A buddy of mine shared this link with me. So I thought I would keep it moving …. it’s well worth watching!
Check it out HERE
Dear Tony,
As we all sit anxiously awaiting your test results, I want you to remember a few things. First of all, understand that you are one of the most genuine and sincere individuals I have ever known. Everyone knows that and everyone loves that about you. For 30 years I have had the honor of calling you a friend. And for at least 30 more, I’ll continue to do the same.
Now here is where you need to take a step back and try to release your fear and worry. You don’t have to own the wait and anticipation. You don’t have to worry about the “what ifs” and the next steps. Rest comfortably knowing that you are in good hands and receiving the best care possible. Let the experts do what they know how to do. Take things in small incremental doses, manage the things that you can manage, and keep the faith.
You have lived your entire life “the right way”. You are devoted to your family, faith, and friends and you have proudly lived every day of your life in celebration of that. Whatever the outcome is, there will be a counter move for you. And if further action is needed from you, you will take it decisively and decidedly….. and will take no prisoners.
You are one of the strongest men I know, strong enough to fight and conquer whatever crosses your path. You also have an army of people there with you in spirit and supporting you that you can’t even see.
Be the tough son of a bitch (with the huge soft heart) that I know you are.
Thoughts and prayers continue to flow your way.
Your roomie
I recently wrote this for the Columbia Triathlon Association’s newsletter so I thought I would share it here as well.
Many people know that 5 years ago I adopted the name “RemissionMan”. Some people know some of the story of the name’s origin, but only a select few know the full details of that story. Since that name was given to me by my friend, Columbia Triathlon Association kingpin Rob Vigorito, I feel it is time to share more of the details here on this forum.
In February of 2006 I received a leukemia diagnosis which caught me more than a little off guard, considering the fact that I was the picture of health and had been racing endurance sports since the 1980s. Nevertheless, a blood test revealed an extremely elevated white cell count which warranted a battery of scans probes, x-rays, and biopsies between February 17th – February 26th 2006. (Those dates will be forever embedded in my psyche). And during my follow up appointment with an oncologist that I had known for all of one week, I received my official diagnosis on February 26th. “What? Wait, I’m Steve Brown, you surely have the wrong chart in front of you. I just need an antibiotic and I can be on my way”. Or so I hoped. Unfortunately, the chart was correct. I had leukemia.
The good news was that there was a successful treatment protocol out there for my type of leukemia. The bad news was that I was sitting in an oncologist’s office talking about leukemia, chemotherapy, and monoclonal antibody treatments. But we all put on our big boy pants, mapped out the plan, explained it all to the family and friends and went into treatment armed and ready to battle. I also “negotiated” with my oncologist to allow me to continue to train around my treatments, to include running home after chemo on days that I felt up to it. It may not have been an easy negotiation, but it was a necessary one so that I could remain somewhat in control in a seemingly uncontrollable situation of the things I loved to do.
One of the very next conversations that I had was with Columbia’s Rob Vigorito, or as he is known across the universe, “Vigo”. I reached out to Vigo for a few reasons. Vigo always understood what the sport of triathlon really means on all levels. I knew he would be a good contact for me as an athlete, a person, and even a patient given his connections with The University of Maryland’s School of Medicine. And I was right on all counts. As I went through my chemotherapy treatments, I continued to consult and update Vigo with my treatments, progress, etc. On a personal level, he became a trusted ally and through his network of experts, Vigo was also able to help me validate some of the trends that I saw with my blood work and the various reaction to my treatments that I was experiencing.
And that folks, is where the bad news ends. I saw almost immediate results and responded very favorably to my treatment. Sure I had a couple of speed bumps along the way and some days were better than others. But the bottom line is that I was somewhat of a poster child for all of the things that can go right through this process. By May I had hit remission. By the end of June I was through with treatment. And in July I was back to racing sprint triathlons.
I already had the 2006 ChesapeakeMan on my calendar for September (in fact I have raced every ChesapeakeMan since it’s launch in 2004) but I didn’t know how quickly I could get back to iron distance form following my treatments. I had extensive and promising discussions about Chessyman with my doctor and was pleasantly surprised when my fitness level rebounded back to where Chessyman looked like a reality. Vigo and I talked about this in great length as well and his words of encouragement to me went something like this. “Steve, if your results are good and your doctor gives you the green light, and if you FEEL like you can race Chessyman, you WILL not only race Chessyman, but you will finish Chessyman – and I will be there to escort you across the finish of another ironman, this time as REMISSIONMAN.
And in true storybook ending fashion, I raced Chessyman. And I celebrated every inch of that 140.6 mile course. And true to his words, Rob Vigorito was there to bring RemissionMan across the finish line.
Today, I remain in full remission and that entire chapter of my life remains a blip in my rear view mirror. But the support that I received from Vigo, and for that matter the entire triathlon community will always be remembered, and treasured.
Congratulations to an old friend of mine, Linda Rollo, for reaching her five year mark and earning her official “survivor” status. Linda and I just happen to visit the same oncology practice and we ran into each other in the waiting room five years ago when we were both first diagnosed. In true warrior spirit, we have become closer friends as a result as we have shared many of our experiences with each other through those years.
Congrats survivor. Wear your title proudly and continue to spread the karma.
A few words to Scott Tinley on his book “Racing the Sunset” …
Dear Scott,
Don’t worry. You are not “normal”. I suspect you never were, and it’s likely that you ever will be and that’s a good thing. None of us are and we are proud to have you sit on the board of our abnormal council. The respect that I have for you as a triathlete is tremendous BUT it cannot hold a candle to the respect I have for you and your post competitive days and life outside of sport.
Through the years you have given us the foresight to focus our attention inward to our own glory, our own demons, and our own worlds, and everything within them. You showed us how to be a fierce competitor. You showed us how to be an insightful and peaceful warrior. You taught us that it’s OK to be Nirvana and Jack Johnson all rolled into one and you reminded us to feed our own gardens and take care of the things that matter most, because others will not.
You gave us things to think about that many people never would have given a second glance. And you reminded us all that to live life is to accept change. Life IS change. This is where your true gift lies. And this gift is eternal. This gift you will be able to share with the world for many generations to come.
For all you have done for the sport, its participants, and for your ability to keep things real and in perspective – thanks.
I am joining my friend Ethan Zohn again to race the New City Marathon to help make a difference. Please help me to help others as we join forces in NYC to raise funds, awareness, and deliver an interactive HIV prevention and life skills curriculum to youth of South Africa. To learn more about me please visit www.remissionman.com To learn more about Ethan Zohn please visit www.ezohn.com
Please visit my fundraising page HERE to help with any donation that you possibly can.
Grassroot Soccer’s (GRS) mission is to educate, inspire and mobilize youth to stop the spread of HIV.
I was recently honored by Delaware County Community College with the Wong Moss Outstanding Alumni Award. It was a really nice night and my family was all there to share in the evening. Below are the speaking points that I delivered which I expanded upon from my notes.
Sometimes I forget all of the things that I do or have done until someone reminds me of them all. It does sound like a lot. The two questions that I am often asked are; “Do I ever sleep?” and “how do I find the time”. The short answers are – YES, I love my sleep – love to nap. I refer to them as “executive board meetings” and at least one dog usually attends these meetings with me. And the second answer is it’s easy to find the time for things you love to do. I am humbled to be recognized for doing things that simply make me happy.
Dave Roberts said it best. Dave was the local 6ABC weatherman who retired last year after spending several decades in the Philadelphia market. Dave was very involved with many organizations and on his final show he was asked by one of his colleagues what his secret is. He was asked how he found the time to do it all and do so with a perpetual smile and a kind, soft spoken word for everyone.
His answer was brilliantly simple.
His response was, if you do things you are passionate about, give of yourself and expect nothing in return, and don’t take yourself too seriously – you will always be happy and at peace. That seems like such a simple formula. So in keeping with Dave’s philosphy, while I did put on a suit tonight, I also opted for the Mickey Mouse tie.
When the Alumni office first started talking to me about this award, the word community kept echoing louder and louder in my head and it reminded me just how many communities I have been connected with through the years. And how many positive experiences and memories I have collected from those various communities.
Beginning with my first community growing up in Ardmore Pennsylvania where I had a lot of great role models and learned so many core values in the classroom and on the courts, fields, and playgrounds. Those interactions and those relationships poured a very solid foundation for me.
When I entered the Haverford high school community, I cultivated that further and had the opportunity to play under legendary coaches like Ted Keyser and Steve Juenger who taught me a whole lot more than soccer and basketball skills. I learned life skills from these men. I still hear some of their words come back to me today. Ted Keyser used to preach the words “intestinal fortitude” to us all the time. That also usually meant that we would be running more sprints but he defined it as strength & courage. I often find myself thinking of Ted Keyser and his “intestinal fortitude” when I need a little extra strength and courage. As I reflect back, I think Keyser taught me how to dig deep, and Juenger taught me how to be a gentleman about it.
As I moved into Delaware County Community College, I continued to find myself as a person, and a student, and an athlete. Community College provided the perfect Interim plan serving as a springboard to Cabrini College where I landed with some soccer scholarship $$ and even greater opportunity.
In that Cabrini College community I established lifelong relationships with students & teammates, administrators, teachers, and even my favorite campus priest who used to tease me about being a protestant male business major in a catholic education college for women. In an attempt to rectify this “problem”, Father Jack made me an Honorary Catholic. I still talk to father Jack McDowell and he was one of the first to congratulate me on receiving this award.
In 2006 I was inducted into the scariest but the most rewarding community yet – the cancer community.
I call it rewarding because it gave me more opportunities than it took away. I have been given a gift in the form of leukemia and the things I have been able to do with my gift are meaningful beyond words. And who do you suppose I thought of while receiving chemotherapy treatments? – Ted Keyser and his “intestinal fortitude”.
I wish I could tell you that my life followed a scripted and calculated path. The truth is, it didn’t. They real truth is nobody’s plan ever stays 100% true to course. And I’m glad mine didn’t because my path led me to some incredible people and opportunities.
Such as…Never in a million years would I ever have pictured myself not only a MEMBER of the cancer community, but a LEADER in that cancer community.
And while yes I had a goal many years ago of completing “one” marathon just to get it out of my system, I had no idea it would lead to over 20 marathons and 10 ironman triathlons with opportunities to also coach, and write about the sport on now many different levels.
I look out at this room and see leaders and future leaders. While I’m not an expert on any of this, I would like to share a few points to ponder that I have learned that have kept me grounded and happy …
1 – Enjoy the journey. Whatever your path or direction is, while it’s important to focus on your goal, don’t be so fixed on the finish line that you can’t enjoy the journey. The journey is where life happens. The journey is what builds relationships and experiences. We’re often too focused on were we’ve been and where we are going to embrace WHERE WE ARE.
2 – Check your footprint. What will your legacy be? How do you want to be remembered? You have total control over that BUT don’t live your life thinking you have an unlimited amount of tomorrows to do the right thing. Because you never know how many tomorrows are in the hand you are holding.
3 – Choose wisely. Your entire life you are faced with choices on everything under the sun. It’s those choices that will define you as a person. How will you react and respond to everything that will happen along the way? Your choices will define your footprint and your legacy.
4 – Be thankful. Express your appreciate to those people who help you along the way. I recently wrote a letter to the soccer coach I talked about, Ted Keyser. And I wrote a real letter, with a stamp. I didn’t email him or facebook message him. I wrote him. I wanted him to know that I was happy and healthy and enjoying life to the fullest and that I think of him and thanked him for some of his lessons that I still recall so many years later.
I believe that there are many people and organizations doing amazing things out there. But I also believe that the greatness is somewhat fragmented with pockets of greatness scattered all over. That’s where YOU come in. You can be one of those jumper cables or spark plugs that help connect it all. Make that your mission. Grab a hold of something great and make it even more great.
Be GREAT but Be HUMBLE. And as Dave Roberts said, don’t take yourselves too seriously.
Excerpt from Running Doc’s Guide to Healthy Running: How to Fix Injuries, Stay Active, and Run Pain-Free by Lewis G. Maharam, MD
Copyright 2011 VeloPress All rights reserved
This new book is now available in bookstores, running shops, and online. Please learn more and preview the contents at velopress.com/runningdoc.
Racing the Boston Marathon: Your Race Day Plan
The best way to have a good day at Boston is to stick to your training plan. Don’t do anything new! Instead, approach the marathon in the same way that you handled each training run. Of course, you may be nervous and excited, and that adrenaline may carry you to the finish line in record time. But don’t let your emotions get the best of you, and don’t let any doubts about your readiness lead you into rash, last-minute decisions. If you’ve trained and prepared well, then you’ve done everything right to get ready for this special day. Enjoy yourself, and keep the following guidelines in mind.
Race as you trained. On race day morning, eat and drink as you did during your training.
Take a baby aspirin. As long as your doctor approves, take one baby aspirin (81 mg) on race morning to help avoid cardiac problems.
Limit caffeine. Keep your caffeine intake below 200 mg; that’s about 2 cups of coffee.
Hit the port-o-potty. When you get to the race venue, immediately get in line for the port-o-potty! This may sound funny, but clearing your waste prior to the start makes good sense. The excitement and anticipation of the event will make you want to clear that waste at some point; doing it before you start may help you avoid looking for a place along the route.
Do “the salt.” Lick one fast-food packet of salt right before you start and carry a second packet for consumption halfway through.
Obey your body’s signs of thirst. At fluid stations along the race route, drink no more than 1 cup (8 ounces) of fluid every 20 minutes while walking/running. Drink based on your thirst level. Although it’s okay to drink plain water in the early miles, you should consume sports beverages after 30 minutes of continuous exertion. During your training, you found out what works best for you. Stick to that plan unless race conditions are vastly different from your training mileage. Gauge the distance between fluid stations, and decide beforehand whether or not you should bring and carry your own sports drink. Every race is different. Be prepared.
Water is usually offered at the first tables at a fluid station, with sports beverages usually served near the end of the station. If you choose to drink while moving through the stations, squeeze the top of the cup into a “V” shape to create a smooth delivery of fluid directly into your mouth. If you decide instead to stop and drink, please get out of the way of other participants. Drink only what quenches your thirst; do not over-drink!
Use gels only if you are used to them. If you’ve used gels during your training, continue to use them as part of your normal routine. Do not consume more than usual on race day. Again, do not try anything new!
Finish “the salt.” Halfway through the event, lick the second fast-food packet of salt.
Don’t be afraid to seek aid. If you feel sick or are having pain that causes you to change your running/walking style, stop at a medical aid station. At these stations, volunteer physicians and medical personnel are there to help you. Take advantage of these free services to ensure a healthy and successful finish.
After You Finish
After the race, make sure to do the following:
Walk to cool down. After crossing the finish line, walk, walk, and walk some more. It is important that your blood flow goes back from your legs to the rest of your body. The blood that has been naturally directed to your legs during the event now needs to get back to your stomach before you eat and drink.
Drink after you have cooled down. After walking for about 10–15 minutes, get something to drink (water, sports drink). Although it may be tempting, hold off on consuming alcoholic beverages until later in the evening if you feel so inclined (if you are over the age of 21).
Eat after drinking. After you can keep fluid down normally, grab something to eat. Try bananas, tomato juice, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, orange juice, chocolate milk, or the scientific recovery drink you practiced with during training.
Take care of any medical concerns. If you have any medical concerns or questions, go to a medical aid station and inquire before leaving the venue. There are volunteer physicians and medical personnel available to help you. Take advantage of this free service.
Steer clear of the massage table for at least two hours. Do not have a post-event massage within the first two hours of finishing the race. Research has shown that the lactic acid built up in muscles needs that time to “buffer” back to a neutral pH so as not to cause further damage and post-event soreness. Having a light massage between two and eight hours after event completion has proven to be beneficial in preventing post-event soreness, so book an appointment with a local therapist during that window of time. Do not have deep tissue work for at least three to five days after an endurance event, for the same reasons.
No new stretches. Your post-race muscles are fragile. If you put them through a stretch they’re not used to, you can easily injure them.
Avoid a hot shower right after the race. At home (or at the hotel) avoid taking a hot shower. A hot shower will only increase inflammation of stressed muscles and joints. Most sports physicians recommend a cool shower or iced bath (add ice cubes to your bath) or an ice massage to cool down muscles and reduce inflammation.
Eat a balanced meal. After you return home (or to the hotel), have a nice lunch. This should be a well-balanced meal in which the majority of the total calories are carbohydrates. However, don’t forget to consume at least 20 percent of the total calories from protein sources in order to give you the amino acids that you need to repair your muscles.
Restart NSAIDs after six hours. Six hours after you have finished, and once you are able to drink without nausea or vomiting, have urinated once, and feel physically and mentally back to normal, you can use your favorite headache, anti-inflammatory, or pain reliever that your doctor has recommended.
Congratulations! And now it’s time to think about your next event.
Dear Brynn
I had no idea that becoming a (very YOUNG) grandfather would fill me with such incredible joy and happiness. Raising your mom and her sister was of course wonderful and among the happiest moments in my life. But something happens when that next generation comes around. I guess I’ve become a little more wise, and more appreciative of life and this is why I look at you as a true gift. My perspective is different than it was 20 years ago. I see things and people much differently, including myself.
You are a special gift and a special angel and I thank you for blessing my life the way you have. I am looking forward to many many more decades of enjoying you and your company.