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Still Running Strong

   Written by on January 15, 2016 at 9:37 am

Longwood Coach Overcomes Cancer, Selected for World Championship Triathlon

By Crystal Vandegrift, Staff Writer

FARMVILLE – At 45, Catherine Hanson has faced a lot of challenges. This fall, she will face yet another, but this time by choice.

Longwood Coach HansonHanson, Longwood University’s Head Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Coach, has been chosen to participate in the 2016 World Championship Triathlon as a member of Team USA.

Hanson, who labels herself as a lifetime runner, began competing in triathlons three years ago after being diagnosed with cancer.

In the fall of 2008, Hanson received the life-changing news that she had esophageal cancer. Throughout her treatments, the coach never lost her desire to run. She recalls even taking her running shoes to chemo treatments. “I would take my running shoes and after treatments I would run, or attempt to run,” she said. “I had about a five-hour window before the chemo would make me sick and tired.”

Hanson has been in remission since December 2010, but the running alone became too much for her body.

“After chemo, my body just would not respond to the day in and day out of running. The impact on my body was just too much,” she explained. Before cancer, Hanson would run 75 to 85 miles a week. “Even reducing those miles did not work,” she said.

“With cancer and not being able to run like I was before I just lost who I was. When you lose that part of who you’ve been nothing takes that place…it’s tough.”

This is where Hanson got the idea to try other sports. “Biking and swimming are lower impact sports,” she said.

Fast forward to today and Hanson has received many medals and achievements in her age bracket for triathlon competitions, even competing in the USA Nationals last August, which qualified her for the World Championship. “Triathlons helped save my life and helped me regain my love and passion for life.

Today, the single mom of three boys is training for this September’s World Championship in Cozumel, Mexico.

This intense training includes biking 120 to 140 miles a week, running 45 to 50 miles a week and swimming 8000 yards a week in addition to weight lifting and other workouts.

As for the September 11-18 Championship, Hanson says she hopes to finish in the top 20 of her age group.

The triathlon will include a 750-meter open saltwater swim, 14-mile bike ride, and end with a 5K run.

“I’m nervous about competing,” she added. “But this is a gift to be able to compete. Trusting in God and my faith have gotten me through a lot of life challenges and if you have a passion for something and you achieve that, then that’s God.”

Hanson estimates that it will cost $3,000 to compete in the World Championship, and a Cancer To World Championship Fund has been established to help meet her goal.

To donate visit http://myevent.com/Catscancerfree//?1452188496

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