Run Happy

I run because I can. I run because I want to.  I run because I love to.

I never considered myself a runner. For 16 years I was a soccer player, not a runner, but a soccer player. I used to dread running. I cringed every time I heard my coach yell at us to “take a lap.”  But my dread turned to love when I moved to New Orleans.

I remember my first run down St. Charles Ave. The sun was shining and the streetcars were rolling past me. The gusts of wind as the streetcar passed brought moments of relief on that summer day. At the end of my two-mile run, I was hot, sweaty, and exhausted, but I felt exhilarated. I was experiencing my first “runner’s high.” My love for New Orleans continued to grow as I increased my mileage. I started to really appreciate the city’s architecture and nature. I ran past cute dogs and quirky groups of people. I became my own tour guide and delved even further in the city and its unique culture.

After a few weeks in New Orleans, I called myself a runner for the first time in my 18 years of life.  I keep running because I want to feel pain that I’ve never felt before. I want to overcome obstacles that I never knew existed. I want to experience every ounce of strength and determination and passion that I put in turning into something that I can be proud of.  I keep running because cancer changed my life and I want to change someone else’s. (Read more: 4K Profile)

Each of us has the power to make a difference and each of us has the power to change someone’s life. I encourage you, my friends, get out there and use what you love to make the world a better place.  You will not regret it. 

Please visit my page here.

“If you choose to use your status and influence to raise your voice on behalf of those who have no voice; if you choose to identify not only with the powerful but with the powerless; if you retain the ability to imagine yourself into the lives of those who do not have your advantages, then it will not only be your proud families who celebrate your existence, but thousands and millions of people whose reality you have helped change. We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have to the power to imagine better.” JK Rowling

Yes, I am Crazy!!

“Liz! You are crazy.” I have heard this phrase more in the past few months than I have throughout my previous 22 years of life. In fact, if I had $5 for every time someone directed that phrase towards me, I would probably have surpassed my goal of raising $20,000.

When I first received news that I had been accepted to the 4K for Cancer, I was ecstatic. I called my dad to share the exciting news, and he was the first of many to tell me I was nuts. I initially set my fundraising goal for $6,000, hoping I would be able to raise more than the Ulman Cancer Fund’s required $4,500 per participant. I was immediately overwhelmed by the words of encouragement and amount of donations that came pouring in within my first few weeks of fundraising.

The love and support from my friends, my family, and even complete strangers fueled a fire inside of me. I decided to live #Fast&Furious a la Paul Walker and “go big or go home,” so I set a new goal to raise $20,000. For one individual, $20,000 is a lot of things; $20,000 is a down payment on a house or a brand new car. But for one organization, $20,000 is so much more. $20,000 will help preserve fertility of 10,000 young adults before they begin cancer treatments. $20,000 will pay to keep the lights on for 400 patients during these treatments. $20,000 will provide college scholarships to 8 young adults battling cancer.

Every year nearly 70,000 young adults are diagnosed with #cancer. In fact, a cancer diagnosis between the ages of 15 and 40 is nearly eight times more common than such a diagnosis during the first 15 years of life. Cancer is the leading disease killer among 20-39 year olds.

These staggering statistics, like me, are crazy. I am crazy enough to not worry about the inevitable blisters, or muscle aches and pains along this journey. I am crazy enough to not care how often I sleep on the floor. I am crazy enough to believe that this run across America has the power to change the lives of so many young adults. So go ahead and call me crazy people, because I assure you, I am.  

Will you help me reach $20,000? Donate here

My Path to 4K for Cancer

In the summer of 2015 I am traveling with a group of college-aged students on a 49 day, 4,000+ mile run from San Francisco to Baltimore. My team and I will stop at cancer centers and hospitals along our route to meet paitents, hand out chemotherapy care packages and award college scholarships. Please join me as I run across America and support the fight against cancer! Cancer changes lives, but so can we!

I grew up in Dallas, Texas and enjoyed an active childhood. I participated in a wide array of sports – from soccer to track, even fencing. In the fall of 2010 I made my way to New Orleans to pursue my studies at Tulane University

Living in New Orleans post-Katrina has allowed me to see first hand the rebirth of an amazing city that now holds a place so near to my heart. New Orleans is arguably one of the most inspiring cities in the United States — New Orleans is no longer the poor city that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina – rather, it a city of rebirth, a city of hope, and a city of promise.

Over the last five years, I have seen how the strength and passion of people who are committed to a common cause have the power to create extraordinary change. This summer, I am so excited to participate in the 4K for Cancer because I believe that this cross-country run has the power to make profound improvements in the lives of so many people. Running across the country with a team of individuals who share my passion is how I believe I can create change right now. If I can make just one person smile along the way, I will consider my journey a success. Fighting cancer is horrible, but I believe that the love and support from people like those on my 4K team can help make the fight a little less awful.

My passion for fighting cancer is a result of my mother’s four year battle with breast cancer. I look back on pictures and can see the devastating effects of her cancer treatments. Each image serves as a reminder of the ruthless beast. Unfortunately, my story is one that is far too common. Cancer carries with it a very strong ripple effect; when the disease hits, it impacts not only the victims, but their friends, families and communities.

Exercise has always been a huge outlet for me, whether it’s Bikram yoga or a long run. Exercise isn’t just a hobby – it’s a lifestyle. When I run, I feel unstoppable. Every stride I take is a reminder of how fortunate I am to be healthy and able-bodied. Our lives really are determined not by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens.

As JK Rowling once said, “We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already; we have the power to imagine better.”

If you would like support my run, visit my 4K for Cancer profile: http://4kforcancer.org/profiles/liz-cowle/

Every mile matters and every dollar counts.