Risking To Live
REM Runner’s Top 9 Inspiring Female Health Advocates Part I
In honor of Women’s History Month, I am profiling nine female health advocates who inspire me to follow my dreams. These women are trailblazers – leading the way for other women to optimize their health and triumph over adversity. Here are the first three: 1. Kathrine Switzer, First Woman to Enter the Boston Marathon Less than 50…
Read MoreREM Runner’s Top 13 Inspirational Quotes – #11 Scared to Death
I wasn’t born brave. I didn’t wake up the day after being diagnosed with narcolepsy and sign up for a marathon or tell my story into a TV camera. I was scared too – scared to death of what my future held and what people would think of my narcolepsy. So if you want to take…
Read MoreBefore I Die…
“Before I die…” caught me off-guard on Saturday. I was driving down 14th street NW in DC, when I slammed on the brakes and pulled over. I didn’t know what to expect, but the beautiful messages of hope and love made my day! I took photos but didn’t contribute to the wall. I mulled it over…
Read MoreA Dream Among Dreams: Taking On Yoga’s Headstand
“Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so.” I dream a lot, but one dream stood out recently: I saw myself in a handstand position – whirling my legs around like I was an acrobatic superstar. Um, yeah right. I love yoga,…
Read MoreI Create; Therefore I Am – The Positive Practice of Art Journaling
I signed up for an art journaling workshop at Tranquil Space last summer, and almost didn’t go because I feared “wasting my time.” I’ll never forget when the wonderful instructor, Kimberly said, “Write down what you want by this time next year, July 23, 2012.” My whole body clenched up. Somewhere along the way, I’d forgotten that…
Read MoreTo Fly: Running Mt Washington Road Race
I started this journey with a broken heart; I felt lost and alone without my Dad. I wanted so badly to re-connect with him on the mountain. While training, I faced fears and trampled over my comfort zone many times. I gained support from people near and far. By race day, my heart was filled with love…
Read MoreMt Washington Road Race 2012 Video
Pictures are worth a thousand words. Here’s a short video re-capping my quest to honor my dad in the Mount Washington Road Race 2012 while living with narcolepsy. Music: “We Can” by Jesse Ruben. This song helped me up the mountain. The artist generously gave me permission to use it in my video, so…
Read MoreQuit It To Win It
I QUIT! In less than one mile. I felt more exhausted than after finishing the Boston Marathon. How could this be? I was scheduled for one of my hardest training workouts for MWRR, yet I was truly running on empty. Oddly, this was not an episode of EDS (excessive daytime sleepiness) associated with narcolepsy, I’d…
Read MoreThe Silver Lining
“The next time you encounter fear, consider yourself lucky.This is where the courage comes in. Usually we think that brave people have no fear. The truth is that they are intimate with fear.” -Pema Chödrön Today is one of my final hard training days before I take on “one of the most grueling road races in…
Read MoreHello, my name is NOT G.I. Jane.
“Don’t believe what your eyes are telling you.All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding, find out what you already know, and you’ll see the way to fly.” -Richard Bach “I don’t wanna run. I don’t wanna climb. I’m sick of fighting. I’m exhausted.” These thoughts cross my mind daily. I do not wake…
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