I am evidence that running makes you feel good inside and out!

I’ve just got back from running in the iconic City To Surf 14km run from Sydney to Bondi Beach and was elated to finish in the top 10% of my female age group.

Some people think I am crazy, that I will hurt my joints and that running isn’t good for me, but the reality is that running has enhance my physical body, eliminating hip pain and also kept my bone density strong even after receiving radiation therapy three years ago. I know this as I had my bone density tested before radiation and again a few months ago. The Doctors were amazed that my results were exactly the same after treatment.

I first entertained running about 30 years ago to lose weight and get fit, I ran a couple of 10km runs and then got busy at work and lost interest.

Then around six years ago my friends and I were camping on the beach when we watched one of our friends swimming in the sea, running around the campsite and looking like she enjoyed it! Another friend had asked her to enter a triathlon, so as we sat on the beach chairs sipping our wine, munching on nibbles and feeling like beached whales, we found ourselves discussing the idea of training for a 5km run on our return home.

Five weeks later the group of us plus my 23year old young friend Holly, were at the start line of the Jetty to Jetty Fun run. I ran all the way next to Holly who chatted the whole way, whilst I gasped for breath and felt like my head was going to explode, but I managed to complete the run without having to stop and walk.

The results came in for this run and I was amazed to read that I had completed the 5km distance in 32 minutes and had finished 14^th out of 68 people in my age group!

This convinced me to carry on and after looking on the internet I found a local running group that encouraged all levels of runner called “Lazy Runner”

My friend Janette and I arranged to join the group that met three times a week. The first day as in anything new was a bit daunting, we met Marie who reminded me of a bossy teacher from my days at school, but she was a fabulous trainer and she showed us how to run properly. We realized by slowing down we could catch our breath and run much further.

I gradually increased my running distances whilst training through the weekly sessions including endurance, speed and strength, I lost a few pounds in weight and gained muscle which gradually changed my body shape.

In 2012 I decided to train for my first marathon, I felt fit and healthy and so I entered a local event and began training. At the same time I was trying my best to run faster and was a little frustrated that my little legs wouldn’t run fast enough to complete a 10km in under 60 minutes.

The Marathon was due to take place in August and at Easter in April we travelled to Bangkok in Thailand

for a holiday and to catch up with my son Adam who has lived in Bangkok for the past seven years.

Just before travelling to Thailand I had been for my yearly mammogram and ultrasound checkup. This was due to me having breast lumps removed a few years before. On receiving the results, I was frustrated to hear that I needed to have a ‘stereotactic core biopsy’ on one breast and a needle biopsy on the other breast. The annoyance was due to me having spent most years having biopsies, so much so that I had become complacent and thought it was a money making scam!!!

I decided to wait till after the holiday as it was going to cost me $1000 for the tests. Off we went to Thailand with no worries at all about my health, after all, I was training for a marathon and had never felt healthier!

Ten days later we arrived home with wonderful memories of a marvelous holiday with my son, and as promised I rang the clinic to arrange my procedure. Being the friendly girl that I am, after chatting to the Doctor as she carried out the biopsies, we realize that my GP on the coast was her best friend.

The Doctor actually said at the time that the tissue looked beautiful, no sign of anything being wrong.

So the next day, Tuesday morning at around 11am when the Doctor rang to speak to me about my results she seemed more shocked than I was. She said on more than one occasion that “It was awful, she was so sorry”, I remember thinking “I wish she would stop saying that”, but she meant well. She said that although she was a Doctor, she had friends who had gone through the breast cancer experience and what to expect over the next few months. She said the main thing was to remain positive, eat healthily and exercise and I remember ticking all three off in my head as that was what I was doing already.

My hubby Simon was working from home and had overheard the conversation, so by the time I put the phone down he was behind me squeezing my shoulders.

The doctor had said I had to ring my GP to arrange a referral to a surgeon.

I asked Simon to ring the Doctor as I didn’t trust that I could speak as I struggled to get my head around the diagnosis, which was two cancers, one was invasive, and the other was in the duct. The fact that it was invasive was a worry as it could have spread to my lymph glands and therefore to other areas of my body.

My Doctor only works part time, so the receptionist had booked an appointment for Saturday.

I sat on the sofa and worked through the diagnosis in my head and came to the conclusion that the experience was an opportunity to utilise my skills as a hypnotherapist and coach on myself, to show others what was possible and that it isn’t what happens to us that makes us feel bad but rather how we react and make sense of events.

I decided to blog my journey, being honest about my feelings with the hope of helping others going through cancer, whilst also letting my family and friends know without having to keep telling everyone and I also wrote as getting the words down on paper, got them out of my own head and helped me cope and stay strong and positive.

I had a skype call with both of my grown up children that day before they heard from anyone else, I wanted them to see me on skype so that I could convince them I was ok and for them not to worry.

On Thursday morning I received a call from the Doctor’s receptionist, apparently, my Doctor wondered why I wasn’t on the list of patients for that day. Her friend, (my doctor in Brisbane who had told me my diagnosis) had rung her whilst at her son’s sports day to tell her to expect Angela Farlam in and gave her heads up on my diagnosis.

I was so chuffed that the Doctors were so caring, and on Thursday Afternoon I visited my Doctors Surgery getting a referral to the surgeon she highly recommend and who I now love to bits, her name is Lisa Crighton.

I arranged an appointment to see her on the following Monday Morning and by the time I was walking out of the clinic I was booked in for surgery the following day.

Before surgery the following day, I first had to go to a radiology clinic for a ‘Sentinal Node” biopsy, this was injecting a dye which found its way tomy lymph nodes which then highlighted the one main node. The surgeon then could remove a chunk of tissue which hopefully, included this node for analysis.

Next, on to the hospital for surgery. I had said to Lisa Crighton to “whip them off” referring to my breasts, as I was fed up of having biopsies every year and had fallen out with my boobs at this time. I was surprised when Lisa said they didn’t like to remove breasts unless it was absolutely necessary, and in my case she preferred to remove the lumps instead. I took her advice and now still have boobs, albeit, very unusually shaped ones!

I recovered quickly after surgery, my main memories are watching all six Star Wars movies, I am convinced the anaesthetist suggested this to me whilst under sedation! I became obsessed with Yoda from Star Wars and when it was time for my thirty rounds of radiation therapy, my tactic was to imagine being zapped with Jedi Power with every shot of radiation.

My Jedi power worked because half way through radiation therapy I gained a personal best 10km distance run at a local event, coming in at 29 minutes and 29 seconds!!!! I was stoked!!!!

Radiation is supposed to leave you very fatigued and I gained a personal best! Our minds are so powerful when we get our ego and beliefs out of the way!

Another thing I noticed after surgery. As soon as I was physically able, I laced up my running shoes and took to the streets.

I found then and still do now that running allows my mind to quieten down, It’s as if I tune in to a higher power, my wisdom and find the answers to all my problems and questions.

That’s what keeps me running!

And the other thing I noticed after surgery, was my thinking about trying to go faster. I stopped trying , I became grateful to be alive and well enough to be outside running, breathing in the fresh air, feeling the breeze against my skin, appreciating the wonderful views around me and I just kept getting faster and faster! J

My first marathon a year after breast cancer surgery.

Its been three years since my diagnosis, I had my latest check up just two weeks ago and all is ok.

I love to run, the fitness part is just an added bonus, I run because of how it makes me feel inside and out!