multiple people with me every time, like my most incredible friends that took care of me. But the thing that was that I found particularly hard about

The kind of cold capping I did was that you would sit there and you'd have this cap on and it's so painful when you first put it on because I mean, it is absolutely frozen and it hurts. Yeah. And then it's like, okay, I'm settling in. All right, this isn't so bad. And then it's time to change it. Like just as soon as this isn't so bad and it starts that cycle over. And I mean, we did that 20 times. I think we average.

Most chemo days we went through between 20 and 22 cold caps a day. Like after I finished treatment, we stayed at a hotel every time because the hospital is an hour from my house. And we were like, if we drive home, we're pulling over on the side of the road to change cold caps. We're not doing it. Right. We would go to a hotel.

and have to time the drive to the hotel, change the cold cap at the lobby, check it, like it was just, you know, and I didn't do anything. My friends did all the work. I did nothing. Yes, but also, like you said, like you can't just like settle in and be like, no, I'm just settled into my day. It's a constant, you can't sleep in and remind her of where you're at.

Yeah, you hear about, you know, people who go to chemo and they sleep the whole time, either because they're sick or they're tired or they got a little bit of drill beforehand. Right. With cold capping, you're not sleeping. Like you have to.

be active enough to hold your head up and get those changed. And you know, you had the the mittens and the booty. So it's not like you're flipping through a book. You can use your hands. Right. Right. It's just it's yes. Yeah, there's so many components, but also like you were saying I've blacked a lot of that out. Yeah, I don't there's a lot that from that just that entire

time of my life that I don't remember. Right. Yeah. I was like trying to dig back in. I was like, what was that? Yeah. Well, like, wait, did I run that day or how did I react to that? Like, am I okay? Right. Right. So was there a point where, you know, once you got through the bulk of the treatment, which when I say that, I'm usually referring to like the chemo and radiation, like the big things before then the immunotherapy and the hormone therapy.

Do you remember there being a point where you started to feel whether it's like yourself again or like a new version of yourself or a sort of light at the end of the tunnel? Yeah. Yeah, I think, um, thinking about getting through, um, I'm thinking even a little bit back to that round of those rounds of chemotherapy and back to the cooling cap portion of it as well.

Um, I kind of mentioned this earlier that about halfway through the chemotherapy sessions, especially with the cooling cap, that was where I hit like probably like my biggest low of the chemotherapy rounds. Um, it was, yeah, I think after it was like after my third round, I think I, um, put on the cool, we put on the cooling cap for the beginning of that next chemotherapy day of what I think would be my fourth round.

Um, and I was just immediately in tears and I was like, it's making me sick. Like, it's making me nauseate. Like thinking it was the cooling cap that was doing that because to your point, like it's, it's painful, you know, it hurts. And then I, and I was telling my friend who was with me that day, um, and Reed was there. I was like, I'm not, um, I'm not doing the cooling cap anymore. I'm going to be down with it. I'm just going to shave my head. I'm going to go get a wig. I'm going to be done with that.

And there was, I did chemotherapy in a communal space. And so there were two women who were sitting across from me and both of whom were bald. And I was looking at them and I was like, they are so beautiful. Like if I could look like them, like I will be so happy. And during this time, I'm also talking to my therapist that, you know, so then I'm like, I think I'm gonna be done with the cooling caps. And I'm telling, I'm recapping this to my therapist and she was asking, she's like, well, what made them beautiful?

And I was like, you know, they were just so happy and they were so confident. And they just look so strong. And she's like, so it sounds like you want to be happy, confident and strong. And I was like, oh, it's such a good one. And I did end up continuing to wear the cooling cap. But I also, as I was recapping this with my therapist, realized that I was starting to feel sick before the cooling cap was plugged in. And so

surprise, it was anxiety. And so the next chemotherapy round, my doctor prescribed me an anti anxiety medication for that round of chemo. And I got through it. Great. Like you said, like it was fun. And I was able to get through the chemotherapy for the rest of the time. But

I ended up introducing myself to those women. And we ended up on the same chemotherapy schedule. So we got to go through. We made almost like a little family. And it was so fun. Honestly, it was truly fun to go to chemo. And I was looking forward to those days where I was like, I'm going to see my girls and we're going to talk about life and drama and all this stuff.

And they are the ones who, the day that I finished chemotherapy and I rang my bell, they brought me like t-shirts and cookies and things like that.

The nurses had to come over and tell us to be quiet sometimes. We got those talks too. Yes. Which is like a badge of honor. Exactly. I was like, okay. But I also understand that, you know, there's other people who are not. It's not fun. Yeah. Yeah. And so I think there was, yeah, definitely that like coming over the hump and,

getting out of that really low place. And it took a while, I think, to feel like a new person. Yeah. And it's tricky because I think it's like also you meet new people along the way. And you're so much more than just somebody who has survived cancer.

And also you're somebody who's survived cancer. And, you know, like, and there's like kind of like figuring out that new identity is, is an interesting thing to navigate as well. And like we mentioned at the beginning of the call, I am so happy to share anything that I have learned along the way to help anybody else. And I'm still, you know, Christine, who's a teacher, who loves running and, you know, who has a cat and all of those. You know, um,

So yeah, I don't know if that like fully answered your question, but it's kind of just where I'm at today. Yeah, it's tough to, you know, obviously I as a follower of yours, I love and so appreciate that you chose to share this journey and to let people in because it was so helpful for me, whether or not that was your goal. It was so helpful and to be able to connect with you and talk about this. Like that was such a lifeline for me when,

when I needed it the most. And by sharing, you then have this label for life of like, oh, you know, like anything that you do from now on, anytime you're written about, it doesn't matter what you accomplish or what you do. At some point in that news article or whatever it is, they're going to talk about, and Christine, who was diagnosed with stage four of us kids, like it's always going to be in there, which

I don't know. I have all kinds of feelings on that for my self. Um, yeah, it's mixed feelings, right? Like it's like, again, like if, if someone else who's recently diagnosed or not recently diagnosed, but still bad, you know, battling these feelings can see that and be like, Oh, you know, somebody who has been diagnosed with cancer and go on and continue to live their life and to find joy and happiness and all these things. That's a great thing. But yeah, and then again, it's like,

You know, there's other pieces of us and that's not. I have a cat. I have a cat. He's so cute. Put that in the story.

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Have you or I guess the question is how has your perspective on all of this changed in terms of when you were first diagnosed and when you looked at this uncertain future and when you look at it now, where are you at with fear? I'm in a very hopeful place right now and it would be lying to say that I don't still sometimes get in the late night

scrolling of things and looking at things like reoccurrence or thinking about all that. And I try my very best to be more positive for thinking and acknowledge like that, like I'm doing all the right things to keep myself healthy. And that being nervous about these things is only going to stop me from living my life.

So I try my best to avoid it, but it's real that, you know, on the occasion, I still look up, even though I've looked up, but I knew that I was born. I don't think the answer is to be so googling. You know, like the rate of reoccurrence or, you know, things like that. Um, so it's definitely still there. Um, but I'm optimistic. And you're a marathoner.

And I'm a marathoner now. So I love that. And I know that this has been mentioned in coverage since you've run the marathon of people being like, she's married to a professional runner, but that's not what inspired her to run a marathon. Way to throw Reed just absolutely right under that bus of fire. It's like this jump.

This guy, whatever. But I think so many people would relate that, yes, the professional athletes are incredible for what they do. But it is. It's the people who are going in working full time, getting their kids off to school in the morning, like doing all of these things that I think makes so many of us say, maybe I could do that or why not me or whatever it is. Yes.

Are you someone who always thought maybe someday I'll run a marathon or was this truly? I'm coming out of having cancer. I'm watching these people at this finish line. Now is my time. Definitely the latter. Okay. I really thought that I would like never run a marathon. It was just like not something I was super interested in. Last words. Okay, I shouldn't say never. Like there are times where I was like,

maybe no. I think part of that also is like the, you know, I will see, you know, the training that Reid does. And that's like, you know, his full time career. And I'm like, I don't know how I would ever fit that into, you know, my life where I'm at right now. That's just a long way to run, you know? So yeah. But yeah, so it really was, I think,

partially coming out of the diagnosis just in general. And I'm just wanting to try new things and do things that I maybe would have never thought of doing before. And it was very much in that moment watching those runners come in after the professionals where I was just seeing the joy on their faces and them

running in with their friends or things like that. And I, it was just so inspiring and I could just like feel the joy coming off of them. And again, like I am, I should not say that I'm not inspired by read or any other professional runner because I am so inspired by them. And a lot of times it looks a little different when they're crossing the finish line, you know, and I think for the average

human just crossing the finish line of 26.2 miles is a huge accomplishment. And so I was just so inspired and wanted to be a part of, of that celebration of all of those, that hard work. Because again, like it's like, yeah, it's, you don't know what, what other people are going through. Everybody's going through something hard, right? Like whether that's something in their, in their career or with their family or with their kids or just with themselves, right? Um,

Like everybody made the decision that like I am going to, through all this hard stuff that I'm going through with the career that I'm in, I'm also going to dedicate all this time and effort into preparing for this one day. And I thought it was just so special to watch and I wanted to be a part of it so badly. So are you a one and done marathoner? Are you a marathoner now who's committed to the distance? What are we thinking, Christine?

Who's Googling? As one does. Different marathons that I could look at. You qualified for Boston. I did qualify for Boston. It wouldn't be for this upcoming. 26. I've already closed. Right. So you 2026. So I do feel like that. I will definitely run that marathon. And I think I would like to get another one in some time soon. Not soon, but like, you know, 2025 maybe. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly.

So no, I definitely, even before the marathon happened, I had said that I really enjoyed the training for the marathon in general, which also kind of surprised me because with my teaching schedule, I was up before 5 a.m. every day. You run before school? Yes, it's really hard for me to get out of school. I'm like more exhausted after school than I am at, you know, for 30 or five in the morning.

So I was, yeah, waking up, you know, before sunrise. Um, and there was like also just something so beautiful about that. Um, like just like being out in the world, like as it's coming into life was just like so meditative in its own right. Um, and then like the long runs I really loved. Um, so even before the, the marathon day happened, I had said that like, I've loved the training for the marathon. So I would love to run the marathon just for the sake of the training.

Um, and then it just so happened that I also loved the day of the marathon. So I would love to get out and do another one. And Reed was coaching you. Correct. Yep. Yeah. How was that? It was great. Um, yeah, we, um, he coaches also actually through a platform called hammer and axe. And so he has other clients as well. So it was really nice. He was able to just add me to his roster. Um, plug in my workouts were,

We'll be sitting next to each other on the couch and I looked up and I was like, oh, hard work out tomorrow. Subscribe me. The included like love notes for yours. No, you don't, babe. That would definitely, that's for next time. For next time. For next time. So you'll keep the same coach going forward, you think? Yeah. Yeah, I think so. I think so. But I'll give him a little feedback on that.

Does it feel, I mean, I know it can sound so oversimplified to put the narrative of like she beat cancer and then ran the marathon. But does it feel like that? Like does this feel like the big like fireworks show at the end or the kind of stamp of I did this or the additional like bell ringing? What does it feel like to you to have

Mm. Most of the, the stuff in the rear view and then get to run this marathon. Yeah. No, it really did feel like that. Um, I really would spend time reflecting on, you know, the last couple of years, um, because yeah, it's been basically exactly two years since, um, I found the lump, um,

And then it was January when I had that diagnosis in February when there was that moment where I thought I was only destined to live for a couple more years. So especially in those dark moments, I just did not think that being able to run a marathon in two years would have been at all a possibility. So I think for me, it's like, yes, I

have beat cancer. And it's also like I'm able to do these things that I just wouldn't have expected that I've been able to do. And that's what I think when I'm reflecting back on it. It's so impactful to me. To just, you know, I'm trying to think of the best way to say this, but just to know that what you're living in like at one time, like isn't going to be forever.

Um, and yeah, two years ago, I would not thought that I could be there. And I, and I was, and I was smiling and laughing and meeting friends and dancing. And you know, there's signs up on the thing, like dance break. I'm like, great. I'll take it. And it's, you know, like it's just such a celebration. Um, and so yeah, it did feel, feel like that big, big fireworks show for me.

And that was like the biggest thing where, like I said, the third time that I cried on the course was meeting Reid at the finish line and, you know, giving him a hug and that just knowing that our future is looking forward right now.

Yeah, it's like a hell of a finish line and a starting line in a lot of ways. Some beautiful metaphors because it can always get tied back to running. But I mean, it is so I don't ever use the word inspiring lightly. It is so inspiring to me to see that not only are you very much alive, but how much you are living.

And it's awesome. And I'm just so happy for you and grateful for you. And you ran a hell of a race. So, you know, I think the future is bright for Christine, the marathoner, for sure. I can easily talk to you forever. Before I let you go, though, we do have to do our rapid fire questions. We've got to do our sprint to the finish. Are you ready for rapid fires? Yep, let's get it. What would your last meal on Earth be?

Mmm, I would have pizza and an NBA favorite movie. Oh, oh my gosh, I'm not a movie person. My joke with Reed was that I My favorite movie was Olympus is Fallen, but just like the worst action move. It was just the most recent movie I'd seen. Oh, you can think of TV. Do we have a favorite TV show? Um

Read and I love watching Survivor. Oh, nice. That is another actually goal of mine at one point is maybe to be on Survivor.

Yes, please. They can enter existence. They really need to do a survivor running edition because I feel like there are like, I can name off the top of my head at least five people in the running industry who have a goal of being on survivors. So like, let's get you and Kira DiMato and Chris Chavez to face off and make great television. Yeah. What food reminds you of your childhood? Oh, of my childhood. Oh, what was your first job?

A beverage cart at a golf course. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? A teacher. First concert, best concert. First concert, Justin Bieber. Best concert, no con.

Okay, I mean, but not Justin Bieber. Justin Bieber doesn't take the best concert spot. It was pretty great. It was pretty great. Wait, but also Taylor Swift doesn't take the best. I was actually just called in not Taylor Swift. It was the tie because you did go to the era's tour last year. I did. I did. I actually have gone twice. Which cities did you go in? Denver and New Orleans. New Orleans. Oh my gosh. Yep. So just recently the week before New York actually. Oh.

Yeah, we went to New Orleans the week before New York to watch Taylor Swift. I love all of this for you. What is your biggest pet peeve?

biggest putty of Reed. No, wait, wait for people who are at home. It sounds like your answer was Reed. And I would like everyone to know it's because he's in the room. And she's talking to him for him to give her the answer to this. Help me out. Oh, yeah. Oh, that is it. It's when somebody tries to hand me something when I am not ready for it.

That is so specific. Yeah, like my hands are full and somebody's trying to hand me something and I'm like, where am I going to put that? Does this happen often? And often enough for that to be your top bet. That is somehow the most wholesome answer to that question. Handing me things on my hands are full. Okay. I love it. If you could take a class in anything, what would it be? Anything.

Astronomy. If you could go for a run with anyone, who would it be? Oh, you. Oh, my God. We can do that anytime, but I will need you to slow down significantly. And we will make bathroom stops and I will not hand you anything. So I think we should be good. What is your favorite pasta shape? Oh, I would say a penny. In one word, how does running make you feel?

Mm. Strong. Give everyone listening a reason to go for a run. Endorphins. And endorphins make you happy. Yeah. So it's always a perfect answer, Christine. You are amazing. I could talk to you forever. I feel I can never say it enough how lucky I feel to get to have you in my life. And you've played such a tremendous role. I just remember

being so early in this process of my own and looking at pictures. And I remember you posting pictures of spending time with family and wearing cute hats. And I remember being like, I'm pretty sure she's doing cold capping and trying to figure out if you had lost hair like these that we play when we see other people existing on the internet going through what we're going through.

You've just been such a huge source of information and knowledge, but mostly of comfort. And I really needed that. So yeah, right back at you. Yeah, yeah, it was really meaningful for me to follow you and talk with you.

We're going to hug and wait. Yeah. Thank you for coming on the show. Thank you for sharing all that you share. You're helping so many people. And I hope your students know how lucky they are to have you as a teacher because you're the freakin best. So I'm very lucky and I hope they're good kids and I hope they're good listeners. They are. Okay. Thank you so much for doing this. Thank you. You're the best. Taking good care of yourself. You too.

Thank you so much for being here for this episode of The Alley on the Run Show with my guest, Christine Thornfisher. I easily could have talked to her for at least another 90 minutes and hope we get the chance to do it again soon. Thank you, of course, to the brands, partners, and supporters who make the work that I do possible.

the absolute best way to support me and my work is by supporting and shopping from the partners and friends of the alley on the run show. For this episode, that includes you can, it includes Volvo cars, and it includes Lagoon. When you use

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All good things. Keep taking good care of yourself. Keep taking good care of each other. I love you. You've got this. You're doing great. And thank you for joining me on the run.