Cancer You Made it Personal

Thank you again for visiting my blog. A lot has happened since I last wrote, but there is two main things I would want to talk about! 

I FLEW!

Okay I didn't superman through the air, but I did obtain the feeling of flight. Let me explain. Every so often while running there is an indescribable moment when your form and pace are perfect, your energy reserves feel 110%, and the scenery is breathtaking. Needless to say the run isn't going good, it's perfect. The experience feels so amazing, many describe it as a second wind but to give this feeling a true description I can only compare it to flying, because everything is so effortless. I really feel like something else has taken over and I soar through the run. I personally kill for these moments, and I love them. 

These moments come every so often while running, and I am thankful for every one. What makes this last week so amazing is that I had a flying experience during a sport I struggle at, SWIMMING!

Here is my outlook on swimming, throughout my youth my parents forced me to attend swim team during the summers, therefore early on I had a love/hate relationship with swimming laps. Fast forward a few years and I will admit I am afraid of swimming.The thought of starting a race with 1800 other people--who are probably better swimmers than me--in an open water system is freaking scary. In fact people have had their noses broken, eyes blacked, or even drown during the swim legs of tri's. Scary right? Most people never attempt an IRONMAN because of the 2.4 mile swim, not the 112 mile bike or the marathon. Glad to know my fears are shared by the populous.  So in preparation for an IRONMAN I have decided to spend a lot of the time in the pool learning how to swim properly for long periods of time. 

I knew that if I wanted to accomplish this goal, I had to learn how to swim again. So for three days a week I have been developing my swimming form, breathing, and endurance. I evolved my swimming training plan from a Run/Walk training plan first time runners should follow. (The Run-walk training plan involves the individual running for a few minutes, then walking, then running, then walking etc. The goal is to stay moving for a full 30 minutes. Over time the runner spend less time walking and more time running until they can run the full 30 minutes without walking. I highly recommend (and used) this practice to (as a) first time runners because it prevents possible injury, often people get hurt because they overload themselves). With swimming I started with short distances and rotated between the difficult freestyle stroke to a more restful stroke like breast or back stroke. My first week I was doing a few freestyle laps with an equal break of breast stroke. I would go slow and work on form and breathing. It was boring, extremely hard, and I have certainly drank my body weight in pool water. As with all exercise I was able to build up doing long stretches of freestyle and shorter/less frequent laps of breast stroke. Today I actually was able to jump in the pool, warm up and stretch, then swim 1000m freestyle without a break. That was FREAKING AWESOME! 

Yet the topic of this post wasn't supposed to be about how much I swam today, it was supposed to be about what happened two weeks ago. I had planned a long swim (1500m with several rest breaks). I did my normal preswim warm up but as I started off my first lap I knew something was different. I was cruising a lot faster, I was getting plenty of oxygen, my arms were pulling with such strength, plus I didn't have to focus on keeping my form because my body was doing it for me. Muscle memory kicked in! This experience went on for lap after lap after lap. I didn't want to stop, I realized that I was flying. While Swimming, something I am supposed to hate! I was floating along the water I truly felt weightless. I was so excited, I was getting this swim thing down. I am gaining confidence in myself and my swimming ability. I am starting to believe I can swim 2.4 miles in the ocean and fight off the other athletes. I now look forward to ever swim workout, with a thirst for another flying experience. Hey maybe one day I will love swimming like this guy!

Cancer, You Made it Personal

This one is close to home. Recently one of my cousins was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He certainly is a trooper and joined with his family and the power of God he is fighting this terrible disease. I tip my hat to Brett, he has always been an outstanding athlete, hard worker, and believe in pushing himself. The news of Brett's cancer has hurt like a sucker punch to the throat and has burst my "superman complex". It was shocking to me that someone just barely older than me could be fighting for his life. This experience has shown me that I am not invincible and how short life can be. I am so thankful that Brett is doing well, he truly is to strong enough to beat cancer. I wanted to help in anyway I could. Other then the normal family support I spent most of December, when Brett was undergoing Chemo,bald. Brett did comment I looked better bald then he did. It made him smile that he wasn't the only bald one around Christmas. I felt this wasn't enough though, luckily I was presented with an opportunity to do more. 

The company I work for, Myraid Genetics, is a genetic cancer lab. Other then providing hundreds of thousands of patients with information about their genetic risks for certain types of cancers and treatment options we seek to support local cancer clinics. I accepted the challenge to run with my company RAGNAR team raising funds for the The Hometown Heroes program. This race will be outstanding as we will be competing on the Wasatch back ragnar course. This course is beautiful, challenging, and has cooler temperatures. I look forward to the course because my last Ragnar was in Las Vegas where the average temperature was around 90 degrees. Due to the heat I never ran with a shirt on, and so now my Las Vegas team things I have issues with wearing clothing. (Which I don't) The other highlight of this future Ragnar is that over 25% of our team are cancer survivors. I am honored to have the chance to run along side those who have battled and won the fight for their life! 

This is where the run gets really interesting, the Hometown Heroes program is designed to help participants reach their endurance goals (through coaching and workshops from professionals) while raising much-needed funds for cancer research. Since 2003, Hometown Heroes have raised over $1 million dollars from everyday people! Huntsman Cancer Foundation relies on the generosity of community members to support cancer research programs. I had never know the importance of donating to research until I myself became a researcher. Huntsman research potential is only limited by the funds it receives. That is why I am asking everyone who knows me to consider donating to my goal of raising 500 dollars for cancer research. I have attached a link below that goes directly to my donation site, please visit and decided if you have the means to make a small donation.

I thought it would be fun to ask ya'll to donate a small amount (like a dollar) per mile I run (which will probably be about twenty miles). If you can't donate twenty dollars, I would be so grateful for any and all funds donated. Since this is a run for a cause I participate without paying a entree fee, but I believe it is unfair for me to ask others for their hard earned money and not make any type of donation to my cause. I not only pledge to run the longest and hardest leg of the race (you get more bang for your buck) but I will donate at least the cost for a normal RAGNAR entry (about 100 dollars) to my cancer raising efforts! Yes already 20% of the way to my goal! I find this Ragnar as a great opportunity to combine my two loves, helping people and running to an outstanding cause and I truly believe your donation, combined with others, can help Huntsman in the race for a cure.  We all have have had cancer touch our lives in one way or another. Please help me, because cancer has made this fight personal! 

Here is the link:

http://ragnarrelay.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=998779&lis=1&kntae998779=3E95FBDFEB764E30B602CF574D3E8D59&supId=349855714

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE donate! 

Thank you so much for reading along my blog, Here is a few ideas about what is to come in future posts.

A review of my new running shoes (they are HOTT)

My first time experience with my Triathlon bike (She is super hot, I need a nickname open for suggestions)

The new Running Diet I will be going on, got several good cook books coming

Important announcement about which IRONMAN I will be doing!

This is my Dream, Ironman.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit. Aristotle

For almost as long as I can remember I have had a dream. A dream that if you had known me several years ago would have seemed impossible, even now the dream seems improbably. Yet, until I accomplish this dream it will always be in the back of reminding me I have yet to reach my true potential. I have to conquer an Ironman!

If you don't know what this means, let me give you a little break down. A few decades ago a few ultra athletes were arguing about what activity was more difficult; running, biking, or swimming. To settle the dispute a challenge including all three events was attempted. From this race the Triathlon, a race consisting of all three events, was born! Many Triathlon distances are available, but the Ironman has become the apex of all  Triathlon racing. A competitor must swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and then run a marathon (26.2 miles). Most professional triathletes can finish an Ironman in under 8 hours, yet normal people have 17 hours to finish the ordeal. Even after a training program of months or years the Ironman is know for breaking the best of the best. An Ironman is truly a chance for one to prove how dedicated they can be to a training plan, and how hard they can push themselves on race day. Hopefully you will check out the video that I attach, it provides a small picture of what to expect from an Ironman. (or click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EokseUskyDI)

Now I am certain that this dream might be causing the reader to ask why? I must be insane to want to attempt something so hard, something so long, something so dangerous! Honestly, during some training sessions I ask myself the same questions, yet I quickly remind myself of the answer. Hopefully I can explain that.

Almost five years ago I was a completely different person than I am today. As I was about the enter my twenties I was not the person I wanted to be. I had always been in the trap of eating too much and not exercising enough. For almost my entire life I have had to deal with excess weight because of my lifestyle. I was depressed and disgusted with how I looked. I wanted myself to change, but I had no idea how. I was caught in a trap, and was cycling deeper and deeper. My weight hit an all time high of almost 270 pounds (which was about 36% body fat) on December 26, 2006 and as I stepped of that scale my life hit an all time low. I stayed up all night, crying, blaming, and making excuses as to why I looked the way I looked. Yet, sometime throughout the night I had one of the greatest breakthrough of my life, I finally had the courage to man up and take responsibility for my lifestyle actions. Instead of blaming everyone but myself, I realized I had made many mistakes in taking care of my body. I concluded that since I got myself into this mess I was the only one who could get myself out. I could change, as a stubborn man I knew I could accomplish anything I set my mind too, therefore I covenanted with myself and God to change my life for the better. I was afraid, worried, and if I would have known how hard it was going to be I might not have made that covenant.  Luckily I took the challenge, and have never looked back. I am so grateful for the courage my younger self expressed that night, and everyday of the 18 month weight loss struggle. (I am the guy on the far right)

In case you are curious, I didn't take any miracle drug, pig hormones, or magic diet. The principle of true and lasting weight lost is simple enough, but very difficult in execution.  I spent 18 months of my life eating lower quantities and higher quality of food. My weight loss was aided by getting at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise everyday. I started with run/walking, but with time I was up to running at least four miles a day.  It was over this time I became addicted to running! Nothing made me feel more free then strapping on some running shoes, grabbing an ipod, and going to explore. At the end of my 18th month weight loss period I had dropped to around 180 pounds, giving me a loss of almost 90 pound! Most my friends and family could hardly recognize me, I truly had changed. I noticed more than a physical change in myself. I had a new form of self confidence, a better determination to succeed at hard things, and now had a perfect stress reliever. I had conquered the impossible, and was so thankful I had to courage to walk down this path.


I wanted to see how far I could push my new body. So I set the goal to train for a half marathon, and after accomplishing that in April of 2009 I knew I could do more. I trained for and completed the Park City Marathon in August of 2009! (Not to mention I took 3rd in my age bracket, pretty good for a first marathon)  When I crossed the finish line of my first marathon, I cried, almost as bad as I did that night of in December. I knew I had officially made the change to a better life. I was a new person.


Since that running season I have picked up many other fun activities and competed in several different types of races including more half and full marathons. I have added weight lifting, hiking, and yoga to my workouts. I have competed in trail runs, Ragnars, and even a Super Spartan. Every challenge I have put before my I have conquered, yet at the end of every race I know I can do more. There is something inside of me that says I can push myself farther. There is a mountain out there that I am afraid to climb, tonight though that fear ends. I know that until I slay that beast, I will not know my true potential. I will never stand on top. So that is where the Ironman comes in. It is my grand beast, my epic quest, my noble discovery.

Now why dedicate a blog to my path to being an Ironman? That is simple. I am not here to boast or show off. I just wish to make myself accountable to others. The Ironman is the scariest thing I have ever set out to try, I will have to train for a year, and I need major commitment to keep me going. By posting about my efforts I hope to be able to stay motivated in the darkest times! Since an Ironman is such a personal event, I really don't have anyone to talk about my training with. This blog will give me that chance to express what is inside. I also hope that these posts might motivate others to believe in themselves to accomplish their own training goals. The stories of others always help me to push myself, and I pray that others may benefit from my experience.

So that is why I am here. Like that night five years ago I have come to a crossroad. Once again, I am about to attempt the most difficult and challenging event of my life. I am going to face my fears, I am going to push myself to my limit, and hopefully learn how to push myself past it! I will reach my potential! I am going to Finish an Ironman! I find it almost symbolic that I make this commitment on December 26, 2011.

My name is Kristopher
I am going to be an Ironman!