Running to fight cancer

FRANK STRATIFF
news@recordargusnews.com

Published in the Greenville Record Argus on November 23, 2010

“It was never about finishing times. It was about stepping up to the line over and over again until we reached our goal and made a little difference in this world.” That’s what Greenville native Shawn Hammerschmidt said about his taking up the challenge to use endurance events to support the fight against cancer.

After running some 5Ks and participating in a few small runs, Hammerschmidt decided to enter his first half marathon, a run of just more than 13 miles, in June, 2006, saying he was asked to run this race by Nyree, a friend, who had beaten Hodgkins the previous year. This led Hammerschmidt to participate in the Disney Marathon in January, 2007, his first marathon, a distance of 26.2 miles, again at Nyree’s urging.

While battling cancer, Nyree made a sort of bucket list of things she wanted to do if she survived her battle with cancer. “Running a marathon was one of them,” Hammerschmidt said. Although unsure he could cover the 26.2 miles, Hammerschmidt finally agreed to run the marathon with Nyree.

As it turned out, Nyree suffered an injury during training and was unable to finish the Disney Marathon. Despite that disappointment, Hammerschmidt said the upside is that Nyree continues to be cancer free. Consequently, running became only part of the equation, a means to a far more important goal.

“For me this was the start of doing endurance events in support of the fight against cancer. Something about the fight against cancer and endurance events just seem to go hand-in-hand to me,” said Hammerschmidt about his continuing advocacy in the battle against cancer.

In 2007, Hammerschmidt decided to learn more about triathlons, participating in his first sprint triathlon in July of that year. Introduced to some people in southern Connecticut who were also interested in triathlons, Hammerschmidt began training with them in preparation for his first triathlon.

One of the members of the training group was a 50-something triathlon newcomer, Laurie. Over the summer, 2007, Hammerschmidt and Laurie became close friends. A month after the triathlon season ended, Hammerschmidt found out that Laurie had been diagnosed with breast cancer, another event that further influenced his running.
“As she got ready to take on this deadly fight, I made her a deal that I would keep running as long as she kept fighting. I would e-mail her about my training runs and she would e-mail me about her fight again breast cancer,” said Hammerschmidt, convinced that sharing his training regimen with Laurie helped to motivate her. “What she may not have realized is that she was inspiring me just as much.” True to his word to Laurie, Hammerschmidt returned to Florida in January, 2008 for his second Disney Marathon and in May, 2008 he entered the Vermont City Marathon.

“I’m happy to say that Laurie is cancer free today.” And, although she no longer competes in marathons, except for an occasional sprint triathlon, Hammerschmidt says that “Laurie remains a huge supporter of mine and every day an inspiration.”

Training, contends Hammerschmidt, tests one more than the actual races. Since there are two kinds of marathons and four kinds of triathlons (sprints, Olympics, half-iron distance and full-iron triathlons), training differs, usually lasting about four months for both the marathon and the half-iron triathlon, with the full-iron triathlon calling for seven or eight months of training. The race, then, is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Although he followed a beginners’ marathon training program for his first marathon, Hammerschmidt says that he now acts as his own trainer, designing his own training programs which last anywhere from two to six hours, taking parts of different programs and adapting them to suit his schedule and training. Hammerschmidt points out that training for half- and full-distance triathlons is more demanding because they combine three different sports, swimming, cycling and running. “I find programs online and adjust them. I have learned over the years that a training program needs to be flexible and more importantly you need to listen to your body,” Hammerschmidt said.

The largest endurance event that Hammerschmidt has entered is the Marine Corp Marathon which had about 20,000 runners. According to Hammerschmidt, the people who win these kinds of races are usually pros who run for a living. However, continues Hammerschmidt, “the neat thing about the marathons and the longer distance triathlons is that the amateurs line up right next to the pros. You compete against yourself.”

“The events are not about times and places,” continues Hammerschmidt, “but more about doing something to give back, feeling alive, and having a sense of accomplishment.” In other words, it’s the intrinsic rewards that really count.
Nonetheless, Hammerschmidt admits that he still sets goals that he tries to hit, including, for example, times that he wants to achieve. While stressing that there is no such thing as the perfect race, Hammerschmidt said it’s rather about “trying to manage your race and when something does go wrong, hamstring that is tight, a calf muscle that locks up, a kick in the face during a swim, a flat tire, you recover and continue.”

“Sometimes it’s harder than others. That’s the challenge. You put hours and hours and miles and miles of training in to prepare for these things and have the ability to physically and mentally fight through the issues and the pain,” Hammerschmidt said.

At the beginning of 2009, Hammerschmidt started training for his last challenge: To do three endurance events in four months while raising $5,000 for the Lazarex Cancer Foundation. Well, the challenge took 12 months and seven events to reach his goal, including three marathons, three half-iron distance triathlons and a full-distance triathlon.
“This challenge would push me beyond anything I thought possible for me. At the start I had no clue I would end this challenge with a 16-hour day and 140.6 miles,” Hammerschmidt said.

After four events, including the newly added Seattle Marathon, Hammerschmidt had raised $3,500, far short of his goal of $5,000. After taking a month off and all the while feeling that he had failed, something he could not live with, Hammerschmidt added three events to try to reach his goal of $5,000 to fight cancer.

Hammerschmidt said he was amazed by both his contributors and his support group. Like most human endeavors, the race is not a solo performance, with Hammerschmidt pointing out that his race- support group, jokingly nicknamed “Donkeys,” provides needed services and support during a race. “No one can do these events without them. Trust me when I tell you that I have never crossed the finish line alone,” he said.

After fighting through a series of nagging injuries, Hammerschmidt finally entered the Sandusky, Ohio triathlon injury free. “One day 140.6 miles in 16 hours. It would be a long day but well worth it,” Hammerschmidt said. “We actually raised $5,325. And along the way we hopefully helped people fight the fight and inspired others.”

A 1993 Greenville High School and a 1999 West Virginia University graduate, Shawn is the son of Greenville residents Jim and Shirley Hammerschmidt who have expressed pride in what their son is doing to support the fight again cancer. “We’re pleased Shawn has found an activity he enjoys and proud that he cares enough to use these endurance events to raise money to fight cancer,” Shirley said.

Hammerschmidt admits that cancer patients’ bravery motivates him, drives him to continue running.
“When I feel like I cannot put one foot in front of the other anymore, their stories and the encouraging words of the people who have supported me help carry me through the pain,” he said. “Every time I cross the finish line, I am amazed.”