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Staying Strong

Chattanooga Ambassador Robin Layne’s Story

I ran the first Chattanooga Marathon in 2016, and that race is one I will never forget. It was my second time running a marathon. (After my first, I told myself Never again! But never say never!)

Many (many, many, many!) times during our training, I asked myself, Why am I doing this? But I knew I wanted to run this inaugural Chattanooga Marathon when my friend told me about it.

The weather was great that day – perfect race conditions, except for one thing: I was unknowingly carrying a malignant tumor in my colon that was aggressively growing. I had no idea; I had no symptoms. During the race, from mile 8 to about mile 16, I felt nauseated, and at one point, I felt a tingling in my left arm. I just figured I was getting dehydrated, so I drank fluids, ate some gels, licked some salt and kept on truckin’ while staying at our target pace (I won’t disclose that pace – I do have some pride!) We finished strong on a runner’s high. We knew we’d be making the Chattanooga Marathon an annual event.

Three weeks later, I had horrible stomach pains while driving home from a trip to Florida. I felt great while in Florida and even did some speed work on the beach. (After my marathon time, this was much needed!)

When I got home, the pain got worse, so I finally agreed with my husband to go to the emergency room. After a CT scan, I was admitted to the hospital. The next day, I was in surgery. I had a malignant tumor that was completely obstructing my colon. I had stage-3 colon cancer.

Apparently marathon runners aren’t excluded from cancer, though I kept saying, “How is this possible? I JUST ran a marathon!” The doctors removed the tumor and a third of my colon. Three weeks later, I was receiving chemotherapy treatment for cancer.

This story is not a sad story; it’s a story of hope and faith. Yes, I was dealt a bad hand. Yes, I’ll even say it sucked. But a year and a half later, I’m writing this story… my story. My story continues, and I continue running.

In 2017, I finished chemotherapy and ran the 2017 Chattanooga Marathon on a relay team with my husband and friends. I am currently in remission (though I prefer to say cancer free) and training for the 2018 Chattanooga Marathon. I feel fabulous. I’ve made lifestyle changes that focus on nutrition, exercise and emotional/spiritual health. I never will miss a Chattanooga Marathon – it’s the absolute best.

My cancer diagnosis taught me that life is short, and that we should live life to its fullest. We should go after our dreams, even when the going gets tough. The 2016 Chattanooga Marathon will always be with me in my heart and mind. If I can run 26.2 miles with cancer, I can do whatever I put my mind to. It’s a reminder that we can overcome obstacles, that we are stronger than we think, because we are strong.

Join Robin and sign up today!