Happy New Year!

2021 was an amazing year of travel exploring this beautiful nation we live in!! Many miles of hiking adventure were accomplished with breathtaking views at the top of every mountain peak and canyon. I am grateful for my continued health and fitness level to be able to challenge myself daily!!! I look forward to 2022 and the mountain peaks that await my arrival!! #goodbye2021hello2022 #mountainlife #challengeyourself #nolimits #overcomer #americathebeautiful

Bitter Cold Hike

Bitter cold hike today but absolutely beautiful!!!! Even found a tree all decorated for Christmas deep in the forest! #getoutside #coldandbeautiful #snowytrails #forestchristmastree

Grateful

Outside today in a beautiful Pacific Northwest snow storm grateful to be celebrating another Christmas cancer free!!!  #christmas2021 #getoutside #celebratelifeeveryday #cancerfree

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays from snowy Spokane!!!! May this season find you all happy, healthy, and well loved!!!! #christmas2021 #happyholidays #snowyspokane #blessedandgrateful

Give Kindness

During this busy holiday season keep this in mind…..If you want to make a difference start giving kindness and compassion instead of an opinion. Give and spread love instead of judgement. This world has enough takers, be someone who gives nothing but joy to others!!! Start to believe there is good without seeing it! Hold on to hope and don’t ever let go!!!! #believe #michaelandersonstatue #kindnessmatters #lovewins #joy #compassion #handinhand

Snowy Day on the Trails

Great day on the snowy trails!!! Winter has arrived in Spokane and it is absolutely beautiful!!!! #getoutside #challengeyourself #snowytrails #beautiful #coldgear

5 Years Ago

5 years ago today I finished my 300th marathon in Honolulu which was a huge goal to complete. I cranked out 14 more marathons in the following 3 years to retire with 314 lifetime marathons in October of 2019. It was an amazing 30 year running career with the last 80 marathons accomplished after my cancer diagnosis! I have found my new passion and challenge of reaching mountain peaks to be easier on my mind and body!!!! #challengeyourself #300lifetimemarathons #SurvivorStrong

Play 4 Kay

It will be Epic to be one of the Cancer Warriors for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund to be honored as a Survivor at halftime at the Play 4 Kay game at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina in February!!!! What a memorable and magical moment it will be to stand on the court at halftime of this special game! #play4kay #kayyowcancerfund #cancerwarrior #survivor #ncstate #gowolfpack

Pearl Harbor Day

Remembering all the heroes that sacrificed so much at Pearl Harbor 80 years ago on December 7th, 1941. These veterans that fought for our freedom are true American heroes!!! #AmericanHeroes #GodBlessAmerica #80thanniversary #PearlHarbor #neverforget

Every Woman Can

Received this Awesome medal from the Every Woman Can organization to honor us Survivors from the Pink Ribbon Run in October!!! Pretty awesome!!! #survivor #pinkrobbonrun #everywomancan #SurvivorStrong #fighter #overcomer #12years

Beautiful Day

A cold and frosty hike today along the beautiful Spokane River! Getting out on the trails is more than just a physical challenge, it is a great escape from this crazy world! I am grateful for my continued health and fitness! #challengeyourself #cancerfree #frostymorning #warrior

Stronger Than Cancer

So thankful, grateful, and blessed! After getting the amazing news earlier this week that I remain cancer free, I headed out on the snowy trails today to celebrate being Stronger Than Cancer!!! #strongerthancancer #survivor #cancerfree #12years #warrior #HappyThanksgiving2021 #standuptocancer

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving from Spokane, Washington, home of the #1 ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs Men’s basketball team!!!!! #happythanksgiving2021 #gonzagauniversity #topdogs

12 years!!!

Had my routine scheduled cancer scans early this morning and remain cancer free for my 12th year!!! There is always the anticipation and nervousness leading up to this day!! I am forever grateful to Inland Imaging for finding my breast cancer in the treatable stage and Cancer Care Northwest for getting me cancer free!!! Early detection saves lives!! #cancerfree #inlandimaging #survivor #12years #cancercarenorthwest #earlydetection

#StandUpToCancer

#grateful #blessed

Winter Has Arrived

Winter has arrived in Spokane!!! #winterishere #riversidestatepark #challengeyourself #beautifulsnow #outonthetrails #bundleup

Deep Creek Canyon

Great hike today into the Deep Creek Canyon area of Riverside State Park! Wet and damp, but nothing beats a day outside in the woods getting away from the stress of our daily lives!! #deepcreekcanyon #riversidestatepark #getoutside #challengeyourself

NAU Womens Basketball

Great time supporting my friend Coach Loree Payne and her Northern Arizona University Women’s basketball team for their season opener against WSU! Fun game cheering for the Lumberjacks at our first basketball game in almost 2 years!!! Go Jacks!!! #nauwomensbasketball #lumberjacks #seasonopener

I Love My City

I am so blessed that all of my travel has allowed me to see so much of our amazing nation, but I am the most happy when the wheels of the plane touch down here at home. I love this city of mine! #spokanewashington #hometowngirl #riverfrontpark #riverfrontparkclocktower #blessedandgrateful #spokaneriver #beautifulfallday

The Color Pink

As Breast Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close the color pink reminds me everyday of what I have overcome! #gopink #breastcancerawarenessmonth #fight #hope #survivor #blessed

Retro Donuts

Thanks so much to Jon from Retro Donuts for surprising me with a dozen Pink Ribbon donuts to celebrate breast cancer awareness month! What a fun experience to be invited here early this morning to receive these hot out of the oven!!! As a survivor celebrating 12 years cancer free this month, days like today are pretty awesome!!! I can’t thank you enough Jon!!! 🎀🎀#pinkdonuts #breastcancerawarenessmonth #retrodonuts #gopink #PinkRibbonDay #fight #pinkwarrior #fightlikeahero #superhero

Steam Plant Stacks

So cool to see the Steam Plant stacks lite up Pink last night in downtown Spokane for Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Thanks for supporting the cause!!! #steamplant #pinkstacks #GoPink #breastcancerawareness #supportingthefighters

12 years

It was on this exact day 12 years ago that I heard those three words “You Have Cancer” and my life has forever been changed! I celebrated my special day today by hiking to the summit of cold and wet Quartz Mountain to prove that I am stronger than cancer and that cancer picked the wrong woman to mess with!!! #12yearscancerfree #GoPinkInOctober #cancerovercomer #blessedandgrateful #strongerthancancer #WarriorStrong #SurvivorStrong

My Hero

As I celebrate my 12th year as a cancer survivor this month I am forever grateful to my amazing surgical oncologist Dr Stephanie Moline from Cancer Care Northwest that I had the pleasure of seeing last week! It is a very powerful and emotional feeling to stand next to the person who saved my life! #12yearscancerfree #CancerCareNW #myhero #GoPinkInOctober #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth #getyourmammogram

Anchorage Police Department

I have experienced some amazing opportunities the last 12 years as a breast cancer survivor, and traveling to Anchorage, Alaska a few months ago to do a ride along in this Awesome Pink unit with the Anchorage Police Department was pretty Epic!!! It is something that I will remember for a very long time! Thin Blue Line Against Breast Cancer! #thinblueline #epicopportunity #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth #pinkcopsrock #anchoragepolicedepartment

Essential Womans Boutique

What a  special day to stop in to see these ladies to help me celebrate 12 years cancer free! They have been part of my cancer journey working closely with Cancer Care Northwest for all of my post breast cancer needs! Thank you for the awesome pink ribbon cookies and for being in my cancer fighting circle the last 12 years!! #pinkribboncookies #cancerwarrior #breastcancerawareness #GoPink #CancerCareNW #proudsurvivor #12yearsandcounting

Great Day!!

Beautiful day in the mountains today! I am much stronger both mentally and physically than I was 12 years ago before my cancer diagnosis. As the distance between myself and cancer gets further away, I no longer live in fear and I have so much more to live!! #SurvivorStrong #12yearscancerfree #challengeyourself #livelifewell #strongerthanyesterday

Tackle Breast Cancer

I not only Tackled Breast Cancer…I gave it a 15 yard penalty for roughing the kicker, a 10 yard penalty for offsides, and a 5 yard penalty for illegal motion…AND Sacked it for a substantial loss!!! I would say I won the game by a score of 12 years-0!!!!!! #tacklebreastcancer #12yearsurvivor #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth #beatingcancer #pinkfootballgames

Cancer Care NW

A special moment early this morning to present a check for $1,000 to Dr Stephanie Moline and the Cancer Care Northwest Foundation for the money I raised from my breast cancer awareness fundraiser last week! Words can not describe what it feels like to stand beside the surgical oncologist who saved my life 12 years ago! I am forever grateful to Cancer Care Northwest and this amazing woman! #cancernw #grateful #survivor #breastcancerawarenessmonth #foundationfundraiser

I Wear Pink

Pink is more than just a color to me….it represents Hope for all those challenged by breast cancer. As a Survivor I proudly wear the color pink everyday for the month of October to remind myself what I have overcome!!! 🎀🎀 #wearpink #represent #survivor #iwearpink #inoctoberwewearpink #gopink #hope #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth

Pink Ribbon Run

Today would have been the 5th annual Pink Ribbon Run here in Spokane and for the 2nd year in a row it was held virtually! I completed the 5k today on my own and was so honored that the Every Woman Can organization hand delivered this awesome sign to honor us Survivors! Being recognized as a breast cancer survivor is so special as I celebrate my 12th year cancer free! Thanks to Deb Barnes and the entire EWC organization for making this day of celebration so special!!!!  #PinkRibbonRun #breastcancersurvivor #SurvivorStrong #GoPink #12yearsurvivor

Welcome to October

Welcome to October and Breast Cancer Awareness Month! As a Survivor this entire month is a special celebration of beating cancer! And today I begin the month by honoring Cancer Care Northwest for being in my corner and for fighting as hard as I was to overcome this nasty disease! #pinkpower #CCNW #breastcancerawarenessmonth #SurvivorStrong #cancercarenorthwest #beatingcancer #overcomer

Knothead Valley Trail

Challenging hike today to the top of Knothead Valley and continuing to kick cancers ass one summit at a time!!! I am getting so excited for Breast Cancer Awareness month to begin next Friday October 1st!!! #challengeyourself #breastcancerawarenessmonth #survivor #cancerfree #kickingcancersbooty

CCNW

I had organized a breast cancer awareness motorcycle ride fundraiser to benefit the Cancer Care Northwest Foundation this Saturday September 25th but the decision was made to cancel the event due to the rise of Covid-19 causes in Spokane. After it was cancelled my supporters rallied around me and we raised over $1,000 for the Foundation. I stopped by CCNW today to bring them some of the pink ribbon bandannas from the fundraiser!!! I am forever grateful to Cancer Care Northwest for the amazing treatmentt I received to be counted as a Cancer Survivor!!! #ccnwf #CCNW #survivor #breastcancerawareness #blessed #grateful

In October We Wear Pink

Next month will not only be breast cancer awareness month, but it will be my 12th anniversary as a cancer survivor! After hearing those words “you have cancer” your life is forever changed. I have put hundreds of miles between myself and cancer the last 11+ years on the roads and on the trails. I will continue to bring awareness that life after cancer is pretty awesome!!! #warriorstrong #survivor2021  #cancerfree #breastcancerawareness #GoPinkInOctober #lifeaftercancer #challengeyourself #inoctoberwewearpink

WSP Pink Ribbon Hat

Scored one of these limited edition Washington State Patrol Pink Ribbon hats to be ready for the upcoming month of October! The Washington State Patrol does an amazing job supporting breast cancer awareness each year! I will wear it proudly as both a Survivor and a fierce supporter of law enforcement!! #pinkcopsrock #breastcancerawareness #octoberwewearpink #wastatepatrol #washingtonstatepatrol #survivor

20 Years

The best way I know how to pay tribute to this day is to head to the solitude of the mountains. I completed 9.11 wet and foggy miles to honor the heroism and bravery of the first responders lost 20 years ago! My participation in this 9.11 Mile Memorial Challenge benefits the non profit organization Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund that provides tuition assistance to the dependents of the law enforcement officers and firemen lost that dreadful day protecting our citizens! #NeverForget911 #fallenheroes #firstrespondersareheroes #nypd #nyfd #familiesoffreedom #911milechallenge

Priceless

I will be celebrating my 12 year cancer free milestone next month, so this statement is definitely Priceless to me!!! #12yearsurvivor #breastcancerawarenessmonth #CCNW #WarriorStrong

Awesome Day

As breast cancer awareness month and my 12th anniversary as a cancer survivor draws near, I am reminded everyday what I have overcome! I am very blessed to be healthy and continue to challenge myself daily!!! #challengeyourself #cancersurvivor #12yearsandcounting #fitandhealthy

Challenge Yourself

When I finished my 314th marathon 2 years ago and retired after 30 years of running 26.2 mile races, I went looking for another way to challenge myself. I found my new challenge by hiking for 5-6 hours at elevation high up in the mountains every weekend and it has transformed both my mind and my body! Not only are the soft dirt trails easier on my body, but the quiet solitude of being up in the mountains is a great escape from the craziness of the world! #SurvivorStrong #11YearSurvivor #reachforthesummit #challengeyourself #mountainsarecalling

Quartz Mt Loop

A foggy and wet 5 hour hike up in the mountains today! Loved the cooler weather after the blazing hot summer we have had here in Spokane!!! #challengeyourself #mtspokanestatepark #foggyandwet #5300ft

Det Brian Orchard

I was out of town and missed the memorial sign dedication for fallen Spokane Police Department Detective Brian Orchard. I stopped by yesterday to honor this fallen hero and pay my respects. Det Orchard is buried in the same area as my mother at Holy Cross Cemetery, so when I am visiting my mother’s grave I always stop and thank him for giving the ultimate sacrifice to serve and protect! It gives me comfort knowing my mother has a brave law enforcement officer nearby to protect her! #neverforget #fallenhero #ultimatesacrifice #spokanepolicedepartment #holycrosscemetary #heroinblue #honorourfallenheroes

Go Buffs!

An absolute pleasure to meet up with my good friend JR Payne, head coach of the University of Colorado women’s basketball team! What an honor to receive a tour of her entire team facility on the Boulder campus!! #gobuffs #universityofcolorado #LadyBuffs #Pac12 #fierce #boulder

Colorado Rockies

Awesome few days in beautiful Boulder exploring some amazing and challenging hiking trails in the Colorado Rockies!!! #7400ftelevation #OxygenNotIncluded #getoutside #challengeyourself #beautifulboulder #coloradorockies

University of Colorado

Dream come true to be here on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder!!! Go Buffs!!!!! #universityofcolorado #milehighcity #gobuffs

Coping With Cancer

Honored to be recognized as a cancer survivor in the July/August issue of the national magazine Coping With Cancer!  This issue profiled everyone celebrating National Cancer Survivors Day on June 6th and I was down at the San Diego Zoo that day celebrating with the powerful lions! I am a Survivor, hear me Roar!!!! #NCSD2021 #sandiegozoo #powerfullions #11yearsurvivor #WarriorStrong #SurvivorStrong #cancercreateswarriors #hearmeroar

Happy Birthday in Heaven

Stopped in to wish my Mom a Happy 89th Birthday today and it made me smile when I saw her favorite sunflowers blooming right nearby! And when I returned home to find a Massachusetts State Police shirt had arrived from her home state, I decided it was a very special Heavenly Birthday for my Mom!!! #happybirthdayinheaven #sunflowersformymom #MassachusettsStatePolice #34yearstoolong

Beautiful Sunflower Fields

After covering close to 50 miles of hiking in the last 8 days, we rewarded ourselves with the breathtaking beauty of the magnificent sunflower fields north of Spokane! #sunflowerfields #northspokanecounty #americathebeautiful #milesofhiking #challengeyourself #ReadyForARest

Eagles Car Show

Such a great time volunteering with Inland Northwest Honor Flight at the Eagles car show this morning! It was so good to see my Honor Flight peeps!!! Can’t wait until our next trip to Washington DC with our military veterans! #inlandnorthwesthonorflight #eaglescarshow #LoveMyMilitary #supportveterans

Great day of hiking

What an amazing hike today here in Sitka. We were so blessed to start our hike at the harbor, continue along the river and up into the rainforest! A few trails were closed because of recent bear activity, but there was spectacular scenery everywhere we look!! Loved being in the cool, wet weather! #sitkaalaska #indianrivertrail #sitkaharbor #rainforest #americathebeautiful #lovetheweather #spectacularviews

Sitka, Alaska

Gorgeous weather today to be out enjoying the beauty of Sitka, Alaska! Always wear a life jacket! Safety first! #sitkaalaska #safetyfirst #sitkaharbor #alaskasunshine