There are many fitness magazines on the market, and most focus on how to improve the performance and endurance by going faster and lasting longer. Is that really the interest of all readers?

How can a reader focus on that with a couple of children, a deployed partner, and health issues? When you’re in this category, the focus is maintaining the enjoyment of your fitness program, which could be running, walking, or cycling.

On a personal note, I have heart issues, and as I’ve stated in earlier columns, the action plan is to forget what I used to do and focus on what I can do.

There is a balance between where you are and where you want to be. How do you find that state? The magazines don’t usually address those issues.

This month I’m sharing my interview with Elizabeth, a runner in the midst of extraordinary circumstances. For her, giving up was not an option, but extraordinary actions were at the top of the list. In the midst of coaching and receiving a diagnosis, Elizabeth upped her game and placed in her age group at the 5K and 10K distance, and most recently, the Navy Mile. As you read below, use this as a point of inspiration to make a change or to continue.

What is it that motivates you?

I like trying to make a positive difference and running has been my outlet for everything from stress relief to problem solving to celebrating.

What was that defining moment that caused you to get involved with running?

As a highly-strung 15-year-old, I took offense to a teasing remark made by my father and ran out of the house to vent. I came home after a solid hour of running and went to bed without dinner and without speaking to anyone. The next day, my father picked me up from school before I could get to the bus. I expected a lecture, but instead, he drove me to Omega Sports and bought me my first pair of running shoes. I went out for the cross country team the following year, and my father cheered me on at all of my home meets.

Was there another sport before running?

Before running, I played basketball—being 5’8″ as a 12-year-old, I could just stand there with my hands up and block most shots. I also rode horses competitively from age 4 through college.

What does running do for you?

When I was competing in equestrian events, running helped with leg strength and balance for the jumping. Running has come to mean much more than an athletic pursuit. When I worked on Capitol Hill, I often ran with members of Congress I’d see along the mall. We’d have candid conversations, inevitably leading to the “you look different with clothes on” comments when we would be dressed for work in the House of Representatives. This generally got a snicker from my boss, who fortunately knew I was a big runner!

DC Road Runners provided me the structure to get my coaching certification through Road Runners Club of America and that has provided another dimension to the sport—the opportunity to share my time and experience with other runners in order to help them define and achieve their running goals.

Do you call yourself competitive?

It would be hard to deny being competitive. I do like the idea of being able to measure progress. I like for others to do well, too, and I’m mostly competing against myself. It does feel good to get a plaque or trophy, though.

How many days or miles do you run each week?

I run five or six days a week, making sure I take at least one day to recover; mileage varies depending on upcoming events. If there’s a 50K in the works, long runs will be back-to-back Saturday/Sunday and around 40-50 miles for that week, about half that if no races on the horizon.

If you feel comfortable sharing your journey with breast cancer, how did your life change and were you into running at that point?

I was in the midst of coaching for the Army 10-miler when I got the news that I have breast cancer. I continued to coach and run with my diagnosis while having to see various doctors to learn more about my disease and to choose a doctor and whether to undergo radiation or major surgery.

Breast cancer has made me appreciate every step I’m able to run, every kind word of encouragement. During my final run prior to the Aug. 3 surgery, it was very hot and humid (it was July in D.C., after all). I was slowing down during the final three miles of our run and told my trainees to go on and that I’d be fine.

These are the guys in the fastest training group and every single one of them waited on me. One stayed by my side, one ran ahead and doubled back, and two waited at the Key Bridge to make sure I was still in their sights. I made all of them give me a big hug at the end of the run.

My collective DC Road Runners family has been with me through it all. From sending me flowers to providing meals to helping with walking my dog to prayers and moral support, they have never made me feel like I was a victim but rather a survivor—a fighter—and “still” a runner!

To read the conclusion of this inspirational interview, go here.