Blog
WE asked. YOU answered! The #REVtribe submitted stories on how REV inspired them to step out of their comfort zones. Turns out, the #REVtribe is what makes REV so freaking badass. Tune in each Monday as we share one of YOUR stories in hopes to inspire the entire tribe to dig a little deeper and most of all to give you the courage to live the life you love!
As we sweat, we become. We become: One Team. One Heart. One Tribe.
I’ve been lucky to lead a very blessed life - never wanting for much or dealing with intense tragedies that befall many. As an oncology pharmacist, my professional life is a constant reminder of how lucky I am. Day in and day out, I try to make the day better for those who are going through the unthinkable. Cancer hit me closer to home when one of my dearest friends was diagnosed with lymphoma in August 2013. Not being on his care team was difficult for me - I felt powerless to change his situation.
“PowerLESS” - that can be a big word. Think about it, when have you felt powerless? I’m certain that at some point most of us have. As I sought to change this feeling into a defined action, I learned about the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training. Folks who train for endurance events while raising funds for leukemia and lymphoma research. Perfect, right? Wrong. I’m not an endurance athlete. I’m not a runner. I played sick when we had to run the mile in school.
REV at McHenry Row opened January 1, 2014. I ran my first half marathon on March 15, 2014. What happened in those early months? I became part of a community. A powerFUL community. I vividly remember my first 8-mile long run. It was a cold Saturday at the end of January. I woke up the next morning really sore. My husband went to Esther’s church without me. He returned home to report that I was missed and with plenty of tips for easing my current pain. That moment is vivid because I knew I had this powerFUL community on my side. The day before the race, EC sent me an email saying, “Smile when it gets tough as you can do this. You are strong!” I heard her voice a few times over those 13.1 miles including a few choice words that I’m sure the REV community can imagine.
When I crossed that finish line, my life changed. I was a runner. I was an endurance athlete. I was brave enough to take a risk. I was no longer traveling through life powerLESS, but powerFUL. REV changed my life because it changed how I saw myself. Now as a new mom, I want to demonstrate these important lessons to my son. You can do hard things. You must take risks. You should help build a community who will push you and believe in you. You are powerFUL.
REV - Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Much love.
