05/11/2025
'But Santa, I Won't be Able to Smile or take Photos'
Interview with Elina Ribakova by George Banker
The following is appropriate for the opening of the journey of Elina Ribakova that comes from the book “GRIT :The Power of Passion and Perseverance,” by Angela Duckworth.
”To be gritty is to keep putting one foot in front of the other. To be gritty is to hold fast to an interesting and purposeful goal. To be gritty is to invest, day after week after year, in challenging practice. To be gritty is to fall down seven times and rise eight.”
In reading the words of Ribakova, there were three words that came to mind: consistent, insistent, and persistent. The words describe her personality. There was never a decision to give up but to “fight.” I quickly concluded that Ribakova was not seeking sympathy, but support.
Over a few weeks, Ribakova and I exchanged emails in which she shared her April goal. I quickly realized that the goal was attainable, and her determination was going to get her across the finish line.
When in play, it is difficult to know what challenge a person faces. We both realized there were limitations, and the basic decision was “give in” or “get out.” We have a passion for what we do, so it was an easy call, “get out,” and hit the road. You reach a point where it does not matter how fast, but making each step count and the time will take care of itself.
Take the next few minutes to learn about Ribakova’s journey. You may realize that you know another person who is on their journey. You can provide the support.
“I had my operation for the most aggressive breast cancer in November, just finished my 12-week chemo, and started my 4-week radiology today. I will continue my chemo/immunotherapy injections every 3 weeks for the rest of the year. Getting out of bed is often a struggle. My feet burn, my legs swell, I cough, I feel like vomiting. I see my cardiologist regularly,” stated Ribakova.
What was your WHY for getting involved in the sport of running?
It's a sport I can take anywhere with me, which pairs well with tourism and doesn't require any special equipment. The “easiest” sport. I have done Taekwondo in the past, some yoga, and I love skiing. But then I had a lot of injuries, and running helped me recover from them. Of course, I underwent extensive rehabilitation before resuming running.
Did you take part in any other activities?
I’d love to do yoga or Pilates, but I'm not impatient and find it hard to do it at home alone. I do weights and mobility as I believe one cannot just run without supporting exercises. I love skiing.
What has been a memorable running event where you did all the right things right?
The most memorable was regaining the ability to run again after a knee injury that I got thanks to one of those “look what I can do” skiing moments. I couldn't run for over four months; my leg was too weak and too broken. I remember running my first 5K and being grateful that I had regained my essential mobility.
Do you think running is emotional?
Running is meditative; most of the time, I run without listening to anything or even without friends. I love running in unknown places, as it's my form of “tourism.” I run slowly, stop to take photos, and enjoy exploring. I do not watch my time. Running is also about friendships. We have a group of friends that run together, and many times, I would have never dragged myself out, particularly during my months of chemo. We are all at different levels and no one ever is competitive. It is all about comradery and having fun.
What goals do you set for events? Was it for a time or place?
This year, it is to start and to finish. I got diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer in October, had my operation in November, and then harsh weekly chemo till February and a month of radiology. I will continue with other less intense treatments for the remainder of this year. My plan for this year is to run a half marathon. My original plan was to try for a time target, but after all the treatments, it was to start and finish comfortably. That’s why the April Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-mile run is a great intermediate target.
When did your body let you know that something was not right?
I think of my body as a highly complex bio-robot; of course, some things need to be maintained, and others will inevitably break. So, I welcome my body giving signs. I once “raced” my German shepherd up the hill and collapsed with sciatica; three of the nerves in my lower back got pinched. Well, it was a harsh signal that I needed to do more work on my core. I recovered and am back to running, no stress.
Another time, I found that something was off on one of my breasts where my running bra hit it. It turned out to be breast cancer. Fortunately, doctors detected the cancer early, despite its aggressive nature. Bad luck happens, so I am dealing with it now.
What was the mental preparation for the journey ahead?
More recently, I learned new “tricks.” First, I need to enjoy what I do; and it means I need to enjoy running. I am over sports “achievements” when one vomits and continues running; I no longer believe that this kind of pressure is healthy. Second, sometimes, one needs to get up and do it. I know that after my training or the first few kilometers, I will feel much better than before, and I always have the option to turn around and come home. Almost always, I feel better afterward. Finally, and this is the point that took me the longest to understand, recovery time is crucial. Not sleeping enough is almost detrimental.
Can you share a few emotional low and high points?
Every time I feel well, it's a high point; when I can run, be active, and do my work without forcing myself, but simply because I can, that's a high point. Remarkably, we often fail to appreciate all the good times in our lives when we are healthy enough.
There were a few emotional lows during cancer; it is ok; one must be ready. Rising in the morning can be so challenging that it is a low point. Sometimes, the overall discomfort with one's body gets so much that one wants to lie in the middle of the room and howl, which I did; I feel bad for my kids and for my neighbors. One of the worst side effects for me was the burning of my feet and arms, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy; the pain is so intense that one feels like chopping off my arms and feet. Fortunately, it stopped while I was running, so maybe that’s why I ran as much.
There were “well-wishers” who told, without first-hand knowledge, how awful I would feel under chemo, how I would barely be able to move, and that I should give up on staying active. Fortunately, I did not listen to them. My doctors said I could do it. My nurses, coach, family, friends, and dogs were my real supporters. I did my cardio tests (one of my drugs can be detrimental to my heart), I listened to my body, and I ran to have something to look forward to, cope with my side effects, and stay sane. There is now increasingly more research on exercise during cancer treatments https://www.mskcc.org/research-areas/topics/exercise-oncology
What is it that gives you the “fight” to focus forward and not look in the rear-view mirror?
People like yourself! People who start running later in life have all these amazing achievements. Everyone is dealing with some “issues,” recovery from injuries, health issues, or family drama. I also googled about running on chemo and a few stories inspired me as well as MSK research that exercising during chemo improves outcomes.
How important is it to have a support group?
A support group is crucial. I got two of the best pieces of advice for coping with cancer (and likely any major life shocks). One, take the support that friends offer you; do not be shy. Two, do not be afraid to ask for help. For me, the last 6 months have been entirely a team effort; my husband, kids, dogs, friends, colleagues, doctors, nurses, and coach are the ones who made it possible. Speaking with other cancer survivors, especially with a similar protocol and activity ambitions, really helped me. For me, a sense of humor and as little drama as possible is a must.
Who are the Fen Masters Begunji?
Hahaha. This is a funny mix of the essential motivators for me, my dogs, and my running group. The first part refers to one of my dogs. I often run with two of my big dogs. I do not allow them to pull, and one of them really likes to run at a fast pace, something that is not possible for me at the moment. So the first 1-2 kilometer is a tough and mightily annoying negotiation on whose pace prevails. She is very hard-headed.
The second part refers to our chat “runners” where we are a group of friends of unique ability each dealing with her own issues, as one does in life, get together to run at least on a weekly basis. Without them I would have had a hard time running even without chemo, but with chemo there is no way I could run without them. They’d be very patient and run slower for me when I could barely move or even walk some of the way. Thank you!
How did the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile be that event to show you are still in the game?
It is such a quintessential DC event that everyone wants to visit DC to see the cherry blossoms; it is one of the prettiest times of the year. I enjoy “tourism running” when I can run and see the city. Finally, it comes at the perfect time; by the end of March, I will have finished my weekly chemo and radiology, and it will serve as a great intermediate target before my half marathon in the summer.
How do you manage your schedule with the doctor visits and training?
Thank you for asking; most people do not appreciate that besides all the pain of the side effects of cancer treatments, there is a vast administrative and financial burden. We are very fortunate to have health insurance that covers most of the treatments. However, the administrative aspect can be overwhelming; I sometimes had three doctor visits per day in different parts of town with different follow-ups. I am so lucky that my husband took care of that. There were days when I couldn't bring myself to call to make an appointment, let alone drive myself there because I didn't feel well enough. Fighting cancer requires a team effort. One of my close friends came to stay with me every month, which also helped a lot.
My running goal was my light at the end of the tunnel. One day, I will be healthy, and it will be behind me. Running also helped a lot to alleviate many symptoms of chemo. There were many days when I would stay in bed all day, only getting out for a run and then going straight back to bed. I had some friends who didn't run and would offer to go for a walk, and I'd refuse because I felt I wanted to save my energy for a run if I managed to get out of bed.
What do you want the reader to know about Elina?
That I plan to enjoy the race! Before cancer, we discussed time targets with my running coach Santa, and sometimes she’d give me a target, and I would say: “But, Santa, I won’t be able to smile and take photos!” And she laughs because, of course, during the competitions, we all try to push ourselves. This time, I don't have a specific time target; simply starting and finishing is already an effort. But I am here; I ran with a crazy sports bra after the operation, I ran through rehab after the operation, I ran through chemo, I ran through radiology, and I ran as my feet were on “fire” from side effects. I am here, and I plan to have a good time.
On Sunday, April 6, 2025, Elina chased after her dream of running in the 52nd Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run in Washington, DC.
I could have run much faster, so I'm disappointed, too, but given that a few weeks ago I couldn’t do even a few miles (it felt like hitting the wall!), I started slowly to make sure I could make it to the end. So, I enjoyed the entire run and didn’t feel I was dying at the finishing line. I also thought it wouldn’t be healthy. Now the thing is to keep going. I want to do a half marathon in the summer. I need to re-read your story for inspiration!
Check out my running activity on Garmin Connect. https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/18748772128
Thoughts/feelings from the start line to mile 5.
I focused on finishing the 10 miles and enjoying myself. I noticed some people were out of breath at miles 4-5, and I felt this was not how I wanted to run. I prepared; I wanted to enjoy myself. So, I checked my watch to ensure I was going slowly enough.
Thoughts/feelings from mile 5 to the finish line.
I felt strong and decided this was the time to start slowly picking up pace. I needed to pass people as I signed myself into the slower group. The weaving and passing were a bit challenging. But being in a group overall and observing people was entertaining. Everyone had their level of preparedness, their pace, their story, and it was so lovely to be here that I didn’t even use my earphones.
Thoughts/feelings after the race.
I had lots of mixed emotions. I wanted to cry joyfully for having made it; I was also disappointed with myself for not running faster as I had energy left. Overall, I am grateful to my family, friends, doctors, and organizers (George, especially) for this fantastic opportunity. It was a healthy, well-structured run that I could enjoy, and as I recover, I can set more ambitious targets. When I told my doctors before my treatment started in October that I planned to do it, they first laughed and then said, "Well, actually, I think you will."
Ribakova will not be denied as there are new goals to set so she can “smile and take pictures.”
Distance 16.25 km | Time 1:41:48 | Pace 6:16 /km | Elevation 35 m
