Profession…music therapist. I work with acute psychiatric patients and use music as a tool to help my patients with self-expression, coping skills, and as a stress reliever.
First love…music and animals. I thought I was going to be a zoologist and go to exotic places, where all the animals are, or be a professional musician.
I started running… seriously about 2.5 years ago. Before that I was wrestling in high school and we just ran for aerobics and I didn’t really like it. I was challenged to run my first marathon and that’s how I got inspired to run.
Life/sport philosophy…to do everything passionately and whole-heartedly. Every day that I have been blessed with since my cancer treatments is an opportunity to challenge myself and inspire others.
Favorite spot to be active…trails or just running with a group of friends. Carbon Canyon and Crystal Cove.
Athletic highlights…my first marathon this past May and my first half-marathon the year before. It was my goal to do the marathon last year but I got hurt so I had to scale back my training and just do the half. The time of the marathon was almost a year since I lost my dad so it meant a lot.
My running experience with AREC has been… very social, a lot of fun, lots of positive, energetic people. It’s been a highlight to run with my friends and share a few smiles.
I’ve been with AREC since…January 2005.
I run because…I can!
When I’m not running I…am playing music and doing triathlon training.
After a race I treat myself to… sushi.
My favorite race is…a trail race up in Marin County, up in the redwoods and the marathon in Vancouver.
My goal is…to inspire others because I was pretty non-active before cancer. I want to inspire others to be active and lead healthy lives. Don’t let a moment pass because you never know when your health can be taken away from you.
My running mantra… as long as I can just move my feet, I’m doing pretty good. “Pretty good today." “I’m moving.” I think about how sick I was three years ago, from all the chemo, and I think to myself that I’ve done pretty good because I’m doing a race. I’m not barfing from the chemo. Just as long as I feel good enough to race, I’ve more than accomplished my recovery. So that inspires me to think about how far I’ve come.
I’m inspired by…beautiful pieces of art and music, thinking about how beautiful life can be and how improvisational it can be and how you can just make it up as you go along. And in thinking about my dad and his struggle with his health the past few years. Thinking about his strength and his determination to live and how he encouraged us to do better. And my girlfriend. She’s very active and just completed her first triathlon and I’m very proud of her.
The best advice I ever got was…one of my college professors once told me to just live my own life. It was very timely. At the time I was struggling with important life decisions.
I want to improve in…a lot! Continue to improve athletically, discipline and incorporate a spiritual discipline in my life.
I love…going to a jazz club with my friends, hearing great music, really great food. I love being inspired by beautiful, natural places. I love my life that I’ve been given now. It’s like a second chance.
I hate…letting people down. Being over-extended. Feeling under-prepared.
I wish…I can achieve all the goals I set for myself. I wish I can complete an Ironman triathlon once in my life.
My best experience was… raising money for The Wellness Community, Orange County (TWC-OC). That was probably the inspiration that turned my life around. All of their support services were completely free to me, to the cancer community. They inspired me to have hope and just to take courage and to be pro-active in my treatment, to be knowledgeable. And just having peer support, from fellow young adults who also have cancer. Being able to raise money and incorporate my running goals. Being able to support The Wellness Community was a big highlight, to be able to give back to the organization that had given me something for free.
To all…Thanks AREC for being encouraging and supporting my money endeavors. Thank you.