She hated running, until one day it saved her life.

Running saved my life.

Last October, I went running with friends. By the afternoon, I became violently ill. I had emergency surgery a week later and doctors removed an 11-centimeter tumor sitting on top of my small intestine.

It was stage 3 synovial sarcoma, a rare form of tissue cancer. So rare, in fact, only 20 people have ever been diagnosed with it in their intestine.

Doctors told me the jostling motion of running brought the presence of the tumor to the surface and that even two months later, I may not have been here to share my story.

The experience — from the emergency room visit to the 15 days of hospitalized chemotherapy — has brought new perspective to how I view running and this community.

Two years ago, I would have told you I would only run if I was being chased. I loathed it.

Then my daughter, Berit, joined the Girls On The Run program at her elementary school, and quickly caught the running bug.

I was looking for a way to connect with her and decided to start joining her. She and I made a pact in 2016 to run at least 5Ks together. We ran our seventh 5K two days before my ER visit.

During my chemotherapy treatment, I shared my story about running and cancer on Facebook and in online running forums.

Strangers from across the country started running a mile a day for me until I could run again. A friend’s husband dedicated his first marathon to me and another friend.

The running community became a source of inspiration and strength. I read countless stories of people from around the world who had reversed diabetes, lost weight or beat illnesses because of running.

Others are inspiring because they had the mindset to set a goal and meet it. They were all runners. Then I realized, I’m a runner, too.

While still in my hospital bed, I started signing up for races I wanted to do when I was no longer restricted by a low white blood cell count or ravaged by fatigue.

The first race I wanted to do was a 5K on my 40th birthday on the same course where I’d run the Girls On The Run 5K with Berit. I prompted friends to join me if they were free.

On Feb. 18, a month after finishing chemo, I ran that 5K with 60 relatives, friends and members of the community. I’m now four months out from chemotherapy — and cancer free.

I’ve returned to races with my favorite runner, Berit, and we’ve recruited my son, Ben, to join us too.

Now I’m hoping to give back to the people who rallied around our family, by becoming more involved in the running community.

I’m trying a new challenge and serving as race director for the Three Rivers Road Runners Club’s 39th annual Shoreline Run on July 15 in Howard Amon Park.

For more information about the race or to learn how to become a race sponsor, go to 3rrr.org.

This story was originally published May 29, 2017 at 4:32 PM with the headline "She hated running, until one day it saved her life.."