Boogie Mimics Battling Cancer

Looking back at my Boogie training and race day, it is uncanny how many similarities there were to my battle with cancer.

Without training, I may have been able to successfully drag myself across the 5 km finish line, but with hopes of running most of the 10 km course, many hours of training were necessary. Similarly, being a cancer survivor did not come without "putting in my time"... hours and hours sitting with the Drano dripping into my veins, and laying stone-still while the radiation rays burned stray cancer cells ... both were mandatory to succeed.

One or two blocks in along the race route, loneliness seemed to envelope me, wrapping me in a black blanket of desolation. How could I possibly feel so isolated while running among 2500 people? Missing my comfort zone of running with Ashcroft RUNClubbers, I continuously scanned the crowd for familiar faces, to no avail. Plodding along, I endeavoured to cast my loneliness to the back burner and focus solely on my goal -- finishing! While struggling along this invasive journey, I had many solitary moments yearning for company. Sometimes, I was even surrounded by family and friends, but they felt just out of arms reach, as if our fingertips couldn't quite touch.

Just as David, Esther, and Kate cheered me along on my 10 km amble, I also had lots of support and many cheerleaders during my illness. Still, no one could do this for me -- I had to decide to "roar" myself. It was my feet that crossed the 10 km finish line, and it had to be my feet that crossed the finish line to "survivorhood". 

Katy Perry's "Roar" first stamped a place on my heart while taking part in the "Survivor's Parade" after "Run for the Cure" in October. However, it wasn't until I put it on my playlist for Boogie day that I really listened to all the lyrics. They truly do epitomize both my training and health sojourn.


Now I’m floating like a butterfly
Stinging like a bee I earned my stripes
I went from zero, to my own hero

You held me down, but I got up
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground
You held me down, but I got up
Get ready ’cause I’ve had enough
I see it all, I see it now

I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me ROAR
Louder, louder than a lion
‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me ROAR

If you want to be inspired by hearing Katy sing "Roar", here's a link ROAR