RC Spotlight – Overcoming cancer and the marathon with Alison Thomson

Guest [00:00:00]: I'm quite a determined person, and with the help of Nurse Connect schedule, I'll hopefully achieve my dream of finishing my 1st marathon, losing lots of money for MND, and celebrate being a cancer survivor.

Cory Nagler [00:00:14]: Some accomplishments speak for themselves, and beating cancer while training for a marathon is definitely one of them. This month's RC spotlight athlete is Allison Thompson. Her story transcends running, and shows how sports can have a greater purpose in making a positive impact on others. When Allison was diagnosed with non Hodgkin's lymphoma, rather than letting this derail her running, she used it as motivation to get healthy, and support a cause she was passionate about by raising funds for MND. You'll learn more about her story soon, but she's now officially cancer free and gearing up to tackle the marathon she'd been training for before her diagnosis. Her story is absolutely incredible and will make you feel like you can get through anything. Allison wants other runners hearing her story to know that you should never give up on accomplishing your dreams. In today's show, you'll hear all about how Allison won her fight with cancer, including topics such as how Allison was motivated by her husband to first start running, what it's like to run through chemotherapy treatment, why Allison is so passionate about supporting research for MND, and you'll learn more about Allison's future goal of officially completing a marathon after becoming a cancer survivor.

Cory Nagler [00:01:23]: I can't wait to hear more from Allison. So let's get into it. Hello, runners, and welcome to the Run to the Top podcast, where our goal is making you a better runner with each and every episode. I'm your showrunner, Corey Nagler. And I'm not an elite runner, but together, we'll explore new strategies and topics to take your running to the next level. This podcast is created and produced by the expert team of coaches at runnersconnect.net, where you can find the best running information on the Internet as well as training plans to fit every runner and every budget Welcome back to another episode of RC Spotlight, this time for March. Andi, welcome, and thanks for joining me.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:02:12]: Yeah. Thanks for having me.

Cory Nagler [00:02:14]: Absolutely. We have a really incredible athlete today. Again, as always, I don't wanna spoil too much of the story, but I'm not gonna bury the lead. Her name is Allison Thompson. And since becoming a runners connect athlete, she has not only put in some incredible training, but has done that throughout chemo treatment, dealing with cancer, and come out the other side of survivor still going strong. And, Angie, when did you first hear about this story?

Andie Cozzarelli [00:02:46]: So it's interesting because she's actually been on the platform for quite a long time. I think she started up with us sometime in 2021, and I believe her diagnosis wasn't until 2023. So she'd be training she'd been training with us for a while, so I was familiar with her. And I remember her submitting for her schedule, and I remember reading a little bit about the cancer diagnosis, and it must have been fairly new at that point. And I was I was amazed by the fact that she was, like, I'm gonna find a way to keep going and do this despite this. And so, that was how I was first made aware of her situation. And, yeah, she'd been persistent through it. And I think that it's an incredible story, and I'm glad that we're highlighting it today.

Cory Nagler [00:03:36]: Yeah. And I I think it's so easy in that situation for running to be kind of the last thing on your mind. But as we'll get into more, I think this had kind of a deeper meaning for her in terms of kind of giving purpose or or having something to really work towards. So really incredible that it was able to to be that kind of motivator throughout the the treatment.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:03:56]: Yeah, for sure. And I I think about just like being busy in my life at times. I'm like, you know, feel don't feel motivated to try to fit in in training. And when then when you're having something like that, it's just it it's just it takes over, like, a lot of your your mental energy, and you think about then also trying to run on top of that, and finding a good balance for yourself through it, just to keep, you know, emotionally stable, but also physically feeling like you have enough energy to kind of do the things you need to do every day. So it's a lot it's stressful, even if running is your stress relief, it's, it's a lot on the body. And so, yeah, I think just, you know, knowing that she, you know, just allowed it to kinda have a deeper meaning and running to kind of, like, be a part of just continue to, like, I think probably the consistency really helps. But, yeah, yeah, we'll get into more of her story and let her tell us. So

Cory Nagler [00:04:49]: Yeah. Absolutely. So with that, let's let her tell us first how she first got into running, before any of this started. So we'll pass it over to Alison.

Guest [00:04:58]: Hi. My name is Alison Thompson, and I live in a beautiful place called Stonehaven in Scotland where I do most of my training. I started running at the age of 54 after helping my husband get over a heart attack by going out for regular walks with him. I saw lots of runners on our walks and thought I'd like to give it a go. I never thought I'd be able to run far as I'd been asthmatic since I was a youngster. My asthma had improved greatly after our pet cat of 19 years passed away. So I decided to learn to run on a treadmill that my husband had bought to use for himself, but sat in a corner gathering dust as they usually do. I started by walk running as I'd never heard of Couch to 5 ks until I felt confident enough to run outside.

Guest [00:05:39]: And this is where my running journey started. That year, the first Aberdeen great run was announced. So I signed up for my first ten ks to raise money for Aberdeen sensory services. I I loved it so much that 3 weeks later, I ran another 10 ks event in Glasgow and got my first PB. I had definitely caught the running bug.

Cory Nagler [00:05:58]: What an incredible way to get into the sport from Alison. And and, Andy, curious, what do you make of this? And really what it says about Alison's character that her entry into this board and really her reason still for being in this board is all rooted in helping others?

Andie Cozzarelli [00:06:15]: I I mean, I think it's it is a I mean, obviously, is, like, a part of our character that's something that we all strive for. Or I hope that we all strive for to kinda do things and and have motivation, do things for others. But I think what I took from it too is that, to be able to have that peace of mind, as a new runner is I think the place that we should all be starting from is, like, thinking about the greater picture and and, utilizing running from a perspective of, you know, what else can I do with this sport that I enjoy and that I'm, good at? So, that was something that I think I was challenged with when I was younger because I was motivated by competitiveness and winning and wanting to be the best all the time. And that's not something that's lifelong. Like, you're just not gonna be winning all your life. It's just not gonna happen unless you're Kipchoge. You know? Like, it's and even then, you know, you're not gonna stay in the sport long enough if your only motivation is to continue to win and get faster because there's a there's an endpoint to that, and there's also things outside of our control in those circumstances. And so that was a lesson I had to learn when I was graduating from college and, you know, recognizing that there's more that I can get from the sport and provide to the sport, if I separate myself from outcomes and think more on the terms of what can I do with my abilities to help others or or, you know, just have a deeper meaning? And she, you know, just starting from that perspective, I think is a good lesson for most people to to recognize that, you know, even even if you're running fast times and you're at the top of your you know, all that, we have to be able to have an appreciation for other things outside of that and have other motivations because we can't always just be motivated by one singular factor.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:08:15]: And so, you know, hearing that where she came from is super important to, I think, be I I think that's part of why she's been able to continue through her current adversity is that, you know, she has a deeper meaning, and that's where that's what she's striving for is to always have that cornerstone be part of her her her running journey, and I think that's huge in terms of, you know, still pursuing whatever she wants to pursue, and work through periods that aren't gonna be as easy. So yeah.

Cory Nagler [00:08:50]: Yeah. I think we always talk about consistency at RC, but it's really hard to have that if you don't have those intrinsic motivators to draw upon when things get challenging. Do you think that this sort of maybe it's innate, maybe it's learned trait that Allison has, but this ability to really persevere and be able to push through hard circumstances, is that really completely unique? Or or do you find that runners who go through challenging experiences or or maybe even pick up the sport later tend to have a little bit more of that grasp of knowing that you need motivators beyond times or winning?

Andie Cozzarelli [00:09:29]: Yeah. You know, I think that that it's interesting question too because, just from the perspective of being now in my thirties compared to way that my brain worked when I was 18, you know, You have a little bit better grasp on, just reality or even just, like, your ability to manage your emotions about things as you get older. So I think there's there's that piece starting later in life can give you just better peace of mind about what you're doing. You have better understanding, better, you know, priorities on on everything. And so I think I'm sure that that plays a piece, but I do think too, that and I think we've heard this from and I'm sure there's, like, there I know there's some probably some books out there, that talk about the psychology of the sport and, you know, people who have gone through adversity, tend to be able to maneuver through training adversity a little bit better, just because they've managed those hard times that they're like it's almost like they're it's almost like they're a little calloused to what it what it like, the difficulties of life, and that just makes them better runners because running is is challenging. You have to be able to get through adversity while racing, whether that be, you know, just like physical pain or, you know, anything that can happen. And so I I think there is probably actually research and data that can kind of point towards that that when you've had to manage some amount of, you know, you know, and there's not everybody has that outcome though. So, for it's it's it's partially probably the mindset and the person, and then also just kind of like how they've approached those challenges and, if they approach them the right way and then they can get through it, it can be a really great growth experience to, get better.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:11:19]: And if we tackle it the wrong way, it could be the opposite extreme. So, you know, I think in Allison's case, she has always I think you almost always have to have a sense of, like, positivity to get through those types of challenges and to see the other side and actually feel like there's a there's a there's momentum forward or there's a chance to be beyond it. And that's, I think, probably a huge piece of what she has to have to and not to say that you're always gonna be positive in those circumstances. It's just that you have to have an underlying theme of, like, I'm gonna be okay. I could do this And just always kind of putting one foot in front of the other.

Cory Nagler [00:11:56]: I think you're totally right. And when hearing from Allison, I don't get the impression that she was in any way delusional about the the circumstances. It's kind of that acceptance that lends itself to a marathon where it's, yeah, this is hard. It's gonna be tough, but, I know what I want, and I know what it takes to achieve that.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:12:15]: Yeah. A 100%. Yeah.

Cory Nagler [00:12:18]: Cool. So we heard a little bit about how Allison first got into the sport. I'm gonna pass it back over to Allison to tell us really about her experience getting that initial diagnosis, and, ultimately really persevering and managing to continue her training throughout that process, which is an incredible story. So let's let's pass it back over to Alison.

Guest [00:12:39]: Non Hodgkin's lymphoma. Diffuse large b cell non Hodgkin's lymphoma is a type of blood cancer which affects the lymph nodes. When I was diagnosed with NHL, I didn't really know much about the cancer. My cancer started in my left tonsil as a low grade lymphoma, which is slow growing and can lie dormant for many years and sometimes doesn't even need treatment, just regular checks to make sure that it hasn't changed. I only found this out in February last year after 2 lumps appeared on my neck in October of the year before, which I put down to sinus infections. The lumps kept getting bigger, so I went to the GP who referred me to a head and neck clinic, and that's when it was decided to remove my tonsils as the left one was large and discolored. The biopsy came back as lymphoma. I had signed up for the 1st Rob Borough marathon when it was announced in 2022.

Guest [00:13:31]: I'd followed the story of how Rob's close friend and rugby teammate, Kevin Sinfield, was running lots of marathon challenges to raise money to build a new MND centre in Leeds after Rob was diagnosed with MND. I'd always wanted to run a marathon before I was 60, and this was 4 weeks before my birthday. And I was so inspired by Kevin and his challenges and wanted to help raise money for the charity. I'd started my training before my diagnosis and had set up my fundraising page. Even though I'd had to withdraw from the marathon, I decided I'd set a challenge for myself so as I could still raise money for the charity by running the 26.2 miles over months while going through treatment. I would run 3 miles at a time whenever I felt able to. My runs were mainly the week before treatment as this was when I felt more energized. It eventually became too much during my last two treatments.

Guest [00:14:23]: I only had half a mile left to go, and I wanted to finish my challenge at Stonehaven Park Run, where I'd actually started it with some of my friends from Runpoortoo Run. I started my return to running on the 21st September, thanks to the help and new schedule from Runners Connect, and was then fit enough to complete my challenge on the 23rd December with RPR at Stonehaven Park Run as planned. I managed to raise £2,371 for the charity and was so overwhelmed by everyone's generosity. I was also given the all clear on the 27th September, and that was when I decided I'd like to try and run the Rob Burrow marathon this year. I remember my consultancy to me when I was told I had lymphoma and wouldn't be able to run the marathon that year, that once they had got me through my treatment, I could run it the following year. I never forgot that, and this is now my focus.

Cory Nagler [00:15:15]: Andy, what do you think about Alison's story and her persistence in being able to continue her training through such hard times?

Andie Cozzarelli [00:15:23]: I I mean, it it gotta come back to the fact that she has external motivators outside of the Performance Factors. So, I mean, just and then I think also, like, the way that she chose the marathon she initially chose before she was diagnosed, was, it's interesting because it's just kind of like a, like, just thinking about how she was thinking about it. She was like, I wanna do this race for this specific reason because this guy, you know, he was diagnosed with MD, and now he, is raising money and doing all these things and putting on this race, and she's inspired by a story not knowing that what what was to come for her. And I think that's incredible. And, you know, she entered that race with that mindset of, like, I'm gonna do this because of this story, and I'm captivated by it. And then when she received her diagnosis and, you know, had to adapt there, and and she couldn't necessarily do the marathon as she had hoped, still finding a way to work with what she had was, I think, super impressive just to be able to take that that in stride almost. I'm sure I'm sure it wasn't an easy you know, that's it it's easy for us to look at it as if she just kinda barreled right through it, but I'm sure there was a period in between there where it was challenging and and, scary. Like, it's gotta be super scary to just even hear, you know, that there that you've you've got cancer, especially when, you know, you're you're you've got all these other things going on.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:16:54]: So, yeah, I just I found that to be so impressive, just the fact that she was like, you know, I'm just gonna shift my focus and still keep doing the things that I'm doing into the best of my abilities. And in just like, you know, changing the way that she approached it, running when she could and just thinking about, like, oh, I had more energy on this week, but when I had to get treatment, the just hearing just so you know, you're you are more fatigued and all that stuff, and still being able to continue to get out the door around that, I think is just incredible. And I think it's it goes to show that, like, yeah, when we are going through things sometimes with our own training, like when you don't wanna go run that, you know, there's things that there's there's more to it. There's more there's more factors that she was had at play there, and she was still finding a way to just keep keep moving forward. And I'm sure, like, to an extent, you know, running I I typically don't I typically tell my athletes that running can't be your therapy necessarily. It just can't be. It has to be because if you use it as therapy when you can't run, then you don't have anything. You know? But I almost think when you're in times of stress and or just something outside of your control, it can give you some control to be able to still move your body.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:18:18]: And you might have to do it differently, but, sometimes just having that stability of that thing that brings you joy in a way and keeping it in a way where you can continue to do it and not be worried about, splits or times or any of those things is so important, and I'm and it's amazing to see her actually show that within her training.

Cory Nagler [00:18:40]: I think it really puts things in perspective the way she was able to see that, hey, there's this big thing I wanna do, and and, yes, it's not gonna look exactly like I wanted to. But initially, this marathon she was gonna do in one day, she was able to spread it over a month initially. But now that she's feeling healthier, come back to it and and run it again with that goal of raising funds for MND. And I I do wanna plug, when I spoke with Allison, she mentioned that she does have a fundraising page for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, in part because she was so inspired by Rob Burrows himself, which is inspiring this marathon. So we will link that in the show notes and definitely encourage anyone listening who feels compelled to go over and support her.

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Cory Nagler [00:22:26]: I also think though that Allison maybe underplays some of the challenges, involved in this process, and it's very kind of I don't wanna say nonchalant, but it's you know, she she's very kind of, direct in in what she was able to do and and why she did it. But I I think it can't possibly have been easy. And I I wanna make sure we do that justice. So, Andy, just from your experience working with athletes, can you think of some of the challenges that might might've been involved in navigating training around, around her treatment?

Andie Cozzarelli [00:22:58]: Yeah, I mean, and just thinking about the way that so many athletes are fixated on always getting things done, always just sticking to the schedule no matter what, like, that kind of stuff. And sometimes it's like, you know, I have to be like, well well, if remember, like, if we wanna keep running, you gotta keep some balance here. So if it's better for you to rest right now or better for you to miss this or that so that we can continue to run, like, that's that's the goal right there. And I think she personified that a little bit just by the way that she ended up having to adapt her training so that she could continue to actually just put her feet on the ground and run. So whether or not it was perfect, she was able to continue to do it, and continue to do it in the way that she could each day. She was able to listen to the way that her body was was feeling and how and responding to it in a way that was gonna allow her to, again, continue to just be able to have that consistency in the way that she moved. And so I think that like, just from that perspective, like, the ability to adapt to your circumstances is the best way for us to be able to continue to do the things that we wanna do. And so she definitely had she definitely did a great job, I would say, with of that, being adaptable and and, you know, putting, doing what she could do when she could do it and not worrying about what she couldn't do when she couldn't do it.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:24:27]: And I think that's the lesson that a lot of myself included that we all have to learn is that like, you know, it's it's not way that you in the capacity that your body is telling you that it can, and that's exactly the way that she approached it. And, I mean, it it's something that I think a lot of runners could utilize even outside of sickness and illness and all of that stuff to just be more, you know, open to just navigating things as they come, and being a little less type a, like we all like to be. So yeah. But I I yeah. I think, she she probably had so many challenges to kind of, like, just get to do all the things that she had to do. And so it's it's still amazing to me just hearing little parts of her story. Yeah.

Cory Nagler [00:25:23]: I think just about every part of her story here is amazing. And and the more you you dig in, the the more there's really to unpack there. But coming back to again when I was messaging her, one of the things she really wanted people to get out of this story is to say, hey, you can do hard things too. It's it's totally possible to push through tough circumstances, and I don't think anybody imagines having that moment of of being diagnosed with cancer. But, you know, it it kind of speaks to, hey, if I can get through this, then just about any challenge is is navigable. So as you talk about kind of having that consistency in the sport, how important would you say that that piece of being able to have flexibility and adaptability to challenges is?

Andie Cozzarelli [00:26:08]: I mean, I think that's the I think that's one of the biggest things that you need to have in order to perform. You know, something that I didn't do in my career was not was not recognizing how other stresses were impacting me in a in the way that they were and, you know, just continuing to just, like, run through things and, not be mindful of how, external factors were impacting me. I remember when I was training for I think it was my 2nd 2nd marathon. My cousin passed away from cancer actually in the month before I was supposed to race. And I I don't think that I gave myself the space to, just really actually grieve that or or or, like, recognize how it was impacting me. I think I tried to bury it with running, like, just to kinda keep running through it, keep focusing on that. And that's not necessarily the way that you manage these types of emotions. It's really important that you recognize how they're impacting you and be able to kind of be like, okay.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:27:14]: Yeah. I I don't I don't need to do that today. I shouldn't do that today. I can feel that I'm fatigued, from these external factors, and I need to give my body that space to just be like, yeah, let's pause for a second. It'll still be there in a couple of days. It's not like you're gonna that's the other thing is it takes a decent amount of time to lose fitness. You have to be, like, not running for, over 2 weeks for you to even see an like a a like a even a, you know, profound loss in not even it's not even profound. It's like a negligible loss in, VO 2 max.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:27:51]: So and then you can get that right back in 2 weeks. So it's just like that kind of stuff is is like sometimes it's just like you gotta go through it to recognize it. A lot of times we don't believe experiences until we've experienced them. So it's kind of just like being able to being able to kind of put yourself in someone else's shoes and see how they're able to still be resilient through, you know, what they're managing and they're still being able to go through it, I hope will also help myself and others to just be like, yeah, I I can give myself a break when I need to. Like, it's okay. It's fine. So yeah.

Cory Nagler [00:28:33]: Yeah. I think breaks are totally okay. We we talk a lot about needing those breaks for recovery, but all the more important when you have other life stresses. And, I do wanna say I'm quite sorry for your loss, and that couldn't have been easy to, go through that let alone before, a race that maybe you were building up to. But, no, I I think that's a really important lesson for runners to take away in terms of being able to, to build in that, that personal care in that room to take care of yourself first.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:29:02]: Yeah. 100%. And, I, and I wonder, this is something we could probably follow-up with Allison. I wonder whether things was she doing for herself from a mindset standpoint on to, to kind of like work her way through this, you know, you know, was there other things that she did that also helped, you know, and I'm sure that the work that she was doing gave her profound purpose, which is I think also super helpful that when we have a purpose for what we're doing, then it it it has it we have better do we just feel better about ourselves in general? And I think that can be really helpful for, you know, getting through times like this or illness or sickness or, things like that that can feel overwhelming.

Cory Nagler [00:29:47]: Yeah. And I am curious. I may just follow-up with her for for an answer. Or if you're hearing this before I follow-up with you, Allison, would, would love to hear your thoughts. But on the topic of, hearing from Allison again, we've heard some of the background on the story, but I think she has some really good thoughts on what runners can take away from this story. So we can, we can take all the lessons we want to extrapolate for ourselves, but who better to tell it than Allison herself. So, let's go into some of that. So back over to you, Alison.

Guest [00:30:18]: I decided to talk to you about my experience because I hope that it may help other runners maybe going through something similar that you should never give up. I love running, and I also love raising money through events for charities. Even when I felt fatigued, I tried to do a little exercise as this did make me feel better in myself. Knowing that I was using money for such a great cause also helped me get out and run when I could, even if it was more of a walk run. I was also told keeping as fit as possible helped the chemo work better. Being positive and trying to keep doing something that I love definitely got me through some tough times, but I made it, and I'm so grateful for the treatment I was given and the care from the doctors and nurses, and also the encouragement from my family friends and also from the running community who would often join me on some of my runs.

Cory Nagler [00:31:07]: I think those are some great lessons, and some of the things I definitely take away from what we just heard from Allison is to definitely find that support from others and be able to build off of that as as well as really knowing your why and and and being able to have those kind of intrinsic motivators to, to chase after. But, curious for you, Andy, as you listen to that, what do you think are some of the key takeaways other runners can learn?

Andie Cozzarelli [00:31:31]: Yeah, I would say, you know, she also she really wanted to be able to fundraise. So even on days where not I think that was more her goal than anything was being able to kinda keep that momentum going that even on days when she was feeling more fatigued, she kind of was like, okay. I have this thing that I want out of this, and I need to do the thing that I need to do today despite how I'm feeling. And I think they're that I say that with a, you know, with a piece of, like, okay. Yeah. Just be mindful. Like, don't go overboard with that kind of behavior. But, I think she was doing a good job of that, so I'm not gonna, I think it's important that we recognize that though.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:32:10]: So but she I feel like when when she was, like, I I she was had she knew that she would feel better if she did it. And so being able to just kind of, like, have something to remind her why she's doing it, gave her better resilience to get back to go do it. And, I think that's something that I always ask runners that I work with or try to, you know, why what is your why or why do you wanna do this race? Does it does it sound fun to you or what's what what's the reason why you're doing this? And, I think that's some something that, that when you get to your your goal races, you're not gonna it's gonna be harder to perform if you don't know why you wanna be there. You gotta be able to have something that's, like, pushing you to finish strong and when it gets hard or else it's really challenging to kinda actually, like, go through the motions on it. So, that and I actually it's funny because I experienced this this past weekend because I've been busy and I've been my, you know, my hamstring hasn't been feeling good and I entered a race and I started it and I got halfway through and I just started slowing down and my hip was bothering me. And I was just like, I don't I'm just I don't I'm not in it. I mentally am not here today. And so I stopped and, which is what I needed to do, but I didn't have a why for why I was doing it.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:33:31]: I didn't feel connected to it. I didn't feel, motivated by it. So it, you know, I I paused there and and that was what I needed. But at the same time, like, you know, what Allison's doing is, reminding us all that, you know, we even if we're not gonna run our fastest time, even if the workout's not going very well, if there's something that you can get out of it and be positive about and and, you know, show yourself for the day, then that's just as important as everything else that we do. So I found that to be profound in what she said. The other thing I found interesting was, you know, being keeping fitness to be able to help her, cancer diagnosis, was, and I didn't realize that was a thing. And I think, but with that, it's like, again, the balance piece of, like, you can't she could she probably wasn't it wouldn't have been advisable for her to be trying to do, like probably some crazy, crazy runs where she's just stressing her body to the limit. But you know, doing what she could was able to be, it was, was a motivator too, to be able to help herself, be there for others, you know, like, if that improves her chances of of staying healthy and beating this, then she wants to do it because she has things beyond this phase of her life that she wants to be around for.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:34:57]: And I think that's also, fantastic and also a good a good motivator to also be, you know, I'm, I'm gonna do this not just for myself, but so that I can still be there for others. And I think that, it's just like so so much part of her character and I'm super impressed by it.

Cory Nagler [00:35:14]: Yeah. It it really hits home. And one thing you don't hear her talk about when you hear her talking about why she runs is to get better at running. It's it's completely this, I want to better myself in a way that's going to allow me to be healthier and and help others and make a positive difference.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:35:29]: Right. And, Andre, and even just the way she started. I mean, she started running because of her husband and his illness and wanting to help him have somebody to move with and be accountable to. So, yeah, it's just like a common theme here through her story.

Cory Nagler [00:35:45]: Yeah. Anyway, we talk again about this kind of why or having a bigger purpose and it it really being kind of hard to push through hard times or or having any reason to if if you don't reflect on that. Do do you think that it's it's more so about just having something that that gives you a way to achieve that goal, or do you think there's something really unique about running, especially in this circumstance in terms of, you know, whether that's the fitness piece or being able to help others that that to work towards those, intrinsic goals?

Andie Cozzarelli [00:36:22]: Yeah. I mean, it's, I mean, it's interesting because everybody has their own reasons why they may run. But when I think of when I think about this, I remember when I was working full time in engineering, I was running at 5 in the 4:30 or 5 in the morning every morning. And there was definitely days where I was just like, I just don't I don't wanna do this. And then I I had something for me, it was, my I think it was my it was around the time a lot of the, a lot of the training right around the time that I, when I first graduated, my grandfather passed away in 2014 and he was a coach and all these things. And I just remember being like, you know what? You gotta you gotta keep getting out there. Because my my motivator at the time was, you know, I wanna be what, my grandfather. I wanted to be kind of like what he was for people.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:37:14]: And so then I was like, alright. Like, I gotta keep getting out there. I gotta keep doing the thing even when it's not even though it's 5 in the morning and I don't be up right now. And so for me, that was what I utilized, and it was something larger than myself, which I think is kind of the it that's I find to be the easiest thing that you can utilize to really, have a, like, a large motivator. It's like something that, is so much bigger than just, like, you know, you can have a goal. I think a goal goal is great, but, it's so easy to to, like, in the race setting, even you can use it to get through training. You can use it to get through days that are tough. But what happens on race day if the goal starts to slip? It's just so easy for us to just let go of it when whereas when you have something like this that, you know, Allison's working towards or, like a larger goal that's kind of less important to what how the outcome is, it just gives you a little bit more momentum on the day to really go for it and really keep moving and keep pushing through, that adversity and the fatigue that you're feeling on race day.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:38:26]: So, yeah, I mean, that's kind of that's how I think about it. It's just there's there's more to it. There's more to our running, and I think that we just have the ability to get more out of ourselves when we give that deeper purpose. So Yeah.

Cory Nagler [00:38:45]: And I know you touched earlier about, you know, what do you do when you don't have running if you're using that as therapy. And I've I've found for myself, those are really the moments when I reflect most on what are my bigger goals is because it's so easy to get lost in the monotony of of training when you're when you don't have that. And I think even for myself, it's a good lesson that it's important to have those check ins with yourself and really go, you know, why am I doing this? What is my bigger purpose? Otherwise, you know, we've, I'm totally a big believer that running can do a lot of good, but it's it's really just putting one foot in front of the other. So if if you don't think about that why, then you're you're not gonna have any serious motivators when injury comes up or when you're, you know, after race and you don't have that running piece.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:39:30]: Yeah. And I also think about it from the perspective of, like, I I feel like I hear, runners sometimes feel like they're not worthy of being a runner if they don't do x. And I don't think that's the case obviously, but, like, they I think sometimes when they can see it from the perspective of, like, you know what? Like, they may not notice the purpose that they serve, but, like, you know, maybe somebody else sees them and is inspired by it. So it's almost like remind yourself that there's, like, so many people out in the world that could be motivated by your experience that could give them that extra purpose. And then and so I think I always, like, you know, encourage people to to recognize that, like, yeah, what you're doing is valid and what you're doing is is important if it's important to you and, you know, keep going for it and, you know, remind yourself that there is there is other things that you could that you can do with it and put yourself in that place to be able to do other things with it if it if it's something that motivates you. So, yeah, that's what I that's what I like to say.

Cory Nagler [00:40:31]: My belief is that if you get out and run-in any capacity, you are a runner. And I will also say if you are still tuned into this conversation at this point, you most certainly are probably a runner.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:40:44]: For sure.

Cory Nagler [00:40:46]: Cool. Alright. Well, let's, let's hear from Allison one last time. Inota, tell us a little bit about some of her future goals in the sport and also why it is that she's so passionate about the Rob Burroughs marathon, which is coming up in May. So, Allison, back over to you.

Guest [00:41:03]: MND is such a cruel disease. And after seeing Rob Burrow, who's a strong fit rugby player confined to a wheelchair and unable to speak, I knew I wanted to be part of this marathon. Here in Kevin Smithfield talk about the difference a new MND center would make to patients and their families, I knew I wanted to help raise money for the charity. Last year, I would have been aiming to run the full 26.2 miles and hope to finish in 4 and a half hours. This year, my only goal is to finish the marathon. I aim to walk, run it as I know I won't be fit enough to run the full 26.2. I still suffer from fatigue, and even after a long run on a Saturday, it can make me very tired the next day. My fitness and energy levels are improving all the time, but it's quite a slow process.

Guest [00:41:47]: I'm quite a determined person, and with the help of Nurse Connect schedule, I'll hopefully achieve my dream of finishing my 1st marathon, losing lots of money for MND, and celebrate being a cancer survivor.

Cory Nagler [00:41:59]: I just love hearing more and more about Alison's story in part because I think she's so inspiring as a person and really her her outlook on life. But, again, I really don't wanna sell Allison's story short and wanna hype up what it is that she has managed to accomplish. And you you only really hear her talking about helping others, never really what she managed to achieve. So, Andy, I'm gonna outsource that to us to really talk about how incredible what Allison's managed to do is. So, what do you think are some of the most inspiring or or or aspects of her story that jump out to you?

Andie Cozzarelli [00:42:34]: Yeah, I it's funny because I listening to her clip, you know, just you you smile, because you're just like, this. Yeah, this is this is awesome. Just hearing her say that she, you know, she originally when she entered this race, she's like, you know, I wanna run, you know, around to 4:30. And then now she's pivoting and she's, like, recognizing that, no, it doesn't matter. One, but also she's gonna just run it for whatever whatever she can at this particular moment and be proud of the fact that she's a cancer survivor, that she's running her first marathon, And and then at the same time, gonna be able to call her self a cancer survivor, I think is so amazing. And that hearing her, you know, say that part is just like that, yes, you know, that it would that is awesome. That is, you know, I think such a huge accomplishment. Running a marathon in itself is hard, running a marathon after going through chemo and all the other things she's been through managing the fatigue, you know, all of that stuff, all the other things that come with going through chemo, like managing every single one of those things.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:43:48]: And then coming out the other side to be able to then run a marathon, I think is just it amazing. And I can't wait to see her finish that marathon. I think it's gonna be such a celebration that, you know, I those are the kind of things that you just you see those and you just like, it it makes you feel good. It makes you feel like I, that I get makes me feel like I'm like, I want to go run a marathon. You know, I wanna, I just wanna feel that feeling. And I just, I, I just can't wait. I can, I can like visualize it, her finishing that race, you know, and just like how, how that will feel after this last year of of everything she's been through? And I'm just, like, it's it's it's amazing. I'm just there's not even words, I feel like.

Cory Nagler [00:44:39]: There's really not. I'm just excited for Alison to see what she can do and and how much she can manage to do to help others. I I think it's one thing this sport really needs more of is that ability to just, like, root for people as people and not just rooting for a world record or or maybe a medal for your country. And Allison's story really does that where I feel like this Broad Burrows marathon, which I hadn't heard of before Allison's story, all of a sudden, I'm super invested because now we know all the incredible work Allison has done just to get to the start line and even more so all the good that she's gonna do when she does get to that finish line, and I have all the confidence that she will.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:45:14]: Oh, yeah. For sure. Yeah. And hearing her talk about where that money is gonna go and, you know, you can just hear it in her voice that she's, she's excited for just being good, have any impact on that and having the patients that are there be able to have a better experience in the families, is remarkable. So, yeah, I just can't wait to see, how this next year goes for her and cheer her on and all of that great stuff. So

Cory Nagler [00:45:45]: Yeah. We will absolutely be cheering her on. I'm gonna look out for the results in May. And just to conclude, I'm gonna come back once again to plug her fundraiser page. I'm sure she would be thrilled if you donate to the Motor Neurone Disease Association in any capacity, but if you want to make sure that you check out her fundraising page and donate directly, we will link that in the show notes. So, feel free to give, if you wanna support. And, Andy, appreciate you coming and helping to tell this incredible story.

Andie Cozzarelli [00:46:14]: Yeah. Thanks for having me. This is a great one, and I feel inspired. I'm walking away from this excited for whatever else comes next and all that good stuff. So

Cory Nagler [00:46:24]: As do I. Excited for myself and, excited for you, Alison, if you're listening. So, thanks to everyone who listened today to to Alison's story, and, happy running. Thanks for listening to the Run to the Top podcast. I'm the showrunner at Runners Connect, where as always, our mission is to help you become a better runner with every episode. You can connect with me on Instagram at corey_nagler. Or through Strava by searching Corey Nagler, and please consider connecting with the rest of our team at runnersconnect.net. If you're loving the show, you can help us reach more runners by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Cory Nagler [00:47:13]: Lastly, if you want bonus content, behind the scenes experiences with guests, and premier access to contests, then consider subscribing to our newsletter by going to runnersconnect.netforward/podcast. I'll see you on the next show, but until then, happy running, everyone.