A recent media opportunity had me writing about my upcoming Boston marathon — #7 Boston for me! Thought I would share this with all of you! Photos I shared are photos that I have shared on both blogs, so here is the text.
Name: Nancy E. Cook
How many times you’ve run Boston: This will be my 7th Boston and my 26th marathon. Highlights: 2001 (six months post partum), 2007 (placed 7th in the master category with a 3:05:59) – times / dates below:
(2) How you qualified for the race?
I qualified last year with my time at Boston (3:23) and again in Chicago with a 3:57 (2/3 of the way through chemotherapy after being diagnosed in July with lymphoma)
(3) Why you want/like to run Boston?
Boston to me is the dream for marathoners world wide, the grand daddy of all marathons, the “Olympics for marathon mortals”. All the history of the Boston marathon surrounds you as you run from Hopkinton to Boston. I strive each year to qualify for Boston and then to train as a New England based runner in the snow and ice and cold is pretty tough, so the time at the Boston means even that much more when you complete those 26.2 miles. To me this year means even more after completing chemotherapy in November I can run cancer free as an ACS DetermiNation athlete, I am determined as a cancer survivor to show that cancer can’t beat me and I will continue to run and be the strong athlete I once was and hope to be model for others that may be faced with this disease. Below is a link to the full story of my cancer journey this past 6 months.
(4) How you are training for the race? In the snow, on the trails, up the hills throughout the winter cold weather in New England, I will put all my miles in following the Hal Higdon plan through Training Peaks. This program is offered as a benefit to ACS DetermiNation athletes and truly works for me to stay on track and meet my goals. I post my training on dailymile.com and love the support and motivation online from all the runners out there to keep me going strong! I coach alpine skiing at Mount Snow in Vermont through the weekends and snowshoe & cross country ski for cross training, but mostly I love all the seasons of New England and run through all the crazy weather that we get here!
And just a little more to share:
Why are you running with ACS DetermiNation?
Because I am determined as a cancer survivor that cancer won’t get me down, hopefully won’t slow me down and that I can and will make a differenced in fighting this disease. It gives me great pride and I beam and am so truly thankful when someone makes a donation to the cause I work so hard for! This will be my 5th marathon having an ACS DetermiNation campaign for support. DNation also gives you the opportunity to meet other runners, through trainings or online and at the event of course. I met the “Dream Team” last year in Boston and it has been so incredible to have these relationships with this incredible group of runners. All 4 of us are going back to Boston and are dedicating our runs through ACS DetermiNation and we have 2 new recruits! Jill from Montana and Matt from Atlanta. Such an amazing TEAM!
Being a runner – Do you have any secret ailment or handicap that no one would ever guess you have?
Hmmm – not sure these are secret handicaps, but I had ACL reconstruction in 2005, but have come back stronger (I think because I didn’t want it to be a handicap!) and recently I was diagnosed with cancer in July — and although I pushed harder than ever with the Chicago marathon to beat those odds, it can be tough when your health is not 100%. But on the flip side, these things have made me push harder and run stronger in the end… and we shall see what this year has in store — hope to meet all my goals in health & running!
