RunningThroughBreastCancer - Stephanie Humphrey: Cancer Warrior

Speaker 1:
0:01
Welcome to 3-2-1-Go the Podcast. I'm John Pelkey.

Speaker 2:
0:05
And I'm Carissa Galloway and we're bringing you stories from start to finish to keep the everyday athlete motivated to keep moving towards the next finish.

Speaker 1:
0:14
All right. Carissa, our guest today, is now this is in her own words, so I'm going to get this out to you. A breast cancer warrior, mom of two wife, nurse practitioner, three-time Dopey Challenge finisher she didn't even mention Army veteran. She's stubborn, sarcastic, funny. Also my personal 10K timer Good to be the king. You probably know her as running through breast cancer on Instagram. She's Stephanie Humphrey and she joins 321GO, the podcast, with us.

Speaker 2:
0:42
Yeah, you might also know her as the woman who, at Wine and Dine, kicked off our season and she said I just had a double mastectomy and we all didn't know what to say, but she continued to inspire us with all the things John just said. And we know there's a lot of cancer warriors out there and we thank Stephanie for being a voice of all that you can do as you go through that unimaginable fight. Today, on Healthier you, we're going to talk about what to do when you come back on vacation and want to get back to those health goals, and we're going to answer a listener question about well, crap, right, john, it is indeed about crap, all right. Well, thank you guys for listening to 321GO, for sharing. Please keep sharing on social media. Tell your friends that we'll keep them entertained on a long run. And to support us and to keep us going in the long run see the show notes for how you can become a monthly supporter let's do this 3, 2, 1, go.

Speaker 1:
1:51
All right, Carissa, we're both back on land. For those who may not have known, you did the Disney cruise to Alaska, I did the member cruise to the Mediterranean. How are you feeling? I got back late Saturday night. We're recording this on. Is it Thursday? I believe it's Thursday presently, so been back a few days. You've been back a little shorter period of time. I know we're both dealing with a little bit of a cold, but how do you feel after your Alaska cruise, first time to?

Speaker 2:
2:19
Alaska. Yeah, I don't want to say too much because we are going to take a full cruise episode, but to short story it, it was the trip of a lifetime and there's so many pieces that I, gosh, I'm almost going to cry now. Like I don't know if I enjoyed them as much in the moment as I should have, like it was just so fun. Gosh, now I'm crying.

Speaker 2:
2:36
So anyway that'll be a fun recap, but to be able to be there in Alaska with the kids and experience that we got to experience is just that's a beautiful cruise and you've been on it and we'll talk about it. Um, and I'm also sick too, so we were on the flight back. We got back on Monday. I got off the ship Monday, went right to the airport cause we needed to get back for Claire's gymnastics. Um, there was a woman on front of us on our flight from Vancouver to Salt Lake city and was coughing Like there were more. It was like the most surround sound coughing that I've ever heard on a flight and I was like wow, this family had masks on directly in front of us for the two and a half hour flight. That wasn't great. Sit down on the flight from Salt Lake City to Orlando, john, who is sitting directly in front of us again.

Speaker 1:
3:17
Coffee.

Speaker 2:
3:17
Come on the same woman, and then she would take her mask off to cough. So we don't feel great. Joe weston and I have a little bit of a flu uh, not a flu thing, but it's more like a sinus congestion thing. That's just most annoying.

Speaker 1:
3:33
At night we're still working a little cough upper respiratory, uh cough, kind of breaking up.

Speaker 2:
3:38
It's sort of the same thing yeah, so I'm just hoping that that won't catch up in like a couple days, because I definitely I've had long COVID. I've been dealing with long COVID for about a year, so I would not like to get more of that.

Speaker 2:
3:48
So anyway, but back diving into work. I think I got the cobwebs out because we all needed like three days before you and I could even think about doing a podcast. So that's why this one's coming out a day later than it's supposed to, because those post vacation blues for me were real. What about you?

Speaker 1:
4:02
Quick synopsis yeah, I mean we had. We had really good travel days. They take very good care of me. The only issue we had was flying over. There was a bit. We had to do a run through the airport that everybody has to do. I was dealing with a little allergy stuff when I was over there in. I was in Spain and Italy, particularly Italy, had some just because of whatever the floor and the fauna was over there, and I overuse that phrase, by the way, I'd like to apologize.

Speaker 2:
4:30
You do Flora and fauna.

Speaker 1:
4:32
Yeah, I've been overusing it.

Speaker 2:
4:34
Not in this medium, so it's fresh here.

Speaker 1:
4:37
All right, well, we could edit that part out, though we won't edit it.

Speaker 1:
4:40
So I was dealing with a little bit of a cold throughout now. It just cold like symptoms, but didn't didn't really affect the work. But yeah, I needed a few days. I finally got out and cut the grass yesterday and if you would have seen my grass, it was about waist high. But I just couldn't do it those first couple of days. I was back and my poor wife was in bed. She finally been able to get up. She went to work today. So we're doing good. We had a great time and again, we're going to talk more about this in a later episode coming up very soon. But we're just going to tease right now that we're back from cruising opposite ends of the globe. Now how is that? You have to deal with birthday stuff coming all right, because you have kids and everything you know. Birthday you know at my age you don't even pay attention.

Speaker 2:
5:27
I know, so I've talked about this before. I have birthday week with my kids. They're just about a week apart. So, as we're taping this, tomorrow is Claire's birthday, so I'm going to get her from gymnastics. We'll celebrate her birthday at the house in the morning and, as anybody that has been through a divorce and has kids, last year I planned her birthday party, so this year I don't get to plan like her big friend's birthday party, which is a little bit sad, a little bit of a bummer, but it is something off your plate.

Speaker 2:
5:55
It is a little bit, yes, because we're doing Elliot's birthday party the next weekend, so we'll have like a smaller birthday here. I have a gift that I probably going to be the most expensive birthday gift she'll ever get in her entire life. I don't want to say it just in case someone says it. This comes out in the morning, but you can probably guess what it is. It's happening in Miami. It has a lot of songs and another blonde headed woman I'm excited to see her reaction.

Speaker 1:
6:19
It's not a Club 33 membership sort of thing.

Speaker 2:
6:22
I think it still costs less than a Club 33 membership sort of thing, that's not.

Speaker 1:
6:25
I mean, I think it still costs less than a Club 33 membership. I don't even know what one of those if they do cost, or if it would be voted in, I don't know, can we get on the ballot?

Speaker 2:
6:30
Somebody put us on the ballot for that.

Speaker 1:
6:31
We still have to go, no chance.

Speaker 2:
6:33
I need to go to the Club 33 at Hollywood Studios. Can we do that this summer, John?

Speaker 1:
6:39
Maybe we can. I've traveled with tons of Disney legends and they know my name and they know who I am and I mentioned Club 33, and they all just walk away.

Speaker 2:
6:47
Yeah, look away. So, claire, a little low-key family birthday and then next week Elliot's big Mario blowout birthday at the house. You and Jodi are invited if you like, mario, that's a key there, but I don't know if any of us?

Speaker 1:
7:01
What day would that be? It's a Saturday, okay, that's a key there, but I don't know if any of us what day would that be? It's a Saturday.

Speaker 2:
7:04
Okay Well, remind me, we'd like to come out in the middle of the day too.

Speaker 1:
7:09
I do enjoy the Mari. Is there a bounce house?

Speaker 2:
7:12
No, we asked. We've rented the pavilion at our neighborhood that's by the pool, so that we have shade and then we can go into the pool. And we were told we could not put bounce house there.

Speaker 1:
7:20
but we did ask oh, is that your? What are they called Neighborhood watch? What do they call it?

Speaker 2:
7:25
HOA bastards. Is that your HOA?

Speaker 1:
7:27
Yeah, you know my feelings about HOAs right. I could do in all of the-.

Speaker 3:
7:30
We don't have the time.

Speaker 1:
7:31
We don't have the time. All of the good, whatever good works I've done on this, I could throw it all away if I actually expressed my feelings, what we have going on in the birthdays and you've tried to like kind of push down birthdays.

Speaker 2:
7:48
but you have a big birthday coming up. Do you and Jody have plans, because it's such a marquee birthday?

Speaker 1:
7:53
No plans at all. We my birthday is the 2nd of July, my wife's is the 4th. We are working at the St Pete.

Speaker 2:
8:02
Pier Run on the 4th of July. We got to get them on. Or is it sold?

Speaker 1:
8:04
out it doesn't matter. Yep, yep, absolutely. Yeah, I know it's sold, but we will get. We'll get Ryan from after Pier Run, we'll get him on to promote Runfest in November, but so we're doing that. We don't really have any plans because, as you know, this sounds like your life. We'll be jetting back to Italy in July. We're going for 10 days with four other couples and staying in a place in Florence which well outside of Florence San Gimignano, which I think is 45 minutes outside of Florence, san Gimignano is on the UNESCO World Sites.

Speaker 1:
8:39
I have some photos there.

Speaker 2:
8:40
Would you like me to send them to you?

Speaker 1:
8:42
Please.

Speaker 2:
8:42
Yes, I would absolutely it reminded me of Belle, like in France, in the beginning of Bonjour.

Speaker 1:
8:47
Yeah.

Speaker 2:
8:47
Bonjour, Like oh, it's so fun there.

Speaker 1:
8:50
Yeah, we've stayed in Vinci before, which is one of the small towns outside of Florence, but anyway, so we. Oh God, I'm so old. My 60th birthday is in July, I know, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:
9:12
Would you want to ride around in the golf cart? Wes and I can throw you a golf cart party. We can put balloons on like over-the-hill balloons. We can ride around downtown Winter Garden. You want to do that?

Speaker 1:
9:19
Seems age-appropriate, doesn't it? That seems fun. It it really does. For early bird special, just jump from one early bird special to the next. I'm sure there's some sort of one scoop of ice cream special. It's some ice cream place there that I can do, old man.

Speaker 2:
9:33
Do like an old person, crawl Like wherever they have discounts.

Speaker 1:
9:36
Yeah yeah, absolutely so. Yeah, no, no, no plans, probably not. You know, just contemplate the error of my ways, like I do on most of my birthdays.

Speaker 2:
9:45
at this point, Well, yeah, well, we'll talk about that, we'll celebrate that. And before we dive in, just a shout out, because it came out today the Disneyland Half Marathon Themes for January February of 2025. Now, I don't know if I'll be there for this, but what I love is that we've got and I'm showing you the pit Groot, so will we be able to use some of the Guardians of the Galaxy assets? I'm guessing that'll be fun. And then when we go to 10K, you're going to have to say her name, right, because I always say it wrong.

Speaker 1:
10:13
Is that Ahsoka Tano?

Speaker 2:
10:15
Yeah. So, that's like the closest thing to Star Wars that anyone's had for years.

Speaker 1:
10:19
So I feel like we're really right, played by my lovely friend Ashley Eckstein in the animated series, who was not on our cruise. Yeah, normally there, but she had like some big Comic-Con thing that she was going to and she was flying into Europe later.

Speaker 2:
10:32
Love her. Shout out to David and Ashley Eckstein. She has gear on the cruise ships that she designed.

Speaker 1:
10:38
Yeah, yeah, the sail away stuff. It's her and Brett Iwan, who is the voice of Mickey, who is a friend of mine, and we had a lot of when we get, had a lot of fun with Brett on the ship. We'll talk about that when we get to the cruise episode. But, yeah, they designed the sail away where, which is really really cool.

Speaker 2:
10:51
Yeah and well, we got the challenge that we got little Indiana Jones Mickey there Kind of.

Speaker 1:
10:56
Yeah.

Speaker 2:
10:57
Did they steal our springtime surprise adventure theme? A little bit Possibly, but possibly, I guess we'll never know.

Speaker 2:
11:03
And then, of course, good old Dumbo Dumbo, double Dare. So it's actually last year we did Marathon and Disneyland Half Back to Back. They are spread out this year, which I'm excited for if I get to go. If not, I'll just raise money for a charity and go run. So cool themes. Let us know what you think about them and if you're thinking about going there. And if you're thinking about going there, if you're thinking about going to San Gimeno, if you're thinking about going on a cruise, guess who can help us, john.

Speaker 1:
11:27
I'm going to go with our friend, sarah Akers, with Runs on Magic, ding, ding, ding. Now, sarah, did you have something to say?

Speaker 2:
11:34
No, I said ding ding ding. Like you were right, like it was a game show, oh very nice.

Speaker 1:
11:37
Thank you. I appreciate that Now. As listeners know, sarah is a lover of Run Disney herself. She loves helping plan those magical weekends, be they at Disneyland, disney World, wherever. But with Sarah, the world is your oyster and, as someone who's traveled the world recently, or two of us who have traveled the world recently, that's a good thing. Whether you're looking to book a honeymoon getaway, all-inclusive girl strip, family cruise, international adventure, sarah is here and she is at your service.

Speaker 2:
12:07
That's right. So what I want you to do is think about that dream vacation, and then you can find her on Instagram at RunsOnMagic, or email her at RunsOnMagicTravel at gmailcom. Use the promo code 321GO when you request your quote, then she'll help you get up to a $200 Disney gift card or a booking credit, depending on where you're going. Thank you, sarah, for sponsoring us, and let Sarah help you see the world.

Speaker 3:
12:31
Okay, civilians, it's time for the goods. Let's get on to the interview.

Speaker 1:
12:37
All right, stephanie Humphrey, welcome to 321 Go the podcast. First of all, how are you? And, because I know you're on the road and you're not here in central florida, where are you?

Speaker 3:
12:49
I'm doing well uh, better than I deserve, I suppose and I am currently in hampton, virginia, where I grew up I grew up in chesapeake, virginia, which I think we've discussed and you've got all this is.

Speaker 2:
13:00
Is this the second time we've had a all-Virginian podcast? John?

Speaker 1:
13:04
I believe this is our second all-Virginian podcast.

Speaker 3:
13:08
Well, good, you can take the girl out of the 757, but you can't take the 757 out of the girl.

Speaker 2:
13:13
It's so nice to go back there, especially living in Florida, For me, I live further out than you do, but I did go to gymnastics in Hampton the trees and the fields and just not the same strip malls. I mean, they're strip malls but they're a little different. I love going home. Do you identify with the Mexican restaurants that have the salsa and the white sauce?

Speaker 3:
13:35
Absolutely.

Speaker 2:
13:35
And it's not queso folks, it's white sauce.

Speaker 3:
13:39
Yes, and it does taste different, it hits different, it hits so good, so good.

Speaker 2:
13:44
The double dip Not a double dip, but like you dip in the salsa and then you dip in the white, it's delicious. So maybe we'll take a 3-2-1-go road trip, john, a Virginia road trip. You can show me your hometown, I can show you mine. They'll be sponsored by some person with money.

Speaker 1:
13:58
Virginia is for lovers. Where the chamber of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce? We'll get on it. Get on this.

Speaker 2:
14:03
All right, but first we want to talk to you, stephanie. You are so inspirational to the Run Disney community. We met you, I think, for the first time, really got to know you, at Wine and Dine. Riley was just out there saying, oh who's here? And then you're like, oh, I just had a mastectomy and I'm going to run, and I so you've continued to inspire us and to inspire the whole Run Disney community. You even lifted us up further when you helped John Pelkey cross the finish line for his first 10K. But we are people who need to start at the beginning. John and I need to know origin stories. So tell us about your early life life in Virginia.

Speaker 3:
14:47
Were you athletic growing up? Well, I was fairly athletic. I was a CHEO leader from about nine years old and I did that for about four to five years and switched to softball and I was a catcher and absolutely loved being a catcher until I was about 15 or 16. And then I entered the workforce to have my own money and my first job was a birthday hostess at Chuck E Cheese, which is absolutely the best birth control I've ever encountered.

Speaker 1:
15:13
Goodness gracious, right up there next to saying your favorite album is Rush's A Caress of Steel. That'll definitely do you in right there.

Speaker 2:
15:22
Well, that's where I love that Disney starts from, I think. But we'll get to that later. Go on, so, chuck E Cheese.

Speaker 3:
15:30
Yep, and then my first trip to Disney was when I was 12 years old. My aunt and uncle brought me on a road trip. We did the 12, 14-hour drive from Hampton, Virginia, which is right outside, which is about an hour hour and a half from Virginia Beach, and I came with my two cousins and so they're two kids and I loved it. And then a few years later, my dad actually won a trip for his Copier Olympics with this company and I remember staying at the contemporary, the very far end of the resort, ground level, very far into the resort. But it was awesome and I since then I'm like I'm going to live here, I want to live here.

Speaker 1:
16:10
That was my next question. I mean, did you think that when you were, you know, because we're all from let's, let's for people who are not from the northeast, essentially where we are in the mid-Atlantic states I always joke about it my dad retired and moved to Florida, which is the law, but I'm only really exaggerating a little bit. I mean, that is a goal for people in that area. It's like oh man, I want to get to Florida. Disney had that effect on you. You wanted to get to central Florida, did you?

Speaker 3:
16:35
I did. The problem is, you know, my second job as a teenager was Busch Gardens. My second job as a teenager was Busch Gardens, and what I hate about this area is that Busch Gardens closes, you know, after the peak season is over. But well then, they finally started doing the Hallowscream stuff and I think I was actually a strolling performer for Hallowscream maybe the first or the second year that it started and that was so much fun. But everything just shuts down for the winter, and I and I say winter with air quotes because you know it's so temperate, it's just it's still cold, but it's not a ton of snow, it's not.

Speaker 2:
17:17
you get a change of seasons.

Speaker 1:
17:18
At least you get a change of season.

Speaker 2:
17:25
I still have in my car. I have one of those ice scrapers that I just keep in my car. My kids think it's like the funniest toy. But, Stephanie, I think for me I love Disney, but Disney Hampton Roads is not, I will say, the richest area. Right, it's not a Miami, it's not a Southern California. So for us going to Disney was a huge thing. It was a big deal, it took years to save up for, but Busch Gardens was close and I think Busch Gardens is where my love of theme parks and stepping into a different world and rides and shows kind of grew, because we could get whatever the pass was called and it was like $69 and you could go the season pass, Season pass yeah, because there's seasons here.

Speaker 2:
18:00
Yes, exactly, Big Bad Wolf man.

Speaker 3:
18:16
Yes, exactly, big Bad Wolf man, that was the jam, that roller coaster. So I think for me Busch Gardens was kind of like a gateway drug, if you will. To then moved over to Fiesta Italy where I worked, roman Rapids, which is the oh man, For people that are not familiar. It's the big river raft ride and I don't.

Speaker 2:
18:34
I've never been on the one at Animal Kingdom because I Roman Rapids is like smaller boats, I think, than River Rapids and Animal Kingdom. But that was the as a kid man, that was like you want. That was it Like I'm going to get soaked, I'm going to go on it. My mom would wear a shower cap like literally on the ride, because she had the big eighties bangs and didn't want to get them wet.

Speaker 1:
18:53
So yeah, is there any? Is there any ride? Decide, you hate that you once loved, because I think there's a point when you get to be an adult, when you're like, okay, the idea of getting soaking wet now and walking around the rest of the day, I'm done with that.

Speaker 3:
19:11
Yeah, I never understood why my dad didn't like Roman Rapids. And now, as an adult, I'm like yep, don't want my shoes wet.

Speaker 2:
19:17
Yes, yeah, exactly, this dracon fire is a roller coaster. I don't even know if it's still there, but when I was a kid- I love it. They had so many lawsuits, yes, and then I ride it ride like those roller coasters and adult and I'm like I don't feel so good.

Speaker 3:
19:30
You would hit your head so hard. Rip it rocket anymore. Universal refuse, we're old John.

Speaker 1:
19:37
No, I, I as well. And I should point out that my theme park thing other than I did go to Disney when I was, I think, 12, the first time in 76, but King's Dominion was mine. We didn't make it over to Williamsburg quite as much, though I did that later, I believe the Loch Ness Monster.

Speaker 2:
19:56
Yes, interlocking loops yes, and then the tunnel inside.

Speaker 1:
20:01
Yeah, that's the first full roller coaster that I ever went up. It was like a full ride. It was a ride called the King Cobra, back at King's Dominion, which just sort of went around one circle up and stopped and you were at zero G. It wasn't a full roller coaster. Anyway, we throw out all of our love we can to Virginia theme parks.

Speaker 2:
20:18
We're going to move on. I'm just going to say one more thing to anybody out there thinking about Busch Gardens trip. It is beautiful Like the park is beautiful the flowers, it's really well done. I'm team Busch Gardens. Never liked Kings Dominion enough, not as pretty, not as well themed Team BG. All right, we're ready to move on to Stephanie's story. Thank you, virginia.

Speaker 1:
20:36
All right, shout out to their Oktoberfest they have there at the old country too. It's a good one. Okay, before we jump into your run Disney stuff though, I mentioned in the in my introduction that you are you work in the medical field. You're a nurse practitioner. So before we get you on a run Disney course and start talking about that and your journey since, how'd you end up in the medical field? Were you one of those? Cause? Science for me was that was a non-starter. I wanted to be an astronaut at one point and then I realized science and mathematics. I'm going to get out of that. How did you get involved in the medical field?

Speaker 3:
21:16
You know, because psychology was my third attempt at a college degree. I went to Virginia Tech. I was on a full-ride scholarship for computer science and going into college without having any real computer background. And granted, I started college in 2002. So computers were still pretty well of the upper middle class in the homes, so I had absolutely no business going to learning and how to computer, to write programs and program computers. But I thought it was a good idea, without thinking things through. It's a common theme of my life. And I failed a few of my math classes and a few of the computer programming classes. So then I decided it would be a really good idea to change my major to math, thinking that if I had more time to learn and devote to math then I would be better. And I went to summer community college here at Thomas Nelson Community College to get better at math during the summer between freshman and sophomore year. And well, that didn't work out very well. And so between sophomore and junior year the Air Force took away my scholarship and then so I tried to go to the Navy program but they told me I have to stay two extra years to complete the two years that I missed. So that's turning a four-year degree into a six-year degree. And so I went into the Army.

Speaker 3:
22:47
During my Corps of Cadet experience at Virginia Tech, I decided that I wanted to be an EMT, and so I joined the Virginia Tech Rescue Squad at the end of my freshman year. And so I was around all these people that were pre-med and I was like, well, I'm not smart enough to do that. So I just went to my psychology so I could graduate on time. And when I, when we were making our wishlist for the army, I chose medical service corps because I didn't want to do transportation, I didn't want to count ammunition At the time females weren't allowed in infantry and I wouldn't want to do that anyways. So medical service corps for an extra two years of active duty. So I signed my name on the dotted line for six total years of active duty. And there I was, around a lot of doctors and PAs, and I just was like, well, that's cool, I can do this, this is fun.

Speaker 3:
23:48
So when I was getting out of the army, my husband was deployed. At the time I don't remember, I think it was Afghanistan. Yes, he was deployed to Afghanistan. I applied to only a few programs for a PA program and I was waitlisted in one at Emory University in Atlanta and we owned our house in Savannah. So I tried not to go too far away and South University in Savannah said these are the best letters of recommendation we've ever seen, but since you failed a few classes that have absolutely nothing to do with this degree and you have a 4.0 science average going into this, we're going to say no. So my friend said well, have you thought about nurse practitioner? I'm like nope. And she said well, what about? You know you go be a nurse and the ER is right up your alley, and so say no more. I applied and I started and I got my bachelor's of nursing from Armstrong State University in Savannah in December 2014.

Speaker 1:
24:53
Wow, it's always remarkable, chris we talked about this as people's journey to where they are is so nonlinear anymore, everybody just jumps around, and it's so funny, steph, is that you started out low computer Cause. I remember my mother and I'm 20 years older than you. So in 1982, my mom was like you should take computer classes, and you can only imagine, the computer then was the size of a Buick and you know all the stuff that you dealt with. But it's like boy, that really would have been something looking back. Yeah, but it's like boy, that really would have been something looking back. Yeah, it would have been really really good for me to be better at that sort of thing. It didn't fit my skill set, but you seem to wander into something that not only fits your skill set but it's even more important in the entire scheme of things the medical community, it's, it's. It is such a ubiquitous thing in all of our lives and the fact that you you know you you wandered into one of the most rewarding careers you could possibly have for you.

Speaker 3:
25:48
Good for you, I ended up.

Speaker 1:
25:50
You know, dressing up and talking on stage, so maybe not so good, maybe not so good for me.

Speaker 3:
25:55
We all have our uses there, John we do we do?

Speaker 1:
25:59
I didn't want to be a doctor, I just wanted to play one on a soap opera for a decade or so, while I worked off Broadway in New York.

Speaker 2:
26:04
There's still time for that right.

Speaker 1:
26:06
I don't think there are any more soap operas, but that's another story for another day. All right, Because we don't want to keep you all day, Stephanie. We're going to jump forward because the people that run Disney community know you probably best from your Instagram handle running through breast cancer.

Speaker 3:
26:22
So take us to.

Speaker 1:
26:27
It's lengthy running through breast cancer. So take us to yeah, exactly. And they say no publicity. Any publicity is good publicity. I don't know, but you are very inspirational now, but I want you to take us to that when you were first diagnosed, how did that happen? And I'm going to use this for a follow-up, but it's something that I'm very interested in. Being someone in the medical community, it has to hit you differently, because you have so much more of a working knowledge of what your medical professional is talking about than we do. We have to take a lot of things on faith. What was that like when you were diagnosed and how did your medical career help you if it did indeed help you deal with that diagnosis.

Speaker 3:
27:04
Help you if it did indeed help you deal with that diagnosis. Well, my diagnosis. So I was one of those people that used Monjaro to help me control my overeating and to lose weight. I've never felt full in my entire life and Monjaro is the only medication that crosses the blood-brain barrier, activating the feeling of full, and it also delays gastric emptying, so you stay fuller for longer. And I remember the first few weeks I was on it. I literally said is this what feeling full feels like? I had no idea. I lost about 75 pounds and the clinical trials lost about an average of 25. And well, like most females, the first thing to go when we lose weight are the boobs, and prior to the weight loss, my breasts were very, very dense and I wasn't really able to feel anything with my self breast exams. So, after the significant weight loss, I could see, literally see a lump in my left breast, and that was around March of 2023. And, granted, I've been unemployed since October of 2022. So that's that was kind of helpful, I suppose.

Speaker 3:
28:08
Well, I had my well woman appointment scheduled with my VA provider in June and I was going to bring it up then and, being a provider myself, I knew that the questions that she was going to ask has that changed with your cycles? When did you notice it? Has it changed shape, size or location? And so I wanted I just knew that if I waited I could answer all of those and I could just bypass the. Okay, well, let's give it a few months, or let's you know and see. So I could already go there. And she felt it like all right, well, let's order a mammogram with an ultrasound. And since I had the Mirena IUD, I also didn't have my period, so I didn't know when my cycles really were. And so then I had the mammogram and ultrasound in July, and then August I had a biopsy which confirmed the diagnosis and with being a provider, I don't know if it helped or not. I mean, I'm not sure. It's kind of a double-edged sword.

Speaker 1:
29:08
Right.

Speaker 3:
29:09
When I read the pathology report I knew it was very early and is an easily treated type, so that helped. But it did kind of read a little bit contradictory. It said invasive ductal carcinoma, meaning it started in the milk ducts and then spread, but then it also said ductal carcinoma in situ, dcis, meaning it hasn't spread. So I was really confused. But even with the confusion I feel like I handled it pretty well. I remember hanging up the phone after the call of the diagnosis and my husband walked by and I said hey, did you get travel insurance on the Disney cruise in December Because I have breast cancer? And his exact words were I did. That sucks. He's a man of few words.

Speaker 2:
29:52
But sometimes you know that's the hard thing about a cancer diagnosis is it's you don't know what to say because there are no words to convey. You know what a terrible blow that is, or any sort of those crazy diagnoses. So when you got yours, what was your prognosis?

Speaker 3:
30:10
My prognosis was, without even talking to a provider, my personal prognosis was absolutely fine and I hate to say, you know, no big deal, because it is a big deal, but in the grand scheme of things, it's the way the report read. It's very early stage, it's very early on, it's one of the most common forms of breast cancer. It's very well contained, so I wasn't very worried about it and I feel like a lot of people were. You know, I, I guess I got more sad when I was talking to other people because you know, everybody hears the cancer word and they're oh my God, oh my God. And your, your mind, your mind always, always goes to the worst possible scenario. But as a provider, I'm like yeah, yeah, well, it's, it's easily treated, I'll, I'll be fine, you know, just take care of it and you know I'll be here until you know something else comes along.

Speaker 2:
31:10
Yeah, I mean, and that mindset could have helped your as you go through everything. Just kind of like this is I have, I know the steps, the very military mindset. Here's the steps, here's the ankle Now. So was breast cancer something in your family or did you come to learn? You know there was a different reason why you might have gotten it.

Speaker 3:
31:26
No, you know, that's kind of kind of funny about that. My paternal grandfather died of pancreatic cancer and my dad had prostate cancer twice, the second one being about five years status post a radical prostatectomy. And right around when I got diagnosed, my paternal aunts, my dad's sister, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. All those are mutations of the BRCA gene. So I'm freaking out about that and well, I'm going to have a bilateral mastectomy and I'm just take everything, I don't care.

Speaker 3:
32:07
Well, brca mutation is actually very rare, but apparently we carry a genetic, very rare genetic mutation of the von Hippolandau gene, which, the VHL gene, is a suppressor, a tumor suppressor gene, and since mine is broken, I'm predisposed to non-cancerous tumors of the brain, spinal cord, and cancer of the adrenal, which are the glands that sit on top of the kidneys, and pancreatic cancer. So I've earned myself a yearly CT scan from Bow to Stern and it's an autosomal dominant disorder. So basically it's nearly guaranteed that my two boys have it, and that's that's the hardest part, like the breast cancer. Okay, that's me, I can handle it, but I unknowingly passed something on to my kids that I had no idea about and it took me getting cancer for the genetic testing to happen, which pisses me off because I'm here in Virginia because my aunt has pancreatic cancer and you know it didn't look very good a few weeks ago. But she's a, she's a tough old bat and she rallied, but I'm not sure how long she can continue rallying for.

Speaker 1:
33:29
It's. It's such a you know the importance of learning your, what your medical history of your family is and all of those things. Just on a personal note, when my wife and I were looking at adopting a child, that was one of our concerns was we want to be able to have records Because, to your point, Stephanie, you're a medical professional. You know all about these things, and this was something that you would not have found out about if not for this other condition. So I don't know how you know, get your yearly checkups and everything, but, boy, try to try to find out what your medical conditions.

Speaker 2:
34:04
But is this something they would even test for normally? Or I mean, because we can do 23andMe. We know that, but I think what you're saying is extremely rare. So you know.

Speaker 3:
34:10
Well, actually you know well, actually, you know, I went back on my 23 and B and I well, it didn't really test for this.

Speaker 3:
34:17
It tests for the BRCA mutation and it I didn't have the BRCA mutation but my. I did the genetic testing through the VA because and all of this is what the VA exists is considered a condition from my deployment to Iraq, with all of the burn pit exposure and the toxic everything over there. And so my dad, my oncologist, said, well, if your dad can do one of get his testing done with his oncologist or maybe like a one of those mail-in genetic companies, that maybe it'll come back faster. Because I was waiting to see if I had the BRCA mutation or what we were actually dealing with before I decided mastectomy versus lumpectomy and I was also kind of just waiting to see if the universe would kind of point me in the right direction. Because when I was diagnosed I went in, was set up with the VA breast surgeon and I walk in there guns blazing. I want a whole double mastectomy and I wasn't quite sure if I wanted a reconstruction.

Speaker 3:
35:28
But I opted for the reconstruction because I wasn't quite ready to look like a prepubescent tween, because I wasn't quite ready to look like a prepubescent tween, but I got to tell you the idea of being able to run without a bra was really appealing for a little while it did cross my mind a few times.

Speaker 2:
35:51
I love that running still played a part in that decision, as we'll talk about, plays a part in a lot of you know what went on. So what you said about your kids just breaks my heart and I know that's something that you couldn't have controlled. But I know that that weighs on you and you know I've shared that we have APOE4 and that's something that weighs on me with my kids. But let's talk about your battle, because you decided to make that public, or was because you decided to make that public, or was that a conscious decision, or did that just spontaneously happen?

Speaker 3:
36:21
Like, talk a little bit about that. Well, you know, I have that whole history of um acting and not really thinking things, things through. So I think that's kind of why I started talking to Riley. I'm like, oh hey, this seems like a good idea. I'm just for seven, seven days after my double mastectomy. I've got my dreams, you know, anchored down to my body with a belt, like, yeah, look, this sounds like a good idea.

Speaker 3:
36:44
And I've been very public about my battle on my personal Facebook page. And, you know, and it's funny because I I label any update, I call it the breast cancer saga, the one with, as a homage to friends. All their episodes are the one with, and all of my friends are like, oh, stephanie, you're so inspiring, you should, you should definitely write a book and you should do, you know, make this really public. And I think you've got a great story. And so at the end of January, I made the Instagram channel and I, you know, I said we'll travel back in time to the origin of what happened and I just kind of basically posted my Facebook post to catch people up whoever was out there. But you know, even during the wine and dine, when all of this kicked off, people were stopping me on the course and you know, talking to me about their, their battle, and it just it's just a really big club that I hate that there's so many members of.

Speaker 2:
37:45
Yeah, but sometimes we need that.

Speaker 3:
37:46
It's really high price and admission.

Speaker 2:
37:48
Yes, but people need to see other people struggle in a weird way, like I know that sounds weird, but like when we see someone else going through something and we can identify with it, it almost lightens our load a little bit because we don't feel maybe so alone. And you did that and you shared that. Uh, you mentioned that race. It was just after your mastectomy, but you've run other races undergoing radiation, so what are all the medical? Can we just have a list of like? Here's the race Stephanie ran and here's the medical procedure she just had. Like that I'm not, I mean, I'm being serious Like, just so people understand the magnitude of like what you've accomplished, because we talk about all the time to to line up at a half marathon hard, hard to get there, hard, to train there hard, all this stuff, fear of the race, but then you're going through so much more than just physically. Getting out of bed is a win and a lot of people couldn't even do so. Talk us through all of the amazing accomplishments and running you have had during this journey.

Speaker 3:
38:44
All right. So I suppose we'll go back to springtime surprise of last year, and after that I knew that I was capable of a whole lot more. So I joined customized training with coach Chris twigs, and I don't know if I would be as successful as I have been if I wasn't linked in with my customized family. And so when I got my diagnosis, you know, I was scheduled to run the 5K with my eight-year-old Mr Eight, who is now Mr Nine.

Speaker 2:
39:19
I have a Mrs Nine tomorrow, so I'm right there with you.

Speaker 3:
39:22
Oh yeah, that's right. Happy birthday to Mrs Nine, that nine to be. And I was more devastated about the diagnosis because I felt like I was failing him, like he was all excited to run do the 5k with me and we were going to dress up and and I just I felt like I was failing him, which is absolutely ridiculous if he completely understood, um, but still, it's that mom guilt, right? That's, that's impressive, um. So I got the diagnosis in August. I continued to run, um and train because it was provided clarity. I mean, there was times where I didn't want to train, I didn't want to get up, and but that was that was my me time and that was the time where, you know, I was thinking through things and hoping that the answers would come to me of what I needed to do and the best course scenario.

Speaker 3:
40:22
And so I had my double mastectomy on October 27th and then the day of the expo for Wine and Dine I am at my very first plastics follow-up and I asked the provider can I do the races and walk them? And she said well, you know, it's really a great area, you have your drains in it's, you know somewhere for the swelling to go. But there's people that you know get really swollen and have trouble walking to their mailbox. And I said, well, I'm sure you don't have a whole lot of people that will run a virtual marathon the day before their mastectomy either, which I did for in honor of breast cancer and she's like, well, you know, it's a great area and so if you do it, then you know, just don't power walk, because I don't want you to pull the drains out. I'm like done, won't power walk, I promise.

Speaker 3:
41:19
And so I show up and then you know, a week later, after, after the races, I get my drains out, which is unheard of. To get your drains out after two weeks, and most people have them in for three to four weeks, two weeks, and most people have them in for three to four weeks. Then I'm continuing to train. Um, when I'm cleared? I got cleared while we were on our Disney cruise because we went off. We went on our Disney cruise on December 4th, so Mr Three was Mr Four by then, so he can go into kids club and we could have, we could have grown-up time, and I was able to run while we were on the cruise and so I did the castaway, the castaway key 5k with k is still confusing, by the way, every time I see the word I want to say k, but I know it's key so I felt you right there.

Speaker 3:
42:10
I was like that's me, yes so, um, I did the, I did the castaway key 5k with him and actually I think I might have missed the loop because my garmin read 2.1 miles. But I don't care, it was my very first run back. I'm keeping it. I'm keeping the medal. You can't take it away from me you've run plenty.

Speaker 2:
42:30
You believe me um.

Speaker 3:
42:34
So I continued to train, I did my dopey simulation a few next weekend or something, and then I show up to the marathon weekend and the day of the 5k is. After the 5k I drove to the hospital and I started radiation. And I did radiation for five weeks the week before radiation ended. Oh, and I PR'd the marathon by like an hour an hour and one minute one minute's important and I rode Everest.

Speaker 2:
43:07
I was so proud of that, so you've got room for next year.

Speaker 3:
43:11
I do and you know it's my first two marathon. Chem sports have all been dopey, we're abysmal and not on the training that it truly deserves and then, coming to this past dopey trained it's amazing. You know, don't follow me for that kind of training advice. So I go up to Jacksonville and I do the Donna half marathon to end breast cancer. They do a half marathon and a full and I did the half a week before radiation comes and I do all the races at Princess, which when I was it was so crowded at this Princess man it hurt because I was running and people.

Speaker 3:
44:07
You know. It was just so crowded that there was no room and I just kept getting elbowed in the chest man that hurt, that hurt so bad, yeah, room. And I just kept getting elbowed in the chest man that hurt, that hurt so bad, yeah, yeah. And then right out the week after princess I go and get a total hysterectomy with bilateral salping oophorectomy, which my uterus, cervix, anything that remained of my fallopian tubes, which they were supposed to be removed with my last C-section, and my ovaries are gone. So I'm in full-blown menopause at age 39, which is fun, so fun, so fun.

Speaker 1:
44:48
Oh, I have to ask you because you know, obviously you mentioned your medical provider. You know that first walkthrough, but as you've continued on, know, obviously you mentioned your medical provider. You know that first walkthrough. But as you've continued on with your medical journey and your running journey, have you gotten pushback there from any of you know? Because I know it's an ever-changing thing.

Speaker 1:
45:07
Gosh, we can go back to when my dad had a hernia operation in the 70s and they kept him in the hospital for 10 days and now you're lucky to get 10 minutes and I've had one before they get you out. Has there been any pushback from the medical community? Because for me, I look at everything that you're talking about, steph, you know talking about your husband going oh well, that sucks, and then well, I'm going to go on and do this and that, keeping a level of normalcy and not turning it into, you know, a three ring circus which I think you know, people who aren't used to being around medical things and aren't presented with those sort of challenges through other people all the time can can be difficult Is did you get that pushback from any of those doctors who were just like? This is a really bad idea for you really need to take it easy, because there are different schools of thought when it comes to exercise to this capacity.

Speaker 3:
46:01
No, not really All of them did their due diligence on having me pump the brakes. When I first went in with the breast surgeon pumping the brakes on my knee drip reaction. But at first I felt like my team was trying to talk me out of the mastectomy. But in looking back they just really wanted to make sure that I was making an informed decision of a lumpectomy versus a mastectomy. I think part of it is. I've been linked in with the VA system and I also kind of. So all the referrals have been easy and you can all right, I'm going to send you to this department and this department and the VA here in Orlando has been phenomenal received.

Speaker 3:
46:57
And when I opted to have the mastectomy with reconstruction, I was seen on the on the on the civilian side on the community, because they don't do the immediate reconstruction there at this time. And so you know I kind of look at it kind of like pregnancy. If you were doing it before you were pregnant and you can kind of do kind of do it during, you know, to an extent of, as long as it doesn't hurt and you know you're kind of taking it easy, so to speak, then the earlier you start moving after a surgery, the better your outcomes.

Speaker 2:
47:32
Yeah, and you're tough. I mean you are there's something to be said for someone who's been in the military and then sort of through all of that, that you just are a very, a tough person and you're strong mentally and you're strong physically. Challenges what's been your biggest challenge through this journey?

Speaker 3:
47:50
Right now I have tissue expanders in and um, so it's basically a big old bag that's folded and it kind of looks weird under shirts. But the challenges during this journey I don't I don't know. I don't really think I've really had any challenges that I would say, oh well, this part I mean, you know, recovering from surgery, that was. It was whatever I I had. I heard horror stories from people like oh, I couldn't lift my arms up for three weeks, I had to have my mom come hold a cup so I could sip out of a straw. And here I am the next day and lifting my arms up and it felt like I was just sore after doing a thousand pushups and heavy chest arm day at the gym and I didn't really feel like I had surgery, which probably wasn't the best thing.

Speaker 3:
48:46
And before the surgery I prepared the whole entire house. I bought a recliner so I could sit in, because I had to lay in sleep in the recliner for three to four weeks. That was tough. And I bought a shower chair and I installed a removable shower or a bar for the shower, for the removable shower head, so I didn't have to lift very far. But I think the biggest time I'm really having truly through all this is with the menopause. I mean the hot flashes. I can tolerate them during the day, but when that personal internal sauna kicks in at nighttime and I'm trying to sleep, man, that makes me so cranky. I'm a cranky old bat.

Speaker 2:
49:30
I don't feel you on that yet but I unfortunately will eventually and I'm sure a lot of women listening feel you on that one. So I and I know John can't offer any tips, but he lives with Jody.

Speaker 1:
49:41
I live with a menopausal woman, so I can I I empathize in in every way.

Speaker 3:
49:47
And I know, I know you identify with Matt.

Speaker 1:
49:48
Then yeah, yeah, absolutely, we'd have. We'd have a lot to share, but no, I do. I mean, I feel, I know, and I can just see it on her face with what you said, when it's okay, the hot flashes coming on. I know she's going to be irritated here for a minute, it's just, and the playoff game doesn't come on and you're like, oh, no real challenges. Ok, let me ask you this, and I actually wanted to ask. I want you to answer the second question first, but my first question was the best advice that you've gotten through all of this. But my second question I was going to say the worst advice, but maybe the funniest and silliest advice because, boy, I tell you, much like the Olympics every four years, we know everything there is to know about gymnastics and synchronized swimming. When you present somebody, when you're having a health challenge, people try to be helpful and they have advice. What's the silliest or funniest advice you've ever gotten and what's the best piece of advice, if you can think of one?

Speaker 3:
50:58
Oh wow. The funniest is that when I peed blue, my urine was blue. That's abnormal. Is that abnormal? Do I should? I?

Speaker 1:
51:12
take hold on.

Speaker 3:
51:13
That's an abnormal thing Are we on Pandora Depends? I'm just checking.

Speaker 1:
51:16
I don't work in medical science.

Speaker 2:
51:17
I don't know how it gets blue, so I'm interested.

Speaker 3:
51:21
No, when they were mapping my lymphatic system the day before my surgery, they were injecting dyes to see what glowed and which lymph nodes they needed to take out, and I had two taken out. One of them was positive for cancer and so my system, it got rid of it and I peed blue for a few days. That was hilarious. I'm glad that my friend told me about that. The worst advice is somebody told me oh, don't worry about it, don't worry about your kids, they'll be fine, it'll be okay. Okay, just take care of yourself.

Speaker 3:
51:56
Right now I'm like you can't tell a parent not to worry about their kids. I can do both simultaneously. I can worry about my boys and worry about getting them genetically tested while I am recovering or doing whatever I need to do. Um, the best advice is I don't know, I guess I'm to really have to quote myself is just curl up or show up. You know I can't change hardly any of this, none of it. I can't change any of it. And so what, my, what are my options? If you curl up and you put your head in the sand? And granted, I still do that from time to time and I say I call it sitting in my feelings and I give myself a time limit to throw myself a nice pity party. Sometimes it's a few hours, sometimes it's the rest of the day, and then just keep on doing what you need to do. What option do I have? I can't stop momming.

Speaker 2:
52:59
Yeah, no, but I think it's good that you allow yourself that space. I actually had a question that I thought of. This is not the next question, but I'm going to go backtrack for a little bit, cause I was just thinking about your journey and you were saying the weight loss allowed you to find this lump. What would have happened, do you ever think, had you not lost weight?

Speaker 3:
53:14
Oh, I think about that all the time.

Speaker 2:
53:16
You know what, and anybody that might be in that case, because you were not getting regular mammograms or anything like that right. And even so, it might not have showed up on a mammogram because you said you have dense breasts. So what would have?

Speaker 3:
53:27
I mean honestly, Baseline mammograms start at 40.

Speaker 1:
53:30
And.

Speaker 3:
53:30
I found this when I was 38 and a half, to be specific. I think about that all the time because the ultrasound when they did it in my armpit did not show any cancer in any lymph nodes. The breast MRI did not show anything anywhere else else and so if it went undiagnosed for another year and a half then I don't know. And that's kind of you know, I say, the universe sometimes works in weird ways and I suppose that you know. I'm sorry for the people that experienced the Manjaro shortage and I'm sorry that I had a hand in it, but it saved my life. It truly saved my life, because lord knows what would have happened if it went undiagnosed for another year and a half.

Speaker 2:
54:23
I know it's just. It's just remarkable that you think about those things. I'm sorry that I bring that up, but just that's kind of my brain said wait a minute, like you know, we might, you know we might be having a different story or we wouldn't even be able to tell your story. So I'm glad that we can do that. And then the advice there is to check yourself when you can and be an advocate for your own health. Let's transition to Run Disney a little bit. You mentioned the people stopping you in the course and talking to you. Do you have any specific moments where the Run Disney community has been supportive of you through this journey?

Speaker 3:
54:55
All the time. You know, my customized family was the first folks that were there, and then the Rise and Run family have been phenomenal and just everybody I can't. I call Run Disney. You know their family reunions and I'm going to get emotional for this one.

Speaker 3:
55:20
When I did the 5k with this for springtime surprise, I was Tinkerbell and Mr Nine was Peter Pan. It was really cute and we were with the Rise and run group and my customized friends and I was slated to be in corral C or B, I can't remember. And then my, my son, was in D and but my, the rise and run folks were like, oh well, we're all going to fall back to D. Like, wait what? Just because you know to my, me and my, my son were going to be in D and then maybe one or two other people were going to be in D, and so then 20 plus people of my run Disney family fell back to be with us in D, and so I told my son I said, if we get separated, look at these faces this is my run Disney family and now it is yours. Welcome to the club.

Speaker 1:
56:17
Hmm, that's great, I love that and it really it is true, and I actually and we'll jump to it later because Carissa will make me talk about the 10K but there were a number of people who reached out to you when you were with me and said haven't you gone through enough?

Speaker 1:
56:33
Really, why does this now? Why are we adding this to your plate? Haven't you done enough? What in a past life did you do to deserve to have to run with John a 10K? But we're going to get to that in a minute because I do want to ask you. You've also become you've had some opportunities to be a motivational speaker and an educator for people going through this, because, again, you do have that unique thing that you've gone through all this, but you also have a medical professional's background. What has that been like for you to be somewhat of an in-demand speaker and somebody to be out front with all of this?

Speaker 3:
57:07
Man, that would be really cool. To kick off a motivational career, speaking career that would be awesome. So I really thought springtime surprise was the weekend of April 11th through the 14th. And I swear it really was, because I put it in my calendar. It was that weekend and then so many other people saying yeah, I had that in my calendar too, and then it got changed the next weekend.

Speaker 3:
57:30
The universe works in weird ways. Because I was asked once, I realized the mistake and you know my husband's schedule was already made, so we had to fly in my dad to be a babysitter for two hours during the 5K. The VA called me and asked me to be a guest speaker for their very first breast cancer support fair. The weekend before Springtime Surprise the weekend that I thought Springtime Surprise was and it was phenomenal. I was interviewed by two news stations I don't remember them right at the VA mentioned wanting to bring me on to stand up a program at the VA, but since they're in a hiring freeze I'm not sure if that'll actually happen. And then I've talked to the American Cancer Society there and they said we'll submit your story, we would love it. It's amazing. So I did and they contacted me and I. I really thought they were asking me to, you know, do some sort of like speech at the volunteer summit, but she was asking me to be a grassroots organizer for political stuff. So well, every little bit you know funny.

Speaker 1:
58:58
every bit. Every little bit helps and I mean I think it is important to have you know people like you out there telling your story because of what you've gone through and what you've been able to achieve while going through it. But then again, being somebody who can say you know, you don't necessarily have to be scared of the medical side of it and I think so many people that affects them mentally because if you're not used to being around hospitals and medical procedures, I think that just adds a lot to the stress level that people go through Right and what I would say to my ER patients when I was a registered nurse and my OR patients because I was an OR nurse for six months incredibly boring had to go back to the ER adrenaline junkie.

Speaker 3:
59:39
But when people come in scared, I'm like I understand, this is the first time, you're probably going through this, but this is just another day at work for me. And and so they're like, oh yeah, I guess so. And then people are scared to go into surgery and I'm like this is just another day at the office. You know, this is what we've been trained to do, this is what we know how to do. And I know it's your first surgery or whatever, and I know it's scary and I understand, but try to remember that that's the first. That's, it's just another day. It worked for us and a lot of times it worked yeah, let's talk run Disney before we wrap.

Speaker 2:
1:00:15
Uh favorite run Disney race and blue sky. What run Disney theme do you want to see?

Speaker 3:
1:00:23
Well, my absolute favorite was doing the 10K with you, john, and basically being able to watch someone accomplish something that they once thought impossible is such an incredible experience, and to be part of your journey was such an honor that I can't even describe. And you know, at the end of the race and I don't know if you know this, but I had the volunteer take out the medal so you could get medaled, because I don't know if you'll ever have that moment to have that again, and so I wanted you to have that experience of having someone put a medal around your neck, and I'm so happy you got to feel that.

Speaker 1:
1:01:03
Well, I did, I really did.

Speaker 1:
1:01:04
I did know that too, and I and I know it because Carissa can attest to the fact that when I ran the 5k last spring and they handled me the metal, I was so a lack of oxygen, all of those things that I was dealing with, because I was in even worse shape then, if you can imagine it, I thought they'd handed me a cookie and I kept going, I kept walking down the chute, going, at some point do I get a medal? I mean, I know it's non-timed, but I was assured there was a medal of some sort. So, yeah, it's probably best, because at that point I uh, my, my memories of uh, or my mind was not working in a hundred play, but I but, but I greatly, and I really appreciate you saying that, um, and and for me, um, just to have somebody who is, uh, first of all, has done a. I think it's good to have someone who's a veteran of races when you're doing even a 5k. I wish I'd have had someone with me because I didn't really know what, what besides my child what?

Speaker 1:
1:02:00
yes, yes, except, uh, except claire, soon to be nine, going on 27, and who mocked me throughout the entire race. But to have somebody, because you kept me honest, first on the pace, but then also we were having conversations. Which is really helpful for me is to just be able to be having a conversation with somebody and see all the things were around me which I skipped completely on my five day. But then you also knew when I was struggling. You could see that I was struggling and you allowed me to struggle. You allowed me to make my own decisions when I would say because you said you go, if you need to take an extra walk break, do it. Do it at the water, stop because you're just going to spill crap all over you anyway, because you're an old man and you're horribly out of shape.

Speaker 3:
1:02:45
And I did say that.

Speaker 1:
1:02:46
No, but that was, that was my inner monologue.

Speaker 1:
1:02:49
She was my inner monologue but also knowing you know, I obviously know what you've gone through and so many people out there and the the great thing about what Riley does for us is introduces us to all those people and what they're going through that it was kind of tough for me to go. All right, I've walked for a minute but I'd like to walk for another seven minutes because I'm tired and between you not unconsciously encouraging me and consciously encouraging me to move, and Katie, who also encouraged me to breathe, because at one point that thought had gone out of my mind to breathe. But uh, uh, thank you for saying it was an honor because it really really made it so much easier for me. Pretty good chance I'd have dropped out. Pretty good chance I'd have just jumped up on one of those DJ things and just started doing my shtick. Yeah's it, just me?

Speaker 3:
1:03:42
dancing. You were close. You were close to doing that at boardwalk, when we're passing by a beach and yacht club yeah, yeah, I thought it looks really comfortable over there in the sand.

Speaker 1:
1:03:53
I can cheer people on it seems like absolutely. After the race let's go you did, you did and then you also uh did, did. Impress to me the importance of uh fueling up while you're on the course, because that's something I would not have done on my own, no matter how much my co-host, who is a registered dietitian I don't know if you know that or not- would tell me to?

Speaker 3:
1:04:14
I've heard rumors. You forced me, you're like, eat this now, and it was helpful, kind of went drill sergeant on you for a few times.

Speaker 1:
1:04:23
Yeah, you did, you did.

Speaker 3:
1:04:24
And I needed that yeah.

Speaker 1:
1:04:31
And I needed that and I had a lot of, and I also had a lot of people, you know, supporting me going on. But there are a number of people who who also said hi to you and knew your story and I know that's inspiring for everybody. So that's just I'm. I'm being very, very wordy today, aren't I? I I'm feeling a little bit better, can I just say. For the record, I want to give Carissa and I a little credit. We're both like battling flu-ish type symptoms here.

Speaker 2:
1:04:49
Yay, cruise ships, cruise blues.

Speaker 1:
1:04:52
Nine hours in a metal tube flying home might have had something to do with it, with the bunch of sniffling kids, stephanie, I don't know, maybe we've told you this.

Speaker 2:
1:05:00
So before the 5K last year, john was visibly nervous. We could tell. We all knew he was nervous. He wasn't saying it. We could tell Before the 10K what he was most nervous about was how was he going to find you to run with, because you were in B and he was going to start with A. And John did it happen, which is not easy to do at Disney to get you there, but he wanted you there.

Speaker 1:
1:05:19
It was important to him.

Speaker 2:
1:05:27
And we're so happy that you were there to support him in the way he needs it, Because John is hard Not that John is hard to support, but like John knows what he wants. So you have to be supporting John by not telling him what to do, but also, like you know, it's a line. You got to walk, Stephanie, and you did it very very well, I speak fluent, john, so.

Speaker 1:
1:05:46
Yeah.

Speaker 3:
1:05:47
It's important yeah. And I wouldn't get up that early because you told me to be at your pre-show at God knows what time. I'm like there is no other there's not a whole lot of other people on earth that I would get up this early Come on.

Speaker 2:
1:06:01
That pre-show is fantastic.

Speaker 3:
1:06:02
It's just, it, is it actually is the first time I've caught it, thank you. I'm usually rolling out of bed at. You know, people are just there for the pictures.

Speaker 1:
1:06:11
We know it. They're just there for the pictures. Get as many pictures as you can before the race. That's why they're there. They pay little or no attention to us us. But it's okay, because on my calendar it also says time of show God knows when.

Speaker 2:
1:06:23
Because at that point, it was like we never know what time the race starts, you just pick me up and then wind me up and we go.

Speaker 1:
1:06:29
Yeah, you got a little back stage view of the fact that, while it looks like a Swiss clock, while we're on stage, off stage, I'm a little confused.

Speaker 3:
1:06:38
That's organized chaos. I'm used to it in the ER.

Speaker 3:
1:06:43
It is absolutely organized chaos. Fun fact, I was going to be Kevin for the 10K and my friend was Russell. She loves the movie and she's always wanted to do a couple's costume for that. And I'm like, okay, sure I'll be coupled up with you for the race. And well after, with my impending sterilization, if you will I decided I'm like, hey, I have an idea. How about I go as Doug and I wear a cone of shame because I'm going to be neutered. So that's how my my Doug costume cone of shame.

Speaker 2:
1:07:18
Not funny, but it's funny. You know, it's one of those I. Can we laugh at that Well you?

Speaker 3:
1:07:23
either laugh or you're crying. For me, you know I'm just. It's really kind of. You know I'm not going to sit around and cry about it because I can't change it. Sure, I'll cry for a little bit and I have, and then move on. Find the humor in the situation. Find the humor in the situation. I mean me dressing up as a dog with a white skirt that I've vinyl saying cone of shame because I am sterile now. I mean, you know I should feel bad laughing at it, but I'm still laughing at it because it's funny.

Speaker 1:
1:08:00
It's funny and you're right, it also, but it also plays into that. Hey, this is the sort of thing that happens happens. This is the sort of thing that happens. So you're not as unique as your journey may be, there are other people who've gone through things. We're going through things. Let's, it's all. It's all about taking that next step forward, which brings me to. I want to ask one more thing before we get to our closing questions, and that is tell me about the Outcast Chameleon on Etsy.

Speaker 3:
1:08:27
Oh, my goodness, gracious. Well, I got a hair brand idea to start a vinyl shop and I need to update that and I have this great silhouette cameo, so it's like the cricket but the competitor and I need to. Since I'm unemployed, I decided it would be really fun idea to spend thousands of dollars on vinyl and all these products and this awesome heat press and start start up a vinyl customization thing on Etsy. I really need to get back into that.

Speaker 1:
1:09:05
It's funny, there's some funny stuff, there's some very funny stuff. So, yeah, please get jumped back into it, because you sent me some ideas you had that were sterile.

Speaker 3:
1:09:15
Yes, the onesies, the Outcast Chameleon, came about because I've never felt like I fit in anywhere. Now is, I've never felt like I fit in anywhere, but I can always. I can always fit in in a little group for a little bit, but I never fully fit into little groups or whatnot. So I feel like I can really blend in really well, but I always feel like I'm on the outside and so, you know, I can change my colors and I can, I can. I can fit in with the, with the runners, which is ironically cause I don't really consider myself a runner and I have no idea why. Imposter syndrome is ridiculous. And then I can fit in with the triathletes and I can fit in with a whole lot of people, but I don't feel like I ever truly belong in either of the, any of those niches. So we hope that you, I don't feel like I ever truly belong in either of the, any of those niches.

Speaker 2:
1:10:04
So Well, we hope that you feel like you belong at run Disney, though.

Speaker 1:
1:10:07
And that's just another word for being adaptive, and being adaptive is something that's very, very important. Frankly, I've I've asked the question would you rather be driven or adaptive? And I think you'd rather be adaptive because, we talked about it earlier, our journey is not linear. It, our journey, is not linear.

Speaker 3:
1:10:37
It's not a straight upward climb where there's lots of back and forth and one, two steps back and whatnot. To that point, our closing question Stephanie and the person we always ask when you get to a hard place on a run or a workout, when you want to be able to do what I can do right now and there's a version of Stephanie and the future that wants to do more, and I won't get to her if I quit on myself now, and I define quitting as stop trying, like if everyone's going south, and I say you know there are no bad runs per se. You know there's something. Not every run is a good run, but there's something good in every run, every run. I've learned a lesson and I, after a run, especially a long run, I'll I'll write down my nutrition strategy and what I ate the night before and how I hydrated and how it helped and I think that's helped me dial in my nutrition and that's why I was able to feed you something that I knew would be easy on your gut and that you could, you know, you route in five minutes of magic and I just you know, I, I was told years and years ago that I would never be able to run again because the second, my second duty station.

Speaker 3:
1:11:45
When I was active duty. They took us on a 10 mile run and it was on our train track vessels and um, over Creek beds and through rivers and it was. It was terrible and it was around a seven to eight minute mile and I I was able to keep up until we were getting doing circles near the end and we kept picking up people that kept falling out and it was right. Or at the Burger King parking lot and I could smell breakfast and I just it just broke my spirit because we were just sitting there running circles, running circles, and I'm just like I'm done. I fell out and then we proceeded to run no less than a mile every single day afterwards and then that broke me literally.

Speaker 3:
1:12:37
I was diagnosed with stress fractures from my heels to my knees in both legs. I was put in walking boots and on crutches for eight weeks and I was told I would never run again from numerous physical therapists and orthodontics over the years. And so my PT tests in the army. I had to swim them and anytime I'd tried to run I'd aggravate my shins and I it hurt to walk for days to weeks afterwards. And so during my deployment in 2009,.

Speaker 3:
1:13:04
That's when I learned of the Jeff Galloway method and I started to try to change my gait from a heel striker to a forefoot striker, and I did that while I was deployed and use the treadmill so I could really concentrate on my where my foot would land, and and and Jeff Galloway and I've told him this before that he literally changed my life. It's the only one way that I can run and remain relatively injury free. You know I have a shin splint flare every now and again, but I have an extensive rehab routine and rock tape is on my amazon subscribe and save. And you know I've got some great, uh, great ideas. And I sent you some, john, the insults that I wear and the shit cast sleeves, and so well, we love any run walk run success story over here.

Speaker 2:
1:13:53
We ever like I don't know. I think we might get an award like world's biggest fan of run walk run podcast, john, if that was an award to be given out running podcasts that most talks about run walk, run, that's, that's going to be us.

Speaker 2:
1:14:05
But I love what you said. That's a lot of what I tell myself too is just remembering like you're not going to get to where you want to be without putting in this hard work now, and it doesn't have to be the best run you've ever had. But you can't give up, because every time you don't give up on yourself you get better. And you remember that time. Oh, remember that time I wanted to quit and buy that tree and this, but I didn't. And then now I can do the same thing.

Speaker 3:
1:14:22
So I think those things sort of build up and that's what running gives us All right At a race and the permission the permission that Jeff Galloway has given us to walk the long run and still get the benefits has been freeing and so and I love that he has all the science and data to back it up, and so that's helpful too.

Speaker 2:
1:14:40
It does. He's amazing. We love you, jeff. All right At a race. Is there a most inspiring moment that stands out to you? It can be yourself, it can be people on this podcast, but is there a moment that filled your heart with just inspiration and happiness and gratitude?

Speaker 3:
1:14:59
Oh, john, you are so inspiring. Oh, john, you were so inspiring. Um, besides, besides, besides, watching John's transformation anytime I see a parent or a friend pushing their loved one in a wheelchair through the race course is just, it's so selflessly beautiful. And, and I know how hard it is, no, I don't. And and I know how hard it is, no, I don't. I can imagine how hard it is because I, you know, I would run with a jogging stroller, with my toddler, um, both of them. And it was strength training and cardio all rolled into one with resistance training. I called it the wind sock. Um, and it was hard. Yeah, and I can just imagine having a fully grown adult in in a windsock. Yeah, like that is. That is impressive.

Speaker 2:
1:15:48
It is.

Speaker 1:
1:15:49
Those moments just fill me with just so much, if you haven't been at the finish line of a run Disney race and you're listening to us. Uh, get there at some point, because you will see multiple people doing that for people and it is. I mean, it's hard not to find something inspiring every five minutes at the finish line of a run Disney race, but yeah, I'm always. How are you multitasking? You're doing up, you're doing upper body work, you're doing cardio.

Speaker 3:
1:16:12
Seems seems like a lot.

Speaker 1:
1:16:14
Seems seems like you can split those up into days, but but you can't.

Speaker 3:
1:16:17
The wind crosses the crosswinds. Oh my God.

Speaker 1:
1:16:20
Yeah, yeah. And then the tight corners that you have to deal with when you're doing that as well. So anybody who's listening be be be good to one another out there on the course. I know that's a. It's going to be our focus coming into this season. Use some good etiquette when you're dealing with that sort of thing. If people want to follow your journey, stephanie, where can they best do that?

Speaker 3:
1:16:40
Uh, instagram running through breast cancer, through, with the long way to spell it.

Speaker 1:
1:16:46
All right, that's the F-C-H-R-O-U-G-H for those of you scoring at home. Why would you be scoring? That makes no sense whatsoever.

Speaker 2:
1:16:55
They're judging us silently, judging us, but not scoring. Thank you.

Speaker 1:
1:16:59
Not so silently judging us at times. Stephanie, thanks for spending some time with us, love you, appreciate you, flying to Virginia so that we could have our All Virginia podcast, thus shaming all other states Filmed on location, that's right. That's right on location Coming to you live from Virginia. Shaming all other states. Thanks, steph, and we'll talk to you soon. And no, I'm not running the half marathon in November. I'm not quite prepared for that. Let's get Riley Claremont on the course. That's all I have to say.

Speaker 2:
1:17:27
That's right, Thanks.

Speaker 1:
1:17:27
Jeff.

Speaker 3:
1:17:29
Bye. All right athletes, here's the drill Time to shape up your diet.

Speaker 2:
1:17:34
Harissa, give them the goods All right. Today on Healthier you, we're going to make it personal. Maybe this is not something that you're dealing with, john, but like you come back from the cruise, then it's like how do I get back on track right With? Just? Not only is it like for me weight, you know, base, but it's also like, well, I don't feel like as well as I usually feel because I haven't eaten as well as I usually eat.

Speaker 1:
1:17:57
No, and you're on a different time schedule. Out in Alaska, I was in the Mediterranean, so there's messing with the time schedule, and then we both have a little bit of a cold from whatever our travel things are. So, yeah, I have to say it's been a lot of comfort food, since I've come back off a cruise which is essentially eight days of comfort food, yeah. So yeah.

Speaker 2:
1:18:17
So I full disclosure went into the cruise. So I sprained my ankle after springtime which I don't think we talked about a ton, we talked about it a little bit. I sprained my ankle and then I had to go right to Ironman, texas, and I couldn't walk. And so my doctor, dr Gideon Lewis he's here in Winter Park, he's fantastic he was like the best thing I can do is treat you like an NBA player and I'm going to put you on a ton of progesterone, which made a huge difference. Disney, I can scoot, you can put me on the stage, but Ironman, that just doesn't work. So we put me on a ton of progesterone which caused me to gain a little bit of weight.

Speaker 2:
1:18:48
So I went into the cruise kind of feeling like but I'm going to enjoy the cruise, I don't want to worry about these things. So then, coming out, I'm really like okay, how do we get back on track? So for me sort of for anybody out there that's going to go on a vacation and come back and be like how do we get back on track Me? What I look at is really honing in meal planning and meal prep at home, really focusing on I made an oatmeal bake because that's something I know I'll have in breakfast. I can put the peanut butter on it, I'm going to get protein, I'm going to get oatmeal, and then it's making a big batch of ground turkey, making a big batch of salmon, roasting a bunch of vegetables.

Speaker 2:
1:19:21
So for me, that's how I take control of like feeling out of control about, oh my gosh, I've been eating all this stuff. I don't feel great about myself right now. So that's what I've been doing is the meal plan, the meal prep, focusing on vegetables, and then, if I don't have a long run, having a low carb dinner, no alcohol and lots of water, what about you? You're still in comfort food mode, so do you do anything differently?

Speaker 1:
1:19:47
Uh, yeah, no, uh, I. Uh, we're pretty good about I meal prep a little differently because I enjoy the act of like cooking prior to dinner. It's it's a relaxing thing for me, but we really plan out our menu for the whole week so I know what we're going to have on any given week. Now when we came back, I had uh, I'd left some things. We had a pet sitter so I'd made some turkey chili and then some homemade spaghetti sauce, um, that he got half of it and we froze the rest. So we had a couple of things. So we didn't have to rush right back and go grocery shopping and try to work that out. So I went a couple of days later and I got things, but because we weren't feeling well, they've tended more towards the comfort food.

Speaker 1:
1:20:29
Now again, our comfort food is not that horrible. We got a rotisserie chicken at Publix and then I made some mashed potatoes and some peas to go with that Just sort of that comfort food. Not terrible for you. I wasn't eating nothing but mac and cheese, which is what you know when you're sick you really, really want to do. So I've gotten back into that. But the most difficult thing for me is to just get back on a normal eating schedule. Yeah, because of my show schedule and things on the ship, there were some mornings I was up at 615 getting breakfast before I had to go somewhere, and then there were other days where I didn't eat anything until like 1130 in the morning, just because of the schedule. So I've struggled a little bit, though I will say we haven't been too bad. The only comfort food that I've gotten that was really, really terrible was I got some sorbet. That's strawberry margarita flavored sorbet.

Speaker 1:
1:21:19
Okay, so I ate like the whole thing in two days, but just a small little thing, not a, not a large one, but I but I need to get back on the. You know, the worst part for me is, um, I was uh, I will admit to you. We're going to have a cruise wrap up where we talk about the fact that I did not exercise on the cruise. Um, but I got so many steps in every day because we walked around Rome and we walked around when we were in Ischia, naples and stuff. So I haven't been able to get back to that because I haven't felt well, but starting to come around, starting to come around a little bit, I'm rallying.

Speaker 2:
1:21:52
Good. Well, and this is my tip for you guys, as you go on vacations or you just kind of want to get back on track, really goes down to like putting that pen to paper or writing in the notes what are my three goals? So write three goals for yourself of how you want to get back on track, whether it's fitness-based, if it's weight loss based you're really only aiming for a pound or two a week and then write down your meals. Maybe even consider logging them to see where you are in terms of whether it's calories, whether it's how many grams of protein, how many grams of fiber, things like that. That hard information, that evidence-based information, is going to make it easier for you to make smart choices, because you know how you respond to them and you know that you're actually making progress.

Speaker 2:
1:22:29
So I am creating a 30-day summer shape-up challenge which is going to start right after the 4th of July. Good news is, if you're already in Healthier you or the Healthier you seminar series, you get to join. If not, join one of those and you'll be a part of the 30-day challenge. We're going to have weekly accountability check-ins worksheets. Really, it's for me and I'm just extending it to everybody because I need to get back on track too. So go to gallowaycoursecom if you want to sign up. There's the Healthier you 12-week series and then the year-long seminar series, where you're going to get a meal plan as soon as you sign up. Use the code podcast to save a little money. Athletes listen up.

Speaker 3:
1:23:03
It's mail. Call time Announcer free present.

Speaker 1:
1:23:09
All right, Sarge, here is our mailbag question for the day. First, love y'all. Well, we appreciate that. John, self-deprecating humor and Carissa, your upbeat enthusiasm You're the perfect combination. It's been my pleasure listening and getting to know you through this podcast. Well, thank you for that. Now here is the question. Carissa, my question to you is this I have your nutrition book. I'm a really great vegetable eater by nature. I have no problem getting them in. What I have a problem with is running straight out of my body once they're in. If you pick up what I'm putting, down.

Speaker 2:
1:23:46
Don't you love when I just copy and paste the question and I just don't edit it at all for you?

Speaker 1:
1:23:51
I think you do. I don't know what the median is between eating too much fiber and not enough fiber, and that the vegetables may sabotage me, and I'd like some guidance as to which ones I should do more or less to help with this crappy challenge. All right, it is actually a very, very good question buried in a very entertaining question, because, like anything, too much of practically anything is not great for you. Fiber very, very important, but what about too much fiber, carissa?

Speaker 2:
1:24:18
Yeah, so thank you to Kim. Kim sent us this question to our 321GO podcast email. Yeah, so thank you to Kim. Kim sent us this question to our 321GO podcast email, and so when I put on my dietician lens, I have about 100 other questions that I would ask Kim in a clinical setting, to get to the reason as to why this is happening and what else is happening there. So there are some vegetables that are more fibrous and some that are less fibrous. Some of them have that insoluble fiber and they soak up water, which helps add bulk to our stool.

Speaker 2:
1:24:43
Let's just keep on going with this one and then there are the other ones that kind of help things move along, the soluble fiber that is, john, our toothbrush for our intestines, things like that. Right, we've got the two options. So what I would say is look at, kim, maybe let's, like I talked about before in Healthier you take a closer sort of evidence-based look at X when I eat X vegetable. This happens when I eat Y vegetable. This happens Because there's going to be a difference in how your body reacts to, say, leafy greens, to something with a lot of fiber.

Speaker 2:
1:25:10
It also can cause gas, like a broccoli or something like a green bean. That I think is relatively more kind of general and benign. My other thing I would say to look at is what are you eating with these vegetables? So are you having just a big salad on its own and it runs through you? I can understand that. What if I add rice or pasta to it? Does that change how our body digests things like that?

Speaker 2:
1:25:30
So I love that you're getting into vegetables. I don't want you to stop that. Let's just kind of look categorically at it. Does that change sort of our time that we have before they leave us? And the other thing I would say is have you ever considered that maybe there may be sort of an IBS issue going on, because sometimes when people have the vegetables and it continues to do this, there's an intolerance or an IBS issue. So I just want you to kind of think about that. But really let's I would say most importantly, let's say I ate, like, single out your vegetables, like with a toddler, we only give them one new food at a time. Let's go to that. Let's have a green bean day, how does that work? A green pea day? How does that work? A corn day? Oh look, that was fun. So Leslie and I had corn for lunch and I said that was like that's going to be cute later.

Speaker 1:
1:26:14
Beetlejuice jokes that I used to do were involving corn.

Speaker 2:
1:26:17
Oh, why is it corn? But anyway, kim, that's what I would say to do. But that is a great question, but please keep getting in the vegetables because they're so good for you. You know what else is good for you? Sending us your questions 321gopodcast at gmailcom. We will answer them, just like we answered Kim's, and the longer and the more confounding you write them, the more Johnny has to read.

Speaker 1:
1:26:38
That was entertaining, I found that an entertaining way to talk about things that people you know find a little difficult difficult to talk about Well done.

Speaker 2:
1:26:44
Thank you Kim, thank you Stephanie for joining us. Thank you guys for listening. John and I are back on land, so get ready to dive into a great summer of three, two, one go podcast. But for now that's all. See you real soon.

Speaker 1:
1:26:57
Bye, 3, 2, 1, go.