It's All about the Cake!

Jul 18, 2012 3:00 PM ET

DetermiNation Blog

By Nancy Cook

My occupation is a national director, working for the American Cancer Society – an job that I have loved since the day I began in the “field” 18 years ago. I am an event planner, volunteer manager, relationship coordinator, fundraiser — basically a party planner that celebrates & raises the much needed funds in the fight against cancer. We have this saying that “It’s not about the cake” – meaning that a celebration of survivorship should not center around getting a cake for everyone to eat, but there is so much more to planning this celebration.

BUT – In my running world it IS about the cake! When you set goals you also should set rewards for yourself – so you have an incentive, a little added meaning.  Something to really push you out there. Yes! Cake! I love cake, I love champagne! And bonus — June was my birthday month – so it is all even more acceptable to celebrate every day! As a cancer survivor celebrations mean so much more to me now than they ever did and as a planner, I love to envision how that success is going to feel and how I am going to cross the finish line and then CELEBRATE! The countdown has been ongoing and I am now 13 days from the start line in San Francisco.

When asked, my fellow San Francisco Ambassadors (a group of runners nationwide promoting the SF marathon) shared their favorite way to celebrate finishing a race.  Courtney of course eats some of her favorite pancakes! Charlie responds “I start with an ice bath, beer ( the good stuff, none of that light crap), and pepperoni pizza with extra cheese. & I always wear the shirt of the race afterward and once I take a shower”

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