Health
Interviews with Team Abbott Runners
In this episode of the Marathon Training Academy podcast, hosts Trevor and Angie interview three inspiring runners from Team Abbott who have overcome significant health challenges to complete the 2025...
Interviews with Team Abbott Runners
Health •
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Interactive Transcript
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Hello, Ed. Welcome to the Marathon Train Academy podcast
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where we inspire and empower long-distance runners
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like yourself.
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I'm Trevor.
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And I'm Angie.
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In this episode we speak with three runners
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who finished the 2025 Sydney Marathon with Team Abbott.
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Team Abbott is a community of runners
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who have faced serious health challenges,
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but they didn't let those challenges define them.
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And as always, I'd like to remind you that
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as an Academy member,
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you can get all of our training plans
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for optimal success in your next race,
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or you can work with one of our coaches.
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Find out more over at marathontrainingacademy.com.
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We'd like to say congratulations to MTA Coach Athena,
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who completed the mammoth trailfest 50k,
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and also congrats to a coaching client
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Brooke on finishing the Boulder Thon Marathon.
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In Boulder, Colorado.
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That's right.
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Hey, check this out.
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Coach Abby on our team.
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Designed a plan for a runner named Ryuji,
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and he's 80 years old.
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He and his daughter finished the Budapest half marathon
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in 225-17.
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Yeah, we got a note from his daughter, Mackie.
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She says, I just wanted to let you know,
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Dad and I completed the Budapest half marathon on Sunday.
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And it went really well.
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It was such a beautiful city,
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and each mile went past so quickly
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as we were enjoying the sights by the Danube River.
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We finished in 225, 20 minutes faster
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than his first half marathon that he ran last year.
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He looked like he was in pain after the race,
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but after a nap, he was totally fine.
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It's thanks to all that training he was able to recover so fast.
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So thank you very much.
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Next up is the Tokyo marathon.
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Love it.
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Super congrats to your dad, doing that at 80 years old.
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That is amazing.
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Speaking of half marathon,
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if you dream of running the Richmond marathon,
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unfortunately, it's already sold out this year.
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Sold out quick.
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It's getting more and more popular,
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but they have another race.
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You can experience Richmond's river views
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next year in March, March 7th.
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So market calendar, you can join them
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for the Virginia Credit Union River City half marathon.
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Perfect way to explore the city,
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soak in the scenic James River,
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and enjoy Richmond's vibrant running community.
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The Virginia Credit Union River half is limited
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to the first 2500 registrants,
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and the 5K also taking place that day
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is limited to 1000 registrants.
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So looking for a great spring, tune up half marathon
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or 5K and you want to go to Richmond,
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beautiful city, check them out.
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Every participant gets a technical shirt,
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finishers medal, bib with chip timing
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and access to the post race festival
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with two drink tickets.
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Half marathon runners also receive a branded canvas tote.
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So don't miss your chance register today
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at sportsbackers.org
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and make your spring race unforgettable sportsbackers.org.
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Okay, well, we have three runners on the show today.
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They are, every day people out there getting it done,
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but they are dealing with some pretty serious health challenges.
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And this all came about today, thanks to team Abbott.
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Of course Angie is gonna be running
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the New York City marathon with team Abbott.
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Yeah, team Abbott is a global healthcare company
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and of course the title sponsor
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of the Abbott World Marathon majors.
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And as a leader in healthcare,
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seeing people prioritize their health
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is what Abbott is all about.
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And so they created team Abbott,
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which is a community of runners,
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many of whom have overcome health challenges
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and who are committed to inspiring others
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through their running journeys.
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Yeah, and they also wanted us to share
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that if you are interested in running
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the World Marathon majors as part of team Abbott,
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they're looking for people who have a health journey
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to share a story.
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They get a limited number of bibs
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for all the world marathon majors.
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So you can definitely submit your story
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over at Abbott.com for slash marathons.
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Runners who are selected for the team will get access
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to participate in the Abbott World Marathon majors
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as well as other shorter distance races
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that Abbott partners with.
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The first runner we were speaking with today
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has very inspiring story.
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Her name is Elizabeth Pahota and she lives in Boston.
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Three days out from running the 2022 Berlin Marathon,
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she experienced a feeling of pins and needles
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in her hands, feet and thighs
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and an unnatural resistance while running.
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Soon afterwards she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis,
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MS, a chronic unpredictable disease
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of the central nervous system.
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As someone who shares her daily life on social media,
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Elizabeth only recently opened up about her diagnosis,
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but she's already formed relationships
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with other MS patients around the world
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and she recently finished the Sydney Marathon.
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All right, let's do it.
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[♪ OUTRO MUSIC PLAYING [♪
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We're on the podcast now with Elizabeth Pahota,
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joining us from Boston.
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Welcome to the MTA podcast.
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Thank you guys.
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I'm so excited to be here with you
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and really appreciate you having me on.
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So we always love to kind of get people's background
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and long distance running,
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but first tell us what you do for a living
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and you said you live in Boston,
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how long have you been there?
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So I've been in Boston since 2011
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when I moved here for college.
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I went to Boston College and I've been in the area ever since.
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I really was not a big runner.
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Previously, I'd run maybe three, four miles casually.
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And in 2020, I committed to running the Boston Marathon.
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I can give you guys the full scoop
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but going to Boston College.
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The mile 21 is right after Heartbreak Hill
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and I kind of fell in love with cheering on runners on that day.
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And at the time, I was a cheerleader for Boston College.
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So it wasn't conducive to the late nights
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and weekends to train in school.
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And after while I was working full time,
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I was a cheerleader for the Celtics
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in addition to my full-time work.
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So the late nights and weekends really continued there.
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And so I started running in 2020
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when I really decided I wanted to run
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the Boston Marathon.
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Are you a big Celtics fan?
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Yes, I am a big Celtics fan.
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I cheered from 2014 to 2017.
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So it was like a highlight of my really youth
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being able to have in a way, season tickets
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where you're on the court all the time,
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front row seats to the games, and just really enjoying it.
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So that was a really special time in my life.
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I don't think we've ever had an NBA cheerleader
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on the podcast before, you know, former NBA cheerleader.
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So I'm happy to be the first.
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Yes.
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What, how much like training do you guys do
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like on a weekly basis to be able to go out there
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and have that high energy and do all the,
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I don't know, like the tricks that they do as well?
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Well, everybody comes in with a pretty strong background
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in it.
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It is very competitive to get on the team.
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And so we all come in with the high skills
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that are already attained.
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But we practice, honestly, during season,
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we only practice once a week because we're cheering games
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three or four nights a week when the Celtics are at home.
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So it might depend if there's like a bigger game coming up
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that will add in another practice,
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but that's how the cadence typically works
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just because there's so many games in a season.
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So you're just doing home games?
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Or do you also travel with the team?
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I did home games while I was there.
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However, there were some opportunities to travel.
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My highlight was going to the NBA Global Games.
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So I had the opportunity.
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I believe it was in 2015 to go cheer on the Celtics
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in Milan and Spain.
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So Italy and Spain.
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I'm trying to remember where we weren't Spain.
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Oh, I think it was Madrid.
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So it was Madrid and Milan.
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So that was a really cool experience to go over there with them
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and be able to be on the other side of the world
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experiencing different cultures and see some of the world.
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I've definitely been really lucky.
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Where cheerleading has brought me some really unique experiences
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to travel.
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And another one with Boston College,
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I got to go cheer a game in Ireland while I was there.
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So cheerleading has brought me to many countries
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as has running as well.
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I was going to say I know cheerleading
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is a very athletically demanding sport.
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So what was it like to transition more into running?
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Well, I think one thing I didn't realize
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when I started running is that runners aren't flexible.
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So I had a leg up in that department
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when it came to stretching and all of that.
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But it's just so funny.
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I'll see people and they're like, I can't touch my toes.
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And I think to myself, man, that's pretty easy.
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I can do that.
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But being conditioned to working out
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to a certain degree and really trying to be professional,
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there is a big component, especially when you're cheering
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at the NBA level, to be able to have a sheer professionalism
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about you.
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And I think that's something that makes Canada stand out
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when they're in auditions for in trials for professional teams,
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because you really need to be able to have that caliber
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about you, speak to fans, interact with different staff.
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And I think for me, learning how to be
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polish in all areas, whether it's physically,
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whether it's speaking wise mentally,
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has really helped me with running.
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And just being able to really stick to a schedule.
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So my schedule flipped.
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I was no longer working nights and weekends in that regard.
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However, I had to trade those in for the early mornings
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and long runs and being disciplined
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to follow a schedule on a daily basis.
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So it really helps me just being able to kind of jump
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in in that capacity.
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Let's get into how you got connected with team Abbott.
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So I'm going to give you the cliff notes
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to let's color on my running journey.
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But after I ran the virtual boss,
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and I'm going to give you the really short cliff notes,
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I promise.
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I ran 2021, the Chicago marathon.
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It was really hot.
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I was trying to qualify.
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It was 83 degrees.
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Unfortunately didn't do it.
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I qualified and raised three weeks later
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at a local race in Boston, calls of Charles River Marathon.
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And then I finally got back to Boston in 2022.
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There's a lot of stuff that happened, but that year was,
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you know, it was a lot for me.
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I was actually diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
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after the Boston Marathon.
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So I was training for the Berlin Marathon in 2022.
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And I started to get numbness in my feet in my hands.
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And eventually that numbness kind of crept from my feet
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to my ankles, to my calves, to my knees, to my thighs.
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And everyone around me was just telling me,
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oh, you know, you're just training.
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Like, it's nothing.
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Don't worry about it.
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And finally I got to a point where I felt like
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I was running in water.
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I was just being met with so much resistance.
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And so I went to go see my primary.
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They believed something was wrong.
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They had me get some ultrasound done,
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but they said I needed to get into neurology.
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And they finally got me in there.
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And I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
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about five days before the Berlin Marathon in 2022.
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So this is actually, as we're recording,
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my three, just about my three year anniversary,
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you could say, since I was diagnosed with MS,
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but it really changed my life.
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And what happened over time was I kind of was living
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with this weight on my shoulder, you know,
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trying to figure out how to live with multiple sclerosis.
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What that meant for me, figuring out,
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you know, do I want to share this with people?
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I was worried about people discriminating against me
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or looking at me differently.
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And that was a really big fear.
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So I kept to myself for about two plus years,
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just trying to figure out how to live with it.
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I was also getting married at the time.
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And to be honest, I didn't want people looking at me
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at my wedding being like, I feel so sorry for her.
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I wanted people to look at me and be like,
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I'm so happy for her, you know?
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And eventually this year, I actually shared my journey
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in February, right before the Tokyo Marathon took place.
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And, you know, March was MS Awareness Month.
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It really felt like the right time to be sharing my story.
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I was chasing my six stars with Abbott.
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And I opened up about what I had been going through.
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And I was worried about what people were going to think of me.
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And I really was met with so much positivity
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and people really thinking like,
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I didn't know you were going through this.
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You know, I thought you were impressive before,
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but this just really like, it makes me admire you more.
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And I got an influx of messages from people
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that were sharing their story with me,
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whether it was multiple sclerosis,
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chronic illness, invisible diseases.
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And Abbott has been an incredible partner,
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championing my story and getting my message out there
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that you don't have to let a diagnosis define you.
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You can still chase your dreams that, you know,
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they might look different than they have in the past,
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but you can still go after what you want to in life.
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And so I'm very grateful.
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I've had the opportunity to work with them and partner with them
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because, you know, they're a healthcare company
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and they're the title sponsor of the Abbott World Marathon majors.
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So it's to be able to work with them,
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has been an absolute joy.
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And they just launched a team, it's called Team Abbott.
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And it's a community of individuals
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who champion health through running.
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So being able to be a part of that team
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and a leader has been a gift that's come out of,
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you know, a situation where it was diagnosed
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and it was something that I didn't know
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how it was going to ever get through.
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Yeah, I mean, taking something that is so heavy
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and so life-changing,
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especially since you're not really the, you know,
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not that there's a normal demographic,
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but, you know, you're this young, healthy person
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who's chasing these big goals and to, you know,
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be faced with something like that.
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How has it changed your experience
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with long distance running, like with symptom management?
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And, you know, kind of mentally, like knowing when you
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pushed through something and when you just have to be really gentle
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with your body and take extra rest?
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Yeah, so I've run 14 marathons total
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and I believe three of them were before my diagnosis,
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so I've actually run more since.
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And my main symptoms, I would say,
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although MS is a snowflake disease,
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no two symptoms are like,
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is the numbness and tingling that I experienced.
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So I actually have not firmly felt my,
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planted on the ground in three years,
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over three years now, which is crazy, you know,
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there's these simple things in life that you take for granted
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and like now one of the things I want most
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to just be able to feel my feet firmly planted on the ground.
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Another one of my symptoms is fatigue.
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MS has fatigue that can kind of hit you in waves
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and it can kind of come out of nowhere.
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So, you know, sometimes I'll get hit with a wave of fatigue
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and I'm kind of down for the day when that happens.
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Like I really just have to like start again the next day.
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So I try to be really diligent about listening to my body,
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trying to get ahead of any hunger, any thirst,
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like making sure my body really has what it needs.
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I know, I have run her favorite topic is Bows.
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Unfortunately there are ball issues that come with MS.
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So that's been so much fun to learn how to navigate.
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You get headaches like there's brain fog.
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There's a lot of things that come with it.
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And yeah, I've really had to learn how to listen to my body
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as I mentioned and I think one of the bigger things
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is giving myself grace.
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I've always been someone who's an overachiever
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that you know, strives for perfection
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and I really need to now be in tune with my body
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and if I can't hit or work out or if I can't hit my miles
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or you know, if I need to shuffle things around,
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like I just have to give myself grace
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and it's a learned skill to be adaptable
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and that's something that I've really been working on.
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And I'll actually say I've been looking back
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at a lot of content from the Berlin marathon when I ran it
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and you know, I look back at those videos of me running
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and I can literally hear my feet scraping on the ground.
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It just because I couldn't lift my feet high enough.
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So I've really had to work on my running form
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so that it's strong, especially in later miles
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because I need to be able to lift my feet to a certain degree
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and you know, I look back at those videos
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and I'm like, oh, I don't even know how I did that back then
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because it really was one of the hardest things
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I've ever done in my life.
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And it, crossing that finish line really empowered me
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to prove that I'm more than my diagnosis
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inspired me to run all of the Abbott world majors
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and that's kind of where my running dream
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really started to flourish and come out of something
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that was a really tough loss for me at the time.
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And you just got back from Sydney.
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I think you officially, though, are the first person
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we've spoken to who did that marathon.
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So maybe you can give us your impression of it.
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Absolutely.
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Sydney was a true joy to run start to finish.
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The city of Sydney is absolutely beautiful.
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It's stunning.
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The opera house, I wish photos and videos to adjust this
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but when you see it in person, it's something
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that you just marvel at.
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It stands out.
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You just feel happy around it.
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And I think that's a really cool thing
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along with the Harbor Bridge and just those scenes
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in that area.
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The race started at 6.30 or my start time was at 6.30.
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So it was definitely earlier than all the other
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marathons that I've done in the past.
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So I think that wake up was a little bit harder
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compared to a lot of other races out there.
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However, I will say it was really nice starting then
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because you were in the shade for so much more of the race
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and that was really, really nice to be running in the shade.
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And it's a hilly course.
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You do gain about 1,000 feet of elevation.
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It's more than Newark.
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It's more than Boston.
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And what I will say is sneaky about it
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is that it's like rolling hills.
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But in my opinion, none of them were like massive.
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You didn't have that heartbreak hill moment
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where it's like wow, this hill is going to be impossible
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to climb.
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It was really just throughout.
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And you start going downhill for probably the first six
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to eight miles.
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So you're going out and you are going kind of faster.
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And I will say too, compared to all the other world majors,
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this course, when you started out, it was so empty.
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It was great.
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I wasn't like proud weaving at the beginning.
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And that was a really unexpected surprise
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that I enjoyed as a runner.
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The down and backs could be a little bit tedious.
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And I remember thinking sometimes, have I
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already gone up that hill?
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Or am I going up that next like when you see the down and backs?
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And it was always a moment of like calmness
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and laughter when I was like, ah, I did that one.
spk_0
I'm good.
spk_0
Because I ran it on the other side.
spk_0
But when you're running toward the finish line,
spk_0
there's actually a good amount of downhill.
spk_0
At that point, sometimes you're really struggling in a race.
spk_0
And to be able to run downhill, and then you
spk_0
see the opera house kind of cascade out
spk_0
from the right side over to the left
spk_0
as you're like turning the last corner.
spk_0
And it's just beautiful and you're marveling at it.
spk_0
And you're so happy.
spk_0
And there's the smile pasted on your face.
spk_0
And you feel all the feels.
spk_0
You're really in the moment.
spk_0
And then a lot of finish lines might have
spk_0
like a cool backdrop as a photo.
spk_0
This one, you are staring up at that opera house
spk_0
as you go into the finish line.
spk_0
I saw my finished photo and my harms up.
spk_0
And I'm just like staring up looking at the opera house.
spk_0
It is so beautiful.
spk_0
It's lined with people on the stairs that are there
spk_0
at cheer you on.
spk_0
It was a spectacular moment.
spk_0
And I loved getting to be a part of it
spk_0
in Noggerolier.
spk_0
Wow.
spk_0
And the medal was really cool.
spk_0
Yeah.
spk_0
So the medal was very cool.
spk_0
From Sydney, they had an opera house cut out.
spk_0
But I did bring my six star over there
spk_0
along with all the other six medals that I had.
spk_0
So my husband was not healthy with me
spk_0
because I did bring eight med,
spk_0
or I had seven medals going over and eight coming back
spk_0
and they kept getting flogged in the security at the airport.
spk_0
And he was like, why did we bring all of this?
spk_0
And I was like, it's for the photo up.
spk_0
We need the photo up.
spk_0
But I didn't bring all of those over
spk_0
because I wanted to show off all the hardware
spk_0
that I've spent so much time earning in my life.
spk_0
I guess the final question.
spk_0
Since you started sharing your story,
spk_0
of running with MS, have you met very many runners
spk_0
who also are dealing with MS?
spk_0
Yes, I have.
spk_0
So going back a little bit right after my diagnosis
spk_0
and I ran Berlin, I was really desperate
spk_0
to connect with other people
spk_0
because I didn't know what MS was when I was diagnosed.
spk_0
So I was learning all about it,
spk_0
let alone did I know anybody with the disease?
spk_0
So I, you know, I connected with a friend,
spk_0
who had a friend, who had it,
spk_0
and I also was able to,
spk_0
I warmed my way into the MS Society
spk_0
for the Boston Marathon for 2023.
spk_0
I had a qualified time, so I did have my own bib,
spk_0
but I was basically emailing them
spk_0
and begging them to let me on the team
spk_0
because a lot of charities, you're a qualified runner
spk_0
and you've caused it's really close to you.
spk_0
You can talk to them about joining their team
spk_0
and fundraising with your own bib.
spk_0
And so I begged the MS Society to let me join their team
spk_0
and they were very nice about it, got back to me,
spk_0
especially after I explained my circumstances,
spk_0
welcomed me with open arms
spk_0
and that really allowed me to feel like
spk_0
I was a part of something with MS
spk_0
and give me a space where there were a lot of runners
spk_0
who had a connection, whether they had it,
spk_0
their mom, you know, their aunt, a friend,
spk_0
it really gave me an avenue to connect with other runners
spk_0
that were tied to the disease and some capacity.
spk_0
And it made me feel not as alone.
spk_0
I think sometimes when you're diagnosed with something
spk_0
and especially if you don't share it,
spk_0
you can just feel isolated and people in your life,
spk_0
they're there for you, they really try to help you.
spk_0
However, it's not the same thing as having it.
spk_0
And so being able to be put in touch with a group
spk_0
that did have MS or some close tie,
spk_0
it really gave me a space to talk about it
spk_0
because sometimes when you're diagnosed with anything
spk_0
or you're going through a hard time,
spk_0
not everyone always knows what to say.
spk_0
And, you know, being around people
spk_0
who had a connection really helps
spk_0
and I will say for anyone that has someone in their life
spk_0
that is going through some sort of health challenge
spk_0
or is going through some adversity.
spk_0
Sometimes all they want to hear is,
spk_0
I'm so sorry for what you're going through.
spk_0
Like those are really the magic words to say to someone
spk_0
and if you're close with them, I would follow that up with,
spk_0
I'm so sorry for what you're going through.
spk_0
I'm here for you if you need anything
spk_0
or if I can help let me know.
spk_0
Like that goes such a long way
spk_0
and I think that's something that,
spk_0
you know, not everyone knows what to say when that happens.
spk_0
So those are the words that you can really help them with.
spk_0
Well, that's really helpful.
spk_0
Thank you.
spk_0
And I'm sure, you know,
spk_0
just kind of being able to connect
spk_0
with other runners with MS because it is such,
spk_0
like you said, a snowflake disease
spk_0
where people's symptoms are different.
spk_0
They're having flares, maybe remission, you know,
spk_0
all of that, but it does affect your running
spk_0
and, you know, it's a pretty unique community
spk_0
as far as being a runner with MS too.
spk_0
Absolutely.
spk_0
I will actually tell you that during the Sydney marathon,
spk_0
one of my favorite things to do when I'm running
spk_0
is to make new friends.
spk_0
And I saw someone in an MS society shirt.
spk_0
And so I went up to them during the marathon,
spk_0
like we are literally running the marathon
spk_0
and I said to them, thank you so much for fundraising
spk_0
for the MS society.
spk_0
I have MS and I just want to say thank you for what you do.
spk_0
And I've done that to several people before in a race.
spk_0
And usually it's just like a high five, a fist bump.
spk_0
And this runner, his name's John and he turned to me
spk_0
and goes, I have MS too.
spk_0
And so we literally ran a mile together
spk_0
and just talked about, you know,
spk_0
the struggles we've gone through, you know,
spk_0
what MS has been like for him,
spk_0
what it's been like for me, traded stories.
spk_0
We follow each other on Instagram now.
spk_0
It was a very cool moment to be able to chat
spk_0
with somebody during the race
spk_0
who has also been going through it
spk_0
and was very open about his story as well.
spk_0
Well, we appreciate you sharing your story with us
spk_0
and want to say congrats on all your success.
spk_0
And if people want to find you on social media,
spk_0
let's give out your Instagram handles
spk_0
or wherever you like to connect with people.
spk_0
Yeah, I'm at Healthy underscore Cheers on Instagram,
spk_0
TikTok, Facebook, YouTube as well.
spk_0
I actually just put out a big vlog about the Sydney marathon,
spk_0
how to showing that first inaugural year
spk_0
if anybody's in your city watching it.
spk_0
And I actually would love to share with you guys
spk_0
a couple of the exciting running events
spk_0
that I have coming up, is that all right?
spk_0
Yeah, love it.
spk_0
Yeah, so I'm actually running the Chicago marathon
spk_0
in less than a month now.
spk_0
And I am going to attempt to break the
spk_0
Guinness World Record for the fastest female marathon
spk_0
with multiple sclerosis, which I'm very excited about.
spk_0
The current record is 353.02.
spk_0
And I've run faster than that,
spk_0
pretty much in all the marathon's I've run,
spk_0
except for the one that I ran right after I was diagnosed.
spk_0
So I've set a pretty audacious goal for myself.
spk_0
I'm aiming to run a 315, which is not a time
spk_0
that I've touched my current PR is 319.51.
spk_0
And I'm really excited about it.
spk_0
My whole goal is to just make a lot of noise
spk_0
about MS invisible diseases and chronic illnesses
spk_0
and be able to fundraise.
spk_0
So I am running with the MS Society, which is very exciting.
spk_0
And I'm working with the Chicago marathon.
spk_0
I'm working with Mizuno and a couple other partners as well
spk_0
to really just bring this to life
spk_0
and be able to make a big splash.
spk_0
So I'm very proud of being able to do that.
spk_0
And I'm hoping to break the World Record on October 12th.
spk_0
That is amazing.
spk_0
Well, we will be following you, sending you good
spk_0
vibes on Race Day for Chicago.
spk_0
That's so exciting.
spk_0
Thank you.
spk_0
I'm very excited for it.
spk_0
And I just feel like it's going to make a big difference.
spk_0
And I'm also running the New York Marathon
spk_0
with Team Abbott in November as well.
spk_0
So a couple really exciting endeavors coming up the pipeline.
spk_0
Well, hopefully we'll see you there, New York City,
spk_0
because Angie's running it also.
spk_0
That's right.
spk_0
I know you're running.
spk_0
That's amazing.
spk_0
We'll see you out there on the course.
spk_0
That's right, or maybe in the Team Abbott VIP tent,
spk_0
who knows?
spk_0
I'm looking forward to that.
spk_0
Yeah, that'll be really special.
spk_0
New York is just an amazing marathon.
spk_0
You guys are VIPs, huh?
spk_0
Apparently.
spk_0
It's very important people, you know?
spk_0
That's awesome.
spk_0
Well, thanks again, Elizabeth.
spk_0
And good luck on the rest of your training for Chicago
spk_0
and New York.
spk_0
Thank you so much, guys.
spk_0
I really appreciate you having me on.
spk_0
Just a minute, we're going to talk to Ed Barnes,
spk_0
another Team Abbott runner.
spk_0
First, we'd like to give a big word of thanks
spk_0
to our awesome sponsor, MetPro.
spk_0
They've been with us a long time.
spk_0
And they've got a new deal for anyone who wants to jump in
spk_0
and work with a nutrition coach to try to, you know,
spk_0
dial in your fueling, get your metabolism working.
spk_0
This is a limited offer to the first 30 people.
spk_0
Yeah, you've heard us talk about MetPro
spk_0
and how it has helped us.
spk_0
Of course, it's a concierge level nutrition
spk_0
and fitness coaching service.
spk_0
And for the first time ever,
spk_0
MetPro is offering MTA listeners a full 30 day experience
spk_0
for just $95 with absolutely no strings attached.
spk_0
As part of that, you will get a personalized
spk_0
metabolic profiling assessment,
spk_0
a one-on-one consultation with a MetPro nutrition expert,
spk_0
a dedicated coach who will create a fully customized
spk_0
nutrition and fitness plan just for you.
spk_0
Daily support and guidance to help you lose weight,
spk_0
build strength, run faster, and feel amazing.
spk_0
Yeah, this is a deep discount from what the normal rate is.
spk_0
You know, it's a concierge level high-touch service.
spk_0
So check them out at MetPro.co slash MTA.
spk_0
Tell them that we sent you.
spk_0
Go to MetPro.co slash MTA.
spk_0
All right, well, our next runner is also from Massachusetts.
spk_0
His name is Ed Barnes.
spk_0
He was born with a congenital heart condition
spk_0
at the age of 15.
spk_0
He started to experience frequent dizziness
spk_0
to the point nearly passing out.
spk_0
And this led him to undergo an open heart surgery
spk_0
and actually receive an Abbott Artificial Aortic Heart Valve.
spk_0
So he's literally powered by Abbott, right?
spk_0
Yeah.
spk_0
This year, after completing the Boston Marathon,
spk_0
Ed became the first person with an artificial heart valve
spk_0
to finish all six original Abbott World Marathon majors.
spk_0
And of course, Ed also recently finished the Sydney Marathon
spk_0
getting his seventh star.
spk_0
Okay, we're on the podcast now with Edward Barnes,
spk_0
joining us from Massachusetts.
spk_0
Welcome to the MTA podcast.
spk_0
Thank you.
spk_0
So we always love to hear people's background in running.
spk_0
And I know your story is unique because,
spk_0
as a young man, you have dealt with some health conditions.
spk_0
So kind of walk us through your journey.
spk_0
Yeah, absolutely.
spk_0
So I used to watch the Boston Marathon
spk_0
every year with my dad.
spk_0
And as a teenager, I actually had open heart surgery
spk_0
to replace my aortic heart valve with an Abbott Heart valve.
spk_0
And we were watching the Boston Marathon a year or two later,
spk_0
and I made a promise to my dad that I would one day
spk_0
run the Boston Marathon.
spk_0
I had no idea what it took to run a marathon.
spk_0
So in hindsight, that probably wasn't the smartest
spk_0
promise to make.
spk_0
What is your dad saying that moment?
spk_0
Because knowing your health history and everything
spk_0
was he like, okay.
spk_0
Yeah, so he was pretty excited.
spk_0
So it came up because while we were watching the Boston Marathon,
spk_0
my dad brought out a newspaper clipping and handed it to me.
spk_0
And he's like, that's your cousin.
spk_0
And the newspaper clipping was about my cousin running
spk_0
the Boston Marathon after having brain surgery.
spk_0
And so I was like, that's amazing.
spk_0
I was like, I just had heart surgery.
spk_0
So maybe I'll do something really cool and inspiring too.
spk_0
And I was a basketball player.
spk_0
So obviously like a lot of sprinting and short distances.
spk_0
But I say pretty good shape.
spk_0
So I was like, yeah, of course I could run a marathon.
spk_0
No big deal.
spk_0
So unfortunately my dad passed away in 2011.
spk_0
But then a few years after that, I was like, you know what?
spk_0
I did promise to run the Boston Marathon one day.
spk_0
So let's start running Marathons.
spk_0
And I ran my first marathon back in 2017.
spk_0
It did not go well at all.
spk_0
And I was like, wow, I don't think I will ever qualify
spk_0
for the Boston Marathon because this is just terrible.
spk_0
What was your first marathon?
spk_0
It was the Manchester City Marathon.
spk_0
I've been Manchester in a hamster.
spk_0
spk_0
Great race.
spk_0
But yeah, I was not prepared.
spk_0
I just, you know, my first start running was like,
spk_0
okay, I'm going to sprint as fast and far as I could
spk_0
right off the bat and to run a marathon,
spk_0
that's a terrible strategy.
spk_0
Yeah.
spk_0
spk_0
So over time I kind of learned, you know,
spk_0
to pace myself better, go slow.
spk_0
And obviously definitely on long runs too,
spk_0
definitely keep it as slow as possible and just kind of work
spk_0
up to those distances and not, you know,
spk_0
try to sprint all the time.
spk_0
And over time, I got better and better.
spk_0
So I think that's really amazing.
spk_0
Like you have a miserable first marathon experience,
spk_0
which happens for a lot of people if we're being honest.
spk_0
And a lot of people would have kind of just packed it in
spk_0
and be like, one and done.
spk_0
It's not for me, but you had made this promise to your dad.
spk_0
Did that fire keep burning inside of you?
spk_0
Keep you going?
spk_0
It did. Yeah, absolutely.
spk_0
So I've talked to a lot of people that they're like,
spk_0
oh, wow, you run marathon.
spk_0
They're like, yeah, I did one one time and, you know,
spk_0
that was enough for me.
spk_0
I'll never do it again.
spk_0
And so I definitely understand that completely.
spk_0
And, you know, for me, it was like, you know,
spk_0
I made this promise and I have to keep it.
spk_0
So I had never really heard the Abbott World majors.
spk_0
You know, obviously I watched the Boston Marathon
spk_0
almost every year.
spk_0
So like I knew of a world major, but, you know,
spk_0
I wasn't familiar with the whole group
spk_0
and the six star medal and anything like that.
spk_0
And I just happened to apply for the New York City Marathon
spk_0
back in 2018 to run the 2019 New York City Marathon.
spk_0
And I was lucky enough to win a lottery spot.
spk_0
Wow.
spk_0
I went to New York City not knowing what to expect
spk_0
or how it worked.
spk_0
I was like, in Expo, what do you mean?
spk_0
I have to go to an Expo to pick up my bib and...
spk_0
I'm at the Expo and I was like, oh, the Abbott World
spk_0
major marathons.
spk_0
And I'm seeing all six of them.
spk_0
And I was like, well, I'm running New York.
spk_0
I made a promise to my dad to run Boston.
spk_0
I guess I have to do all six now.
spk_0
That was kind of ignited in your spirit at that point in time.
spk_0
Did you make the connection of like, oh, I have an
spk_0
abbot artificial heart valve?
spk_0
Did you even like think about that?
spk_0
I didn't.
spk_0
So at the time, you know, I had this heart valve
spk_0
and it wasn't until this past April when I was running
spk_0
the Boston Marathon where I had shared my story in one
spk_0
of the Boston internet websites and Abbott happened
spk_0
to see it and they reached out to me and said,
spk_0
hey, you actually have an abbot heart valve.
spk_0
And I was like, wow, that's incredible.
spk_0
Like, you know, so in a week's time, I'm learning
spk_0
that I have an abbot heart valve.
spk_0
I'm running my six star that weekend.
spk_0
And I'm doing it for the Abbott World Major Marathons
spk_0
with the valve.
spk_0
And it was just kind of like even more special
spk_0
and moment for me to realize that and find that out.
spk_0
And so that's when they actually launched team abbot
spk_0
in the spring.
spk_0
So I got invited to launch and, you know,
spk_0
I think my story is pretty unique and special.
spk_0
But then just kind of being in the room
spk_0
with all these other runners that have overcame
spk_0
all these health challenges, it was just so impressive
spk_0
to meet all these people and seeing what they're able
spk_0
to do and what they're able to overcome.
spk_0
Yeah, that's awesome, man.
spk_0
Can you describe what the heart valve does?
spk_0
Like, how does it work?
spk_0
Yeah, so I was born with a bicuspid aortic valve
spk_0
and also a heart murmur.
spk_0
And over time, the leaflets of the heart valve,
spk_0
they just kind of started leaking blood back into the heart.
spk_0
The valve started to expand.
spk_0
And when I was 16 before I got to the point
spk_0
where it could potentially rupture,
spk_0
they wanted to make sure they operated and, you know,
spk_0
replaced it with something.
spk_0
And the abbot valve, I've had for 20 years, it's very durable.
spk_0
And it just kind of spins to open
spk_0
instead of having leaflets that open every time
spk_0
your heart beats.
spk_0
So you were the first person with an artificial heart valve
spk_0
to finish all six majors, is that correct?
spk_0
All seven majors.
spk_0
Yeah, now they ran Sydney a few weeks
spk_0
on the first of you all seven.
spk_0
And to do it with an abbot valve, I think is even more special
spk_0
to have the title sponsor be like the valve
spk_0
that literally powers me while I'm running.
spk_0
So I know, man, that is so cool.
spk_0
It was meant to be.
spk_0
Yeah, really?
spk_0
Is there any kind of regular checkups
spk_0
that you have to have to make sure, you know,
spk_0
it's running correctly?
spk_0
I mean, is there any special things that you have to do
spk_0
just to make sure that, you know, your heart is staying healthy?
spk_0
So I go for two checkups a year,
spk_0
ones to meet with the actual cardiologist
spk_0
and the cardiac surgeon.
spk_0
The other one is just to kind of do all the testing.
spk_0
Look at different images of the heart, different scans
spk_0
and stuff like that, just to make everything
spk_0
is functioning the way it should.
spk_0
And then also, with the artificial valve,
spk_0
I need to be on blood thinners.
spk_0
And I know I've talked to other people
spk_0
running with blood thinners and they've talked about
spk_0
how big of a challenge it is.
spk_0
And they call blood thinners poison and stuff like that.
spk_0
And I've been on them for 20 years.
spk_0
So I really don't know what the difference is at this point
spk_0
of running without them versus running with them.
spk_0
It's just kind of what I'm used to.
spk_0
So I know it's being on the blood thinners with the thinner blood,
spk_0
it can be kind of a challenge sometimes to recover as quickly as
spk_0
maybe some other runners do.
spk_0
But it's just something that I have to deal with.
spk_0
What did you think of the Sydney marathon?
spk_0
I thought it was incredible.
spk_0
I think the fact that it was the first year,
spk_0
the organization itself, the Abbey World majors, the city,
spk_0
I think they all did a phenomenal job because I talked to a
spk_0
couple of people from Sydney and the Sydney running community
spk_0
is very robust and I think they really embraced running
spk_0
over there. And they were saying to me, five, six, seven years
spk_0
ago, there was less than 5,000 people running that race.
spk_0
So in less than a decade to go from less than 5,000 people
spk_0
to 40,000 people we had a couple weeks ago for it to go as well
spk_0
as it did, I thought they did a phenomenal job.
spk_0
And obviously I'm just one of the 40,000 people that ran it.
spk_0
I thought it went flawlessly, but there may be some challenges,
spk_0
but they'll iron those out over time.
spk_0
And they say it's one of the most beautiful courses in the world.
spk_0
And I absolutely agree.
spk_0
Early on the race, you're going over the harbor bridge,
spk_0
looking over the ocean and seeing the Sydney Opera House,
spk_0
knowing that in a few hours, you'll be crossing the finish line
spk_0
right there at that opera house.
spk_0
And absolutely incredible.
spk_0
And I just have to commend Abbey, the world marathon majors,
spk_0
and the Sydney marathon organization itself,
spk_0
they did a phenomenal job.
spk_0
Oh, that's cool man.
spk_0
Sounds really fantastic.
spk_0
We need to go do it someday.
spk_0
So I know Boston is close to your hometown.
spk_0
So I'm sure you have very special feelings
spk_0
and experience at the Boston Marathon,
spk_0
but is there one of the majors that is kind of like risen
spk_0
to the top as your favorite?
spk_0
So Boston's definitely my favorite for all the reasons you
spk_0
just explained being a hometown race and everything.
spk_0
After the, I would say Berlin, it's just like a pancake,
spk_0
flat course, it's a fast course.
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That was kind of special race for me too,
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because the day I ran it was the day Elliott Kibchoghe
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set the world record for the fastest marathon.
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And I'm two hours in at that point,
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and I still had a couple hours to go.
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Finish line.
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And you kind of heard a whisper in the crowd
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and then a couple people on the course were like,
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hey, he did it.
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And there's nobody asking like, oh, who did what?
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Everyone knew at that moment that he had set the world record
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and the medal that day had a picture of him on it.
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So it was just kind of even more special.
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Like being a part of that moment,
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but also getting the medal with his image on it
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and just it was incredible.
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I forgot about that, that the medal had him on it.
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Yeah, that's cool.
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Yeah, which was incredible that he was able to have
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that achievement that day where he was also featured
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on the medal.
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So what do you do for work?
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I'm a finance manager for a construction company.
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So a little outside the running world.
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It's right.
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So you've done all these marathons now.
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What keeps you going?
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So originally the goal was to run Boston
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and then that transformed into wanting to run all the majors.
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And then back in 2022, I ran Berlin
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and then a week later I ran the London marathon.
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I was running the London marathon with Make-A-Wish
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and throughout the whole process of being a part of the Make-A-Wish team,
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they're sending all these stories of,
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here's the children and the teens that your money's going to support.
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And I'm reading these stories of all these injuries
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and illnesses and tragedies these families were doing with
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and these children and teens they were doing it
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with a smile on their face.
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And I'm also thinking like, hey, back when I was a teenager,
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I also dealt with a major surgery.
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So I was like, how can I find a way to inspire
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some of these children teenagers that are going through
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these tough times?
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And I looked up in the Guinness World Record
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that there was no record for the fastest marathon
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with an artificial heartbath.
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So I was like, you know what?
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While I'm running with Make-A-Wish,
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let me also try to see if I can create and set this record.
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And I was successful that year and I did set that record.
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And I'm proud that I've inspired other cardiac athletes
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to go out and break that record.
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It's at a place that I'll probably never recap
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to that record.
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I've talked to the gentleman from England
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who holds the record now and he plans to take the record
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under three hours, which is just incredible.
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So at this point for me, I just want to keep running
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the majors as they keep getting added
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and just try to keep inspiring other runners,
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whether it be cardiac athletes or other runners doing
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with health conditions that they can try to overcome
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and improve that anything's possible.
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I love that.
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That's amazing.
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So you've run your Sydney marathon.
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Do you have anything else this fall
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and you races that you're signed up for or into 2026?
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I'm doing a casual half marathon up in New Hampshire.
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It's the New England half.
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So I'm doing that one, my wife's running that one.
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I've been able to get her into running a bit.
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Nice.
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Like how about a nice weekend away
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and we're doing this race?
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Yes, she's made it very clear.
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The next time we go on vacation for a non marathon
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that she gets to choose the location and what we're doing
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because the last few years, traveling to Berlin,
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traveling to London, Tokyo, Sydney,
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it's kind of been all about me running the marathons
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and not really a lot of opportunity to just go out
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and have fun and so.
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Sounds like a good compromise.
spk_0
Yeah, absolutely.
spk_0
So I'm happy I've gotten her into running.
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She hasn't done a marathon yet,
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but she's done several half marathons now
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and when we first met, if I asked her to run,
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she'd be like, are we being chased?
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What's going on?
spk_0
So it's been good to inspire her to get on the rows
spk_0
and run a bit too.
spk_0
Well, congrats on all your success
spk_0
and thanks for sharing your story with us here on the podcast.
spk_0
Thank you.
spk_0
I appreciate you guys having me.
spk_0
Big thanks to our sponsor, AG1.
spk_0
Anyone who listens knows that I'm a big fan of taking AG1
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every single morning first thing.
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And in fact, I think I've taken it every single day
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for five years.
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It's quite a streak.
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Yeah, it is.
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And the fact that they have the handy travel packs
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means that you can easily throw them in your bag
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and don't have to miss a day.
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I know I can really benefit from added energy,
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better gut support, feeling nutrient gaps in my diet,
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not only every day, but also when I travel.
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And especially as a lot of us have fall marathons
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or wanting to keep our immunity high,
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AG1 is also one of the things that I can really rely on
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for that.
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Of course, it's not magical in any way,
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but it does provide a great foundation for my day.
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And I can really tell the difference,
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which is why I've taken it so consistently
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over the last five years.
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Yeah, they now have very tropical and citrus flavors.
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So it's a great time to try it.
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If you're a new customer, you will get $76 worth
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of free items when you subscribe.
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Just go to drinkag1.com-forge-lash-mta.
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That's drinkag1.com-forge-lash-mta.
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Well, our final guest on this episode is Mary Suarez
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from California.
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She was actually heading to the Berlin Marathon
spk_0
when we talked to her.
spk_0
She was at the Paris International Airport,
spk_0
Charles De Gaulle, I guess airport,
spk_0
and navigating several canceled flights
spk_0
and delays and stuff.
spk_0
Very kind of her to work us into her travel plans.
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She gets around as you're gonna get.
spk_0
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So just before the pandemic,
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Mary started experiencing seizures and was diagnosed
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with epilepsy and a brain cyst.
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One year later, she started experiencing back pain
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and numbness in her legs,
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which was revealed to be the degeneration
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of the cerebral and lower part of her spine.
spk_0
Despite these obstacles, Mary's continued running
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and she finished the Sydney Marathon recently.
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Of course, we talked to her when she was on her way to Berlin
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and we're happy to report that she finished the Berlin Marathon
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and set a PR there.
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...
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All right, we're on the podcast now with Mary Suarez.
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She's on her way currently to the Berlin Marathon
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and actually is in transit.
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Mary, thank you for taking time to speak with us here on the podcast.
spk_0
Thank you for having me.
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Let's go back to why did you start running Marathons?
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Oh, why did I start running Marathons?
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It actually started as a friend of mine
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wanted me to quit smoking back in my 20s.
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It was a more of a challenge for myself if I can do this
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and maybe I can do that.
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I started just running half set first and 15 Ks, 10 Ks locally.
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Actually, my first marathon was in 2012
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and I was four weeks pregnant.
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I knew I was pregnant.
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I had already been training, but yeah, my first marathon
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was the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco in 2012.
spk_0
That was amazing.
spk_0
So what do you do for work?
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I'm actually a project manager for tech.
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Yeah, just a regular nine to five in front of a computer.
spk_0
Hey, with the crazy marathon thing on weekends, huh?
spk_0
A weekends, weekdays, trying to, you know,
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I've been blessed with my schedule.
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I started at 6 a.m., I end at 230.
spk_0
So I try to get a run when the sun starts to grow down
spk_0
a little bit because then it's been really warm
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in California lately.
spk_0
So you're navigating running all these Marathons.
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At what point did you start to deal with some health challenges?
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Can you talk about that?
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So that happened before the pandemic.
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I was suffering from migraines and lower back pains at the time.
spk_0
My primary care doctor, she right away ordered labs
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told me to go in for an MRI because she wanted to rule out
spk_0
aneurysms because I guess I was still in my 30s at the time.
spk_0
I'm 42 now.
spk_0
So she said, you know, a lot of people in your age
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are getting aneurysms now.
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So let's rule that out first and then we'll see what happens next.
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So because of the MRI and the blood for base
spk_0
saw that I have degenerative disease
spk_0
or degenerative disease order.
spk_0
So because she did an MRI for my head
spk_0
and for my lower back because of my lower back pain.
spk_0
So they saw that in the cerebral area, so like your neck,
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I have the triple D there and then also in the lower half
spk_0
in the lumbar area, also triple D.
spk_0
And then in addition to that, I was, you know,
spk_0
referred to a neurologist because of my migraines.
spk_0
And she ordered her own MRI and then that's when they discovered
spk_0
a cyst in the center of my brain.
spk_0
And then my neurologist explained to me that if it gets bigger,
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it's going to push against the nerves in my eyes.
spk_0
So then I won't be able to move my eyes up and down.
spk_0
But then she also said, my migraines are probably
spk_0
the cause of lack of sleep.
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And also because of the cyst that it's pushing on the part of my brain
spk_0
that produces melatonin because at the time,
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I couldn't sleep like I was an insomnia.
spk_0
Yeah.
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Sounds miserable.
spk_0
Oh, yeah.
spk_0
So you're hit with all these things.
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You've got degenerative disc disease and then they find the brain cyst
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and then they're saying you're going to, you know,
spk_0
possibly lose movement in your eyes.
spk_0
And that's a lot to navigate.
spk_0
And as you're having getting all these diagnoses,
spk_0
was there kind of a sense of disbelief?
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Like I'm a young healthy person.
spk_0
I run marathons like what's going on?
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Oh, yeah, definitely.
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I remember telling my manager about it and I told her,
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hey, I have leave and I plan on taking a weekend off a month
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to enjoy life and touch the grass, spend time in my daughter, travel more.
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So, you know, with running and especially like with the majors,
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it's been a real eye opener in terms of like having a runcation,
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run vacation.
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Sometimes I take my daughter with me and then we get to explore a new city.
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But it's really put a different perspective lens in life, you know, like today.
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I'm stressing out trying to talk to you all on time,
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trying to make it to the airport on time.
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But while I'm walking, I'm thinking to myself, you know what?
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I'm in a beautiful city.
spk_0
Not everybody can say they're stressed out in Paris
spk_0
or that they're on their way to Berlin.
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So, if I make it, I make it, if I don't, I don't.
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Yes.
spk_0
Everybody that lives in Paris can say they're stressed out in Paris.
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Oh, I'm sure they are.
spk_0
But they're probably not looking at it with fresh eyes like you are, Mary.
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No.
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I really like your perspective.
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So, you're on your way to Berlin.
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You also just recently did the Sydney marathon.
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Did you do that with Team Abbott?
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I did actually.
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And needing everyone else, part of Team Abbott was really inspiring.
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And just eye-opening hearing everyone else's health challenges
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and how they've overcame it.
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Like, you know, what running needs to them in their lives
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and, you know, meeting some of their partners as well.
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Sounds like a really good sense of camaraderie, you know,
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like knowing that you're not alone in navigating your running journey
spk_0
with all of your health challenges.
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Oh, yeah, that's for sure.
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Because, you know, like with Berlin, I was sharing with some of my
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running mates actually from Team Abbott that a little stressed out about Berlin
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because of the cutoff time.
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Because then I also ran Tokyo marathon this year.
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And if you're not familiar with that, not only do they have a finished cutoff time,
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but they have, you know, prequel cutoff times, you know,
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if you don't make it by the the five kilometer, ten, fifteen,
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they have a bus waiting for you.
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They really mean it when they say by two o'clock, two p.m.
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If you're there at two o'clock, one, sorry, you have to get on that bus.
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So, you know, they say that running is more mental than it is physical.
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So, you know, just really trying to center myself and try to just enjoy the race
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and give it my all.
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I like it.
spk_0
So, what keeps you going, Mary?
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What keeps me going?
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I would say my daughter, you know, like I shared earlier.
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I was four weeks pregnant with her.
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She was born prematurely and to watch her, the doctors say that these are going to be like
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her milestones.
spk_0
And then this is how tall she's going to be.
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But then when I see her now, she's 12, she'll be 13 next year.
spk_0
And, you know, like I just see how she's showing me in the world that I'm a lot taller,
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I'm a lot smarter, you know, I'm able to do these things that they said that I couldn't do.
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So, you know, despite my doctors advising against running so much, I told them,
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well, I'll let my body determine that, you know, because then sometimes the mind is stronger than
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the body. And if I can still keep going, then I'm going to keep going.
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That's right.
spk_0
And sometimes, you know, those limitations that even while meeting people can put on us
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are not necessarily that helpful, you know, taking them into consideration.
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But then also, like you said, listening to your body and just having a strong mental outlook
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and seeing what you can do.
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Now for sure, you know, like, like I said, meeting the runners, the other runners of like team
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Abbott, the star chasers of four Abbott as well, and hearing the different things that, you know,
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they go through. I'm like, wow, you know, cancer survivors,
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heart valves, heart replacements, dialysis. I'm like, and they're still going out there, you know,
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and I just feel that like sense of like, if I give up now, what kind of example am I setting
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for my daughter or other people who want to go out there too?
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Yeah, I like it.
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What do you have planned for marathons after Berlin? Where else are you going?
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Oh, where am I not going?
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You know, Shanghai is not even, they're just a contender. I'm actually going to run Shanghai Marathon
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in November. I wasn't going to do it, but since I'm already going to be in Japan and the tickets
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weren't that bad and my daughter wants to go to Shanghai Disney, why not?
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Oh, so yeah, that's going to close out my 2025 full marathon season until I pick it up again
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in 2026 with Tokyo Part 2 that I redeem myself and Boston will be my seven star. We'll be my last
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one. All right. So just this year, you were in Tokyo Sydney, Berlin, and you're going to go to
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and London. Yeah. You get around. Oh, yeah, that's what everyone says. Everyone asks if I work and,
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you know, I've just been fortunate, blessed enough to have a very less flexible work schedule
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and great teammates as well. But I agree gratitude to Abbott and, you know, what they're about,
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you know, especially hearing Keptogi during Sydney when he said to be 40 and to run a marathon
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is a blessing. And I was like, you know, he's talking to me. I hear you.
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Because like I said, I'm 42. And when people meet me, they don't think I'm 42. I'm like, no,
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I'm 42. So, you know, to keep running like this and despite, you know, all the challenges,
spk_0
health challenges, I always gratitude to Abbott because then it also pushed me to finally see a
spk_0
physical therapist and the sports we have therapists. So they've been helping me out as well.
spk_0
Now I'm wondering this. Yeah. Believe it or not, you know, I've been running for 15 years.
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Apparently, I've been running wrong, which, which was causing the pain. Yeah. Well, that is a great
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bit of advice for our listeners. If you're having some kind of pain, get it evaluated because it
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could come down to your running form and it could be something that you can fix with some work,
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right? Oh, yeah. No, for sure. So my, my PT has, you know, been helping me with that. And I'm hoping
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I make her proud, make my daughter proud in Berlin. I'm sure you will. Yes. Well, thank you for
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sharing your story with us. Yeah. Thank you. I hope your travels go more smoothly than they have.
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And good luck at the marathon. Thank you. Appreciate it. Nice meeting you all. Thanks for having me.
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All right. Well, big thanks to Elizabeth Ed and Mary for joining us in the podcast and sharing
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their story with us to learn more about teen Abbott and becoming a part you can go to Abbott.com
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for slash Marathons. We've been doing this long enough. We've made a lot of runners with super
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inspiring stories. And what's cool is there's usually people that are struggling with the same thing
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you are that are out there running Marathons. So if you want to like, you know, connect with the
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community, it's easier now than it never has been. Well, it was such a privilege to talk with these
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amazing runners. And I'm so thankful to be able to do the New York City Marathon with team Abbott.
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And of course, if you will be at the New York City Marathon, make sure you let us know. We would
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love to connect with you while we're there. You can send an email to Trevor at marathon training
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academy.com or use the contact form on our website. And you can find more podcast episodes, articles,
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and inspiring stories over there. Also marathon training academy.com. That's it for this episode.
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Thanks for being a listener. You guys are awesome. Until next time, remember you have what it takes
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to run a marathon and change your life.