While training for the 2016 L.A. Marathon, I started experiencing neuropathy every couple of miles. I finished the race without incident and only a little slower than my first marathon in 2008. I attribute this slowness to the very long bathroom line on the course.

After going gluten-free in 2017 and taking time off, the neuropathy subsided. Do I miss good baked goods? Yes, but no cookies is worth giving up running.

Selling my house; a big cross-country move; and pandemic provided multiple challenges to run consistently. As we ease into 2021, warmer and brighter days are coming. If I'm going to reboot my running without harming myself successfully (while on chemo), proper gear is required. I have the kicks, running tights, and wicking apparel, but the doxycycline will make me photosensitive, and I need to protect the skin at all costs.

Enter Coolibar, a company specializing in sun-protective clothing and hats, mostly for recreational activities. I may be more covered-up than most runners you see out there, but like giving up cookies, being a little warm is better than giving up running.