Peach Podcast
Two guys and an occasional guest breaking open topics on: Purpose, Energy, Attitude, Commitment and Health through shared experiences.
Peach Podcast
S3EP02: Cancer Diagnosis and Coaching Young Champions with Tony Kyaw!
What happens when a fit, active runner who coaches youth track suddenly faces a prostate cancer diagnosis? For our guest this week, Tony Kyaw , this unexpected health crisis became both a physical and mental marathon – one that would transform his approach to life, family, and personal goals.
Tony's story begins with a routine physical that revealed slightly elevated PSA levels. Despite being physically active and feeling healthy, this early warning sign led to further testing and ultimately a cancer diagnosis that shook his world. Most remarkable was Tony's experience of living with known cancer for nearly six months before undergoing surgery, creating what he describes as a strange limbo where "some days I forgot I had cancer."
Throughout this deeply personal conversation, Tony shares how his background as a cross-country runner provided mental fortitude during treatment, how coaching youth track gave him purpose during recovery, and how a simple 150-day pushup challenge became a powerful father-son bonding ritual with his fourth-grade son. Their side-by-side commitment to daily pushups on the living room floor perfectly symbolizes how adversity can strengthen family connections.
With one in seven men facing prostate cancer during their lifetime, Tony's candid discussion of symptoms, testing, and treatment options offers potentially life-saving information. His willingness to share the emotional and psychological aspects of his journey – from initial diagnosis shock to wrestling with treatment options to redefining his goals post-recovery – creates an invaluable roadmap for anyone facing serious health challenges.
As Tony reflects on redefining his competitive drive from personal achievement to nurturing young athletes, we witness the profound personal growth that can emerge from life's most challenging moments. His story reminds us that our greatest setbacks often become the foundation for unexpected comebacks and new directions that bring deeper fulfillment than we imagined possible.
Ready for inspiration that might change your perspective on health, challenge, and resilience? Join us for this moving conversation that will leave you reflecting on how you might face your own storms with greater courage and purpose.
Hey, hey, hey. Welcome to the Peach Podcast. Just a couple of dudes and an occasional guest breaking open topics from everyday life on purpose, energy, attitude, commitment and health. So, if you're ready, listen in as we live to learn from our losses, gain from our gratitude and laugh as we level up to learn from our losses, gain from our gratitude with Doug and Daryl. If you're a first-time listener, welcome. Welcome.
Speaker 1:If you want to know what the peach in our peach podcast stands for, I encourage you to go to episode one in season one and listen in. It's a really cool story. If you're listening to this podcast, I just want to commend you and celebrate you and encourage you, man, because it tells me that you are into running into some setbacks and turning them into comebacks. Or maybe you want to know the formulas. We're going to keep interviewing people. Daryl and I are going to continue sharing our own stories so that inside those stories you'll find little formulas, little bits and pieces, little pieces of wisdom that are going to teach you how to get from a setback to a comeback. And maybe, if you are someone who has had a setback and turned it into a comeback, we would love to hear from you. There's a little section in the show notes that says text us. You can text us your name, your information and we will contact you, listen to your story and see if it's a great fit and if you're ready to go, we'd love to have you on the show. Or if you know somebody like that, we would love to have them on the show. Have you on the show. Or if you know somebody like that, we would love to have them on the show. So reach out, reach out.
Speaker 1:Also, at the end of every podcast show, we do what's called a quote card, where Daryl or myself will throw out a quote and the other person, daryl or myself, will kind of contemplate and share what we think that quote means to us in this moment. And if we have a guest on which we do today, the guest will have a chance to share what that quote means to them as well. So we would love for our listeners to share what they think about the quote, what they got from the quote or if they have any quotes. Please, please, please, share some quotes you think would be really cool for Daryl and I to ponder, consider and share on an upcoming episode. So, without further ado, let me go to my co-host, daryl Daryl, what's going on with you this week, brother? I know you're getting ready for something big coming up this weekend, but why don't you share a little bit about that and then you can introduce our guest?
Speaker 2:Silver moon, silver lake, silver, something I don't know. Eric and I were chatting about a month ago and I said what are we going to do after Shamrock? And I said we're going to start biking. And then he, uh, he came up with this thing. Eric is awesome at researching things and he came up with a what he called. It was his Masogi, and he's dragging me along with it and dragging Doug too. Yeah, so this weekend, this Saturday, we are going to be on a ultra six hour run. It starts at 6 PM and goes till midnight. The reason it's called Silver Moon it's a full moon. By the way, we're doing the small portion. There's a six, a 12, a 24 and a hundred miles. So we're going to be like the little amateurs at the very front of this. So we're going to give it a shot. Doug's coming down. Doug, I got some walkie talkies Today. Doug's going to be, managing all the things.
Speaker 2:He's going to help pace us get everything organized. Coach defresh in the house deflex, so he's going to be interviewing people along the way. So it's going to be a fun time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I'm looking forward to coming down and hanging out. I'm not going to be running the six hours with the boys, but I'm going to be there with the boys. I've got some foot injury stuff going on and I really need to take care of it. I will be pacing a lap here and there when you guys are looking tired or just need some encouragement, which is that's my jam. Man is just encouraging people, so I look forward to being the encourager I. I will have your snacks all nice and pretty on the snack table when you come around the band, and some electrolytes, whatever you need. Big D, you know I got you this time. It's going to be fun supporting you guys.
Speaker 2:It's going to be great.
Speaker 1:It's going to be great. So, Darrell, who do we got on today, man?
Speaker 2:Well, you know, every once in a while you have those opportunities you know we all look back at came out of COVID as well. One of the things is we had Ava Jo going to school. By the way, or where she's going to school, there was a school brand new school built. She was going to be the first class into it and COVID hit and we sat around and said what are we going to do with our daughter? Right Cause this day you know what to do. So we went around and research and we ended up finding a finding just a real awesome place called St Mel's. It's a Catholic school and we thought, maybe six months, maybe we'll put in there for a semester. Well, it's been four or five years now We've been there and it's been wonderful. But I'll tell you what. It's also about the people that I've met there and they were great.
Speaker 2:The first year, covid, you didn't meet a lot of the parents because you just dropped off your kid and you left and everything, and I kept hearing about this wonderful community and everything else and it was wonderful. So we've got Tony Kahn here. We've known each other for about five years Officially, maybe we saw each other waving in COVID or this. But once it got back you know the wives they do. Tony was like the wives do a great job of getting together, but the husbands kind of got together and I got to know Tony a lot and Tony's been an absolute blessing in knowing him. One of those people that you meet and he's always got a smile on his face, always got a good heart and really learned a lot about him and so it's been great getting to know him. We'll let him talk about himself, but overall got a great story here about himself, his health. He's a runner. He's a real runner, right Doug.
Speaker 1:Right, right, yeah, yeah, yeah, legit runner right. In his own mind, he is, he is.
Speaker 2:He's also a cyclist we've gone at and everything else, but also what I appreciate about Tony is just being able to be real, open and honest about things and reaching out and talking about things, and you've got to know him as well.
Speaker 1:So, tony, welcome and tell us about Tony. Yeah, come on, tony Welcome.
Speaker 3:Yeah, thank you, doug, thank you, daryl, for having me on. This is great. Your show is awesome. I really appreciate you having me on. So, yeah, tony Kwa, yeah, like Daryl said, we met through school. My son is classmates with, you know, with Daryl's daughter, and such a great school, great community. But, yeah, so I don't know a little bit about myself. I never think that I'm too exciting, but you know, I grew up in the Bay Area. I'm the only child. I'm a Burmese and Filipino descent. My dad was Burmese, my mom was Filipino I say was because they both now since passed and so. But I grew up, you know, pretty normal childhood, I think. You know I was a pretty nerdy kid. You know I was not really super athletic but I liked, you know, playing basketball and you know athletic but I liked, um, you know playing basketball and you know courtyard with my, you know my buddies and you used to run around a lot and um and then some.
Speaker 3:Somehow in middle school I learned the you know the like, the beauty of, like food and pork chops and rice and all this other stuff and I got a little chunky and I got a little, I got a little heavy and I had this nickname called meatball. You know, call me so I don't really show that too often, not that it's like any secret or anything, but it's just I tend to forget, I think. But you know, then I started shedding the pounds when I started playing basketball in junior high, so that was fun, it was a good time. Went to high school at Sarah High School in the Bay Area. That's where everybody knows Tom Brady, you know the Patriots and the Bucks and you know Lin Swan from the Steelers. He went to my high school as well, lin.
Speaker 1:Swan, I didn't know that.
Speaker 3:Okay, yep, barry Bonds from the Giants, an alumni of Sarah High School. But I knew none of those guys, although the only connection I have is that my track coach and cross country coach coached Lynn Swan and they had a new track put into the into the school I think was my, I think my sophomore or junior year and he spoke at the opening ceremony so that was pretty cool. I thought that was pretty neat and kind of inspiring. I did cross country track in high school and that's kind of where I cut my teeth on the running that you know Daryl was talking about. So I would never classify myself as being a real runner, but but, thank you, but I do. I do avidly love running and you know I didn't really do a competitive thing in college and but I've always loved that piece of fitness and that was I was never really good with ball sports, so I really, when I was doing cross country in high school and I did track, I really gravitated towards those individual sports and that was kind of part of my personality. I don't know why. I think because you know I just wasn't coordinated to enough to do like the soccer and the basketball and the football sports. You know what I mean and I I wasn't good at but I liked it. It was a. It was a good personal challenge, I think, mentally and physically. So I I really toiled away at that.
Speaker 3:I did that all four years in high school, you know, went to Davis, met my wife there, um, had the best time uh in college, met so many lifelong friends. You know we uh kind of fast forward and, you know, got married in the early 2000s. And then, you know, here we are and I know a couple of kids later and you know I have a daughter, and daughter also graduated from St Mel, as you know. And so, yeah, so here I am and you know the things that give me the passion is really kind of my family. You know the running that I cycle as well. Meeting people hearing stories from know I cycle as well. Uh, meeting people, hearing stories from people, I think that's all real cool. You know I really take value in that. And meeting new people and hearing, you know, uh, things that go on in people's lives, uh, I think that that's just all really cool. We're all in this thing together, you know.
Speaker 3:So I think that's an everyday experience for me, so, but in St Mel's been, it's been that I mean, I mean people knew all the time new parents and new kids, uh, so that's been wonderful. So, um, yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 2:Well, well, tony, tell us a little bit about um, track and everything else. Doug, uh, gosh doug. What was it? Five, six years ago? You started running when you started doing cam. So doug is pretty recent. I'm even more recent, but you grew up, you like, were trained, you did track, you you know when, all of a sudden, I mentioned something about to Tony about running, and he broke down all these techniques and training and everything else. He's also the also the St Mel's coach as well. So talk a little bit about, like we're the novices, what did you learn as far as track and all the different things, and talk a little bit about your running career.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah. So the irony of it is that I wasn't really a runner until my freshman year, right, and the story to that is that I didn't know what I wanted to do. I really thought I was going to do basketball. I did basketball in junior high. To be honest, I sucked, I was bad, I was barely fast enough on the court, but I did it because I really had fun, I was part of a team and I had every intention in high school to join the basketball team. You know, it wasn't very tall, wasn't very fast, but I'm going to try out.
Speaker 3:And at the beginning of the year I got kind of coaxed into doing cross country. I knew what cross country was. I was like, what is that? We're driving in a car going to a different state, and it's just stupid. Driving in a car going to a different state and, uh, it's just stupid. And so, um, uh, a buddy that was, uh, I guess, a runner. He he ended up being a really good runner. He was in my, my class in freshman year. He said, hey, you should come out for cross country. And he's the one that convinced me this, this buddy Matt. So I came out and found out what it was. I'm like, all right, I got to get a pair of shoes. We run distance. Like, yeah, maybe I can do that. I don't know, it's not a ball sport, maybe it can, it might work for me, right. So I did it and I did that, loved it, had the greatest experience with it. I really worked hard at it.
Speaker 3:The following spring I did track. My coach was they were the same coach is the same coach that did cross country and also track and in both sports really I learned a lot. I mean a lot about technique and I think that's where I really gained that knowledge. This is pre-internet, right. So you really, you know, take your teachers and take your coaches' advice to heart. I mean, this is like the only knowledge that you get. And so he said do this. All right, we did that. You know you run this way. You lean forward, you have your arms at 90 degrees, you bounce off your off the balls of her feet, you have your high knee, all this stuff.
Speaker 3:So I just picked up all these different techniques. I'm like, okay, yeah, that makes sense and you know, just executed and um, and I just had the best experience and through my high school career, again, it wasn't super fast, but I wasn't slow either and I was really trying to, you know, um, improve every year, improve every season. Um, uh, you know, I think after the first year I was like, yeah, I guess I'm a jock, right, I'm a runner, right, I can hang with these. You know the guys in the hallway and I'm wearing my, you know, my, my jacket and stuff my, my, my jacket and stuff my, my high school jacket. And you know the football players are walking down the way. I'm like I'm not intimidated by football players anymore, like, yeah, I'm not too, you know, but I just picked up all that knowledge and then, uh, I really applied that towards my own personal reasons, right, for just running. I knew what to do, I knew what to train for. I was doing a lot of 5Ks in my college years, my adult years, 10ks, and started doing half marathons and all that stuff. And then, in fact, I was like subscribing to runner's world a lot and getting a lot of information that way again, kind of pre-internet still and so I just kind of just started being a nerd about, about the, about the sport and and hydration and nutrition and proper technique and cadence and breathing techniques and all this other stuff and I was like this is really cool and I applied a lot of that stuff to you know, to my running style, to my training style, a lot of the things I've learned from high school and a little I did track a little bit in college too, and um, and so that was all you know kind of what I took from that.
Speaker 3:And then now you kind of fast forward to, you know, post COVID, and there was a need for a cross country coach, or rather there was a my daughter's classmate's mom was taking over as the new cross country coach. She needed assistant coaches and, um, you know, a blast email went out and uh, and then my wife is the one that actually saw it and I I didn't really read, I wasn't really up to date with a lot of the school emails. We got so many of them like, oh, okay, and she's like honey, um, megan needs an assistant coach for cross country. I'm like, really, I'm like, oh, I don't know anything about coaching, but I'm gonna try it, you know like, I'm like you know, and uh, so I did it with that five kids on the team. I didn't know anything, I mean, I just knew about running Right and that's what I applied and I just kind of just said, hey, you got to use your arms, got to do this, and you know, and these areed even professionals, right, and but I thought it was really fun, super fun.
Speaker 3:And then the following year I took over as the head coach and kind of ran with that. And then same thing with track. So track there was already this is three years ago and there was already two parents years ago and there was already um two parents, husband and wife, that um were coaching track and they did it the year before. They did a great job and it was going to be their last year doing track because their daughter's going to be graduating. This is like this is now a couple years ago and um, I said, well, I'd like to join you guys or something to you know, maybe get, maybe get get the kind of the lay of the land of like track and stuff and how you, how you coach. So I took that on to um assisted for the first year and then I took over as the head coach uh, last year and um doing it again this spring and we're we're deep in the season right now. So this is my third year coaching track, but second year being the head coach and um, so it's been super fun.
Speaker 3:I again, I apply all the knowledge that I, that I I gained from all those years of training myself, to the, you know the, to the little ones.
Speaker 3:Um, some of them already pretty like good runners and but like super athletic, but they don't really know the technique.
Speaker 3:And the technique is important because it creates the efficiency, right, um, it creates the um, the confidence because you, you can run better, uh, less injury, um, you know, and because this is a competitive sport. I'm sorry, I'm coach, I want us to win, you know, I want the kids let's not lie about that, but I want the kids to be confident and have fun, of course, but kind of the main goal for anything is like you want to be able to have a good position so your athletes can can excel. Maybe as a school we can win, we can get some points, maybe get it better on the on the gym wall, you know that kind of thing. So it's all kind of a, a compound of things. I really enjoy it. I get a kick out of seeing the kids really enjoy it. I get a kick out of seeing the kids really enjoy it. The kids get benefit from that physically, mentally. Parents are great and then again school pride trying to get some wins for the school.
Speaker 3:So, really happy doing it.
Speaker 1:Tony, I love how you shared your growing up and then you fast forward, got us into where you are now, and what a full life, right, insurance for work and coaching kids after school. And that takes a lot of commitment and dedication. I think it's a Daryl. I think, if you think so, man, we'll just roll right into the topic. Man, the setback right this is this season three is setbacks to comebacks. And here you are, man, you're plugging along doing your thing, working with kids. Heart is full, life is full, married, two kids, bam. All of a sudden, we're going to talk about the big C word, right, cancer. What happened, tony? Like you're going along living your life and like, break it down to us. What was going on in your life? Were you going in for a physical? Like? What happened so?
Speaker 3:yeah, so this is a interesting thing. Uh, so I guess we'll start 2023 and, um, yeah, it stemmed from a routine physical. Right at that point I was, uh, um, 50 years old. Uh, that year I was going to be turning 51, but, uh, for anyone that is over 50 you're required to get or you know, your doctor should um, you know, uh, have you get a psa test right?
Speaker 3:Right, um, and for those that don't know what psa test is, is a psa stands for prostate specific antigen and it's a specific protein that's produced by a prostate, which only men has has. This is only a men only cancer, and if there's anything adverse with your prostate, the PSA level will increase. Now, it doesn't mean you have cancer. It just means that there's something wrong with your prostate. It could be cancer, which in my case it was, but it could be. You could have an enlarged prostate, you can have something irregular that's causing this protein to be produced.
Speaker 3:Now it's it's it should be kind of a routine thing and it's not one of the things you just say, hey, I'm just gonna get. You know, go get a PSA test right. Your doctor has to order that. So, in my routine visit probably an annual physical. You know he's going down the chart. You know it's kind of like you go in, you know, bringing your car to get an oil change right, like okay, well, let's look at your car, you got right you know, look at your tires, let's check your brake, you know brake pads and all this other stuff.
Speaker 3:And my doctor kind of did that and there's a whole laundry things, you know list of things that you know you got to get done. You got to get this shot. Um, got to get this, you know flu vaccine, blah, blah, blah. Uh, let's talk about psa. And, like you got to, you know, we should probably get a test for PSA and I'm like, yeah, sure, I'm like, uh, what's a PSA? Like I had no idea, like what's a PSA? Right, and he explained it to me and I was like, okay, and uh, you know, we're just routine check for prostate cancer.
Speaker 3:I'm like, okay, cool, coincidentally, I was also up for trying to get it, or had to get a colonoscopy, which that was also on on the, on the on the list, right, the to-do list for me, right, and uh, so, anyway, so now this is again beginning of 2023, you know, it really is just as simple as going to your lab getting the test. They already have it ordered, right, and you just take the blood draw, like anything else, and then that's pretty much it. They test for it, they tell you the results, you know, go from there. Well, it was. So not making excuses, but you know, with our such a busy life, I just didn't even have a chance to even go into the lab to be able to get that test done, I think for for like two months. I'll get to it. I'll get to it, you know.
Speaker 3:And so um you know, he seemed pretty casual about it. I'm like, oh, I'll get to it. So, had the test done, results came back, I either met with my doctor not in person necessarily, but like maybe had a phone conversation or he got posted or something like that and he said that it was a little elevated, not high, but elevated Right. So that's kind of you know. And I was like, okay, well, and he goes, well, let's have you do another PSA test, just to make sure. I just wanted to make sure we get a, you know, um, a correct reading. Yeah, sure, you know. And then so that took another month for me to get around to it.
Speaker 3:You can see, this is not a high, high, you know high priority for me, which is bad. So in hindsight you know. But, um, so you know, a month or so later I finally go back and like, okay, okay, get the PSA test, and so I'll give you, I'll share this with you. But my first PSA test was a value of like 4.4. And it's not terribly high, but it's elevated, like you said. The second test was 4.3. No-transcript. A couple months later, or whatever, and and the now it's an MRI. So you know there is a waiting list for things like that.
Speaker 1:Right, right.
Speaker 3:Um, it's not like I could have gotten that, you know, next week anyway. But um, there's already a waiting list and again, busy life. And I said, you know, I don't have time to do that, I push it out. So by the time I actually got the MRI, it was like in October, and so now we're talking the end of the year and this is kind of crazy, Right, right.
Speaker 3:And I think subconsciously in the back of my head I was thinking there's no way I have cancer. I mean, I again no basis for anything. But like you know, and even saying that you're healthy doesn't mean that you can't get cancer, right, I mean, that's, that's you know. So I uh, I thought, okay, you know, all this time I'm thinking kind of positively hopeful, right, not necessarily. Oh, I got cancer. I'm so worried, I got to go check it out. But, um, so I get the mri done, pretty easy procedure, 30, 40 minutes, you know, sitting down in the thing, and I'm done. So, uh, get the results back. And they said that there's something that they found in the mri, one side of my prostate. Oh shit, so now it's real, right, now it's not just a blood test, that's a little elevated, you know. And now they saw something like abnormal something, yeah, something yeah.
Speaker 1:But they didn't say it was cancer yet they just said they saw something.
Speaker 3:No, they just saw. Because it's an MRI, you can't really tell what that is. You're asking me other invasive. I'll get to that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:Invasive procedures to determine it right. So they say the next step is to get a biopsy. So that was like a biopsy. Nobody wants to get a biopsy and the way that they do biopsies and I won't be graphic here, but you know it's it's not fun. So it's a very invasive procedure. You know you're awake and but they numb you and they go in through the back and get some samples, you know, the actual, of your actual prostate. So so that was pretty, that was pretty interesting, you know, and I I like to say I have a pretty high threshold for pain, not to say I could have survived that without a, you know, anesthesia, but it was already pretty painful, but I kind of was just like very cool about it. And the doc might now have this urologist that I've been working with at this point not not my primary and he was really cool. Um, dr Chandra, and um, he's talking to me and he's like, you know, how do you feel? I feel good. You know, does that hurt? I'm like, yeah, it hurts, but it's okay. Throughout the whole experience, you know, I was even chatting it up with him and the nurse, you know before, you know, and just being very light about it and so, so, that was that, and that was in January.
Speaker 3:Two days later, on the 12th January 12th, 2023, I get the phone call. I'm literally here, where I'm sitting right now at my home office on my desk, and I get the phone call. My wife she was working from home, too, right. And I get the phone call my wife uh, she was working from home too, right. And I get the phone call from. You know, my doctor is saying, um, and he's pretty direct, you know, like most doctors are that, uh, you know, it's been determined you have, you have prostate cancer. Oh damn, yeah.
Speaker 3:So, uh, yeah, I paused, yeah, I was like, uh, okay, you know, and uh, I didn't laugh, but I was like, okay, I didn't laugh, but I was kind of in my head thinking, huh, and I said, wow, I never would have guessed. I mean not to say that all these tests weren't leading up to that, but I thought for sure that I didn't have it. Maybe there was just something abnormal. I was ready for that, right, right. So, yeah, january 12th, that was a pretty momentous day for me and uh, you know, the dates burned, you know my mind.
Speaker 3:And so, um, you know, I had a good conversation with my urologist. Um, he talked about your option, my options. Um, you could do surgery, get your prostate completely removed. You could um radiation, you could do have this kind of burning thing that they go in, they burn the actual cancer but you keep your prostate or you can do nothing, right? So those are my options. You know, think about it, get back to me, let me know. That's what he said. And you know, totally got hung up, you know, got off the phone, talked to my wife, went over that together with her. You know it's kind of like a family decision, right, like he, yeah, it's my body, but you know this affects my family too, right, oh, daryl, you got a question for tony well, I just you know overall, I know, when you reached out to me and uh told me about it, I was kind of
Speaker 2:like in shock, right, you know, um, and you me about it. I was kind of like in shock, right you know, and you think about it, right, I know we're 50, right, but guess what? Both of my grandparents had prostate cancer. But when I think of them, I think of them as old people. Oh yeah, maybe that's something I'll deal with later. Tony, you know this is on audio, not video. Tony is like the most healthy individual in the world.
Speaker 2:You're really good, you're feeling good, you're like I'm good, hey, yeah, I'll get to that test later and everything else. One out of every seven men have prostate cancer.
Speaker 2:Doug One out of every seven, I didn't know that, yeah, it's the second, uh, the second most common cancer among men. And, um, and Tony, man, I, I met I remember when you said that, and let's go into the story, everything else I was like, man, I would have never thought at your age or my age I would have thought about that. But, like you said, you're off pushing out tests, I'll do it later, I'll do it this, you know, and everything else it's like, hey, you know, so one. Anyway, I want you to continue with the story, but just you know, so one, um, anyway, I want you to continue with the story, but just, you know, we, I'll tell you what we've got to be more proactive, we've got to take care of ourselves, we've got to go to the doctor and all that stuff. So, tony, go ahead and continue.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, you're, you're right and and that's kind of you know, I guess in hindsight that's what I was thinking, that man, I should have pushed harder right for that. But the good thing is that my urologist said that it was caught early. Right, it is a common cancer and I guess for that reason it's also one of the most curable, because if detected early and caught early, actions taken early, all of that, and I was in that situation. The fourth option that I mentioned, that if you, you know and it is technically an option that some, some men, don't do anything right, they, they, they don't take any action. It's a slow growing cancer, is what I researched and was told as well. So sometimes men can have it, and if you don't do these tests, you'll not know that you have it, so you could be living with it.
Speaker 3:For you know, don't quote me on this as a as a medical fact, but for years, five, maybe 10 years or something. But then at that point your levels are not at a 4.4 or 4.3, they're skyrocketing to like a 10 plus. And now you're in a dire situation where things are, um, limited, a lot more urgent, and, um, you gotta take action. You know, you gotta decide on something, uh, a solution, whether it is surgery or radiation. Um, I was told from my situation that, uh, because I am uh young, which I appreciate that he called me that young and healthy um, based on, um, my physical, he can see me, see me based on my chart and my health history. And then I am an active runner and my doctors know that it's all been laid out in my medical records. I cycle and fit.
Speaker 3:The only issue that I have really that I have asthma, but that's not related to anything really health. You know that's just being here in Sacramento. Thank you, Sac, but came from the Bay Area and now I'm in Sacramento and you know it came years ago. But yeah, so I developed that. But that's OK. The running actually helps control that. But a little bit of cholesterol issues, because you know that's where I'm trying to focus on diet and health. I'm Filipino, or at least half, and so I'm privy to a lot of the same conditions and trying to manage health and cholesterol levels and all that. But other than that, I was in a really good situation because surgery was a good option for me, because my body could take it and could recover well from that. So my urologist advised that Radiation. The second option would have been something I almost would have considered. You know, you know, get to keep your prostate. But he also said you could get another type of cancer from that radiation. Oh damn.
Speaker 1:That's crazy. I was like what?
Speaker 3:No, okay, that's a pass, Okay what's the third?
Speaker 1:No I that?
Speaker 3:that didn't I mean immediately that was a pass.
Speaker 3:Okay, what's the third option? No, I that that didn't. I mean immediately, that was my first reaction, like that just didn't make any sense to me, and you know, but I get it. That's. That's sometimes what we do. We, we use a certain method, in this case radiation, to to fixed or correct something, but it can cause another issue, right, and I didn't want that option.
Speaker 3:So then the third option was this kind of invasive burn treatment, but it's also experimental, hadn't been around for a long time, maybe four or five years or five or six years or something like that. So probably would have been fine. But at the same time the risk of that is that they get what they saw but there could be other underlying, like small traces of cancer that that's not detectable right now. That could potentially grow later, right, um. So there's that risk too, that that you have to be prepared for Um. But if you remove the prostate and it was confirmed everything was just localized to just the prostate. Nothing had um, you know, had gone outside. It wasn't metastatic or anything, which means it spread um. That taking it out would have been the safest um, you know, way to get rid of the cancer, more, more safe than the other methods.
Speaker 3:So I opted on that. Uh, initially, you know, talking with my wife about that. But then, um, so here's kind of the funny part, um is that, okay, it's time to schedule surgery. So now I'm all amped, you know, like before the previous year I was kind of pushing things out and I'm ready to go, okay, let's get the surgery done, let's you know. But I'm trying to think of, like, when's the right timing? You know, now this is January and so track was coming up and I was, you know, starting a new season, my daughter's in competitive volleyball, there's some travel that was involved in that, going to Reno and Vegas had to be prepared for that. Um, we're going to Hawaii for a family vacation in June.
Speaker 3:I'm like, okay, there's that, and like I can't and I'd have to be out for a month after having surgery If I, if I went that route. So here I'm thinking, I'm trying to juggle everything, but I, I'm, I'm ready to go Like, if I need to get surgery done, I got to get it done, like now. And um, I didn't hear from anybody. I kind of waited a few weeks and like almost a month, and then I, I give the doctor a call. I'm like, hey, I haven't heard anything about my cancer and and they're looking on the list and uh, so they, they kind of referred back to my doctor again, my urologist, and said, well, because it's uh, um, you know, kind of slow growing, it's not like urgent that I get it right away. I could wait, like I could wait a few months, and uh, I was like, okay.
Speaker 3:So then, um, in some back and forth discussions, I chose July to have it done and that was okay, that was a acceptable time. You know, probably don't want to push it out any any further than that. You know, like the fall or the or the, you know, december or anything like that, um, not that far out. So I chose July. I thought, you know, it's a perfect time. Daughter's out of school, son's out of school track is done. We came back from Hawaii. Um, I have all summer to kind of, you know, relax and recover and, uh, take time off work. You know, the the timing of work as well, was good because, um, I was trying to wrap up some things. I, you know I have a lot of clients, so that that was good timing and um, so for months it was really just kind of like, okay, just wait until July, and that was it. It was kind of weird, wow Right.
Speaker 3:I mean it's looming yeah.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 2:Tony, tony, let's, uh, let's. I want to hear like that's like five months.
Speaker 1:What do you?
Speaker 2:what in the back of when you go to sleep every night? What are you thinking?
Speaker 1:What's going on in your head when you're like come on, people.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so it, it, it. I'll tell you this. This is where the mental part really kicked in for me, the physical part and a lot of people.
Speaker 3:I started to actually tell people, um, but you know, um, family, uh, obviously, the next people to know where my, my in-laws, uh, I hadn't even told my kids yet right away, and I was kind of yeah, I was kind of waiting to to decide to tell them in a certain way, for my daughter first, you know, um, she's older and um and had it had to tell her, and then then my son will be last, you know.
Speaker 3:And then so I was telling um, you know some, uh, my in-laws, uh, some close, uh relatives not every, not every relative, of course and then really close friends, um, I have a group of bros that from college, kind of like your peach crew, right, I have, I have my crew and I told them individually. So I called them up and actually call them on the phone part. Some of them are local, some of them are kind of in the Bay area, we're not all like physically close by. So, um told them and a couple other really close friends, and that was kind of about it. And then, um, I think the mental part kicked in where I was just like, okay, I'm living with cancer like every day and I'm not doing anything about it, damn right.
Speaker 3:yeah I mean, just think about that, it's a trip. It is a trip, you know, for something that's in your body. That could you know theoretically not not right away, but theoretically kill me and I got it in me. I mean, the first thing you know, first thing you want to do is get that out of you, right, and the surgery would have been or treat it, and, um, I didn't, because of the timing and the low risk, I just I didn't do that right. You know, I I chose the july and I, of course I would have confirmed, or I did with my urologist that that was okay. I mean, if it was a different situation, that it was more dire and I had to get it done, of course I would have got it done. But, um, yeah, it was a weird. It was a weird trip In fact, and I don't mean lie to want to make light of this, but I kind of forgot.
Speaker 3:You know, some days I have cancer, like, oh, yeah, yeah, I got prostate cancer, and people come up to me like how are you feeling? Like, oh, I'm fine, why? Yeah, these are people I told that I had you know right right, right right right they're like how are?
Speaker 3:you feeling? Oh, I'm good. You know like I'm a little tired. You know from like you know from the cancer. No, I just didn't sleep last night I had practice. I'm tired. I had a beer last night, a couple beers, you know like I was tired, you know and uh. So I think, with that that kind of attitude, I think people were like, oh okay, good, you know, like they were kind of, you know, they felt light about it.
Speaker 3:I think a lot more people were more heavy about it than I was yeah and, um, I tend not to be that way and I can be that way, but I tend not to be that way openly, publicly, right, I don't walk around crying, you know. I don't walk around, you know, like asking for sympathy. I don't walk around like, oh, you know, I do talk a lot, you know I do share and open a lot and, uh, I'm very comfortable doing that, but, um, I just don't show it. Sometimes, yeah, I don't show my emotions, uh, and that's by design. That's just who I am. Yeah, it was.
Speaker 3:It was kind of weird. I uh, um, and some there were good days and bad days. You know, it wasn't like I was in this depression, but there was days where I was just like, wow, I have cancer. And then I, I started to kind of go down the path where I was like, why did I get cancer right? Why? Why, you know people that get cancer of all types. I mean not, you know, there's people that get breast cancer. My, my dad, died from prostate cancer. Um, coincidentally that that year, wow, with the earlier of the year, when I, um, uh, when I found out that I had prostate, he died from pancreatic cancer. That's a whole no-transcript.
Speaker 1:Wow, yeah, that's heavy, that's heavy right there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I was. I'm just thinking about it now and I'm like, whew, that was crazy. So, um, I actually went through some genetic testing as part of um. They actually approached me about it at the hospital, the, the um you know. Now this is 2020, um, 2024, right.
Speaker 3:So I found out in the beginning of 2024 that I had this and I pushed it out and, leading up to the surgery, um, they had talked about you know, there's genetic testing that you can do, um, and I think I talked to my urologist about. I said there's genetic testing that you can do, um, and I think I talked to my urologist about. I said I'm interested in that. So they, um, they took a sample and they shipped it off to a lab out of state and then they were analyzing about, uh, my genetics, my concern for my children. You know that kind of thing.
Speaker 3:So I went through all that too and um discuss, um. You know, uh, how that works out and not to you know how that works out and not to you know, get into the. You know the details and the minutiae about it, but there are some mutations that I have. That that that's potentially what caused my cancer. Why was prostate? I have no idea, that's kind of random, but there is something in me you know, and time will tell if that's the same thing for my children. But there is something.
Speaker 1:Is there a test? Is there a test they can? Can they take the same test, or something?
Speaker 3:or the test. Uh, I think they can't, I think anybody can. But, um, I think it's not one of those like elective things like, oh, can I get this, you know, because it's a really really expensive, um right, uh, test. And so, um, this was covered by uh, covered by the hospital because related to my, you know, cancer and all that. So that was good, but it's very eye-opening right to know that this is how you pass down things to your children, good and bad.
Speaker 3:Anyway, when I finally did tell my children, I told my daughter first, you know, we're driving to school and I kind of do it was just me and her I kind of told her and she seemed real chill about it. You know, at the time she was 13 and still in eighth grade. And then I told her and she's like, ok, you know, she's like I think she's trying to digest everything, right, right, I went through the whole thing and this is what you know, what it is, this is what I, you know what was going through testing. You know I'm thinking about having surgery, you know all this other stuff, and you know it'll be fine. You know it's just a really easy surgery. And she's like, okay, I think she got it, you know, she understood.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Well, probably the.
Speaker 1:She knew if anything was going to be wrong dad was going to, she could tell you know. But your whole mindset and the way you approached it, I mean just the way you talked about it, even through this whole interview here there was maybe a few moments of going down, that, that dark hole for a little bit here and there, but it sounds like most of the journey for you was hey, just tell me what to do, I'm gonna get it done.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, for sure. Um, you know, and, and a lot of the time that's how I kind of, you know, kind of lead my life. You know, like let's just get it done my wife's better at it than I am for sure but, um, but, you know, we're, we're, we're both problem solvers. You know, if there's an issue, you know, and I think, with that mentality and just being an athlete and being a runner, being a cyclist, doing those century rides, finding the fight, you know, your, your ass is dragging on on that uphill climb. You know this, daryl, and both of you guys know this very intimately. And you're, you're questioning life, you know, I mean, I mean that facetiously, but you're, you're climbing up an incline.
Speaker 2:You're like why the hell am I?
Speaker 3:doing this. I'm dehydrated, I'm super hungry, I'm pissed off at my buddy. This is like the, you know, and those little battles are just like what make me me. You know, I have a million of those little battles, yes. And so the physical part leads to the mental part, because you have to be mentally strong to kind of get through that too. Physically. Ah, yes, physically, and being a runner, pushing myself to the limit, um, you know, uh, all those years and training and stuff, trying to chase those PRS. Maybe it wasn't chasing PRS, it was testing my body to see how well I can take something like this.
Speaker 1:Right, yeah, or testing your mind, man, before something that was going to come up like this, and that's, uh, yeah, all that prep. So, tony, let's, let's, let's move forward through this whole this. Uh, so you guys I mean you got through this pretty good. You had the, the, the surgery, yep, and uh, what's life like now on the other side? We're on the other side now. Right, I remember having a conversation with you. You had some some things going. You know what, what you were doing, what you, what you want to do, and yeah, we threw down a challenge at that and Tony, he wanted to talk about, you know, like his career and all this other stuff. I said, well, we're going to start with the 150 pushups for 150 days.
Speaker 1:You, son of a bitch and he took it. Oh man.
Speaker 3:But I tell you what it worked out.
Speaker 3:A lot of shit for him he did it really, it really did so, uh, okay, so I'll disclaim here that I hate, I hate weights. I hate weight, you know, weight lifting. I hate doing push-ups, I hate doing crunches, I hate all of that, right, and I feel most empowered when I'm out on the, on the, on the road, out on the trail, running my ass off doing seven minute miles. I feel so like I feel powerful. But you know, I understand the whole overall fitness you know thing and you know strength training and now that I'm getting older that's even more, you know more of a requirement, right, as you get older you lose muscle mass and low density and all that stuff. So I'm very, you know, very aware of that. I just hate it, man. So.
Speaker 3:So when I talked to you, I was actually calling you about kind of the crossroads in my work career, right, and I was like I don't know what I want to do. I'm not really happy at work. You know I want to leave but I don't know where I can go. I mean, same, the same industry, but is that really what I want to do? And I was kind of, you know, the coaching thing was going really well, but again, the coaching thing is completely volunteer right, parent hours. I love it. It makes me happy, it fulfills me, you know so. But like, what if I monetize that? Or what if I made it a career right, become a coach or something, or you know what or could I do that? So I even debated about that, but I was just unhappy.
Speaker 3:So when I talked to you about that, it was really more kind of about that and um, and then you threw out the challenge. And I know you're, you're, you know you're coaching methods too. You're like hey, it's physical and mental. And you're like hey, I want you to do this challenge. You know, you know this pushup challenges. I'm like, yeah, I knew where that was going already. You know people do it for 30 days. You know people do it for 30 days. You know, no man, I want you to do it for 150 days, 150 or 150 pushes for 150 days. Like 150 days. How many days? I don't even know how many days. And what is that? Four months or something. I can't even do the math it was long, that's a long ass time, man.
Speaker 3:We're not even like in christmas yet. This is crazy. So, um, I said, all right, challenge accepted. So I started the next day and I, I hated it, man. I text you right after my first 50.
Speaker 3:I was like you, son of a bitch man, this is the worst, and I hadn't done them in months, you know, and I was actually kind of sore. I was like, oh geez, this is like, this is like a newbie running his first mile, you know, and but that's just the physical part, right. And so to fast forward now, and I, I've been keeping up to date for the best that I can. You know, I I've done all the 50, but if I didn't do it on a 150, if I didn't do it on a certain day, I just carried over to the next day, some days, actually, I think one day.
Speaker 3:I completely missed like the whole day because I was so busy. I think I literally did like 300 pushups all throughout the day.
Speaker 1:You know that was a that was a tough day.
Speaker 3:I was like, oh man, I'm going to hate this today, but I think that was fairly recent. I had already been doing this for several months, yeah.
Speaker 1:So, the.
Speaker 3:So the physical, I'll tell you that, the benefits of that, so the physical thing, I actually started, um, and I wasn't really running. I'm still very busy other than training, you know, um, training the kids for cross country and all that. I really wasn't doing a lot of running myself, right, I wasn't going out on a lot of runs, you know, going three, four, five, nothing. You know I wasn't really doing much of that and um, so I uh, this actually kind of I lost a little bit of weight as a result of that. I started trimming out a little bit, some of my shorts and pants started fitting better and some of my tight shirts started looking better on me. I was like all right, doug thanks for uh, you know so that was the.
Speaker 3:That was the first. You know, like, within like the first two months, I started seeing the differences and it started becoming a little bit better, um, as far easier to do them, a little bit better, um, as far easier to to do them. So, coincidentally, my son, uh, who's a fourth grader, uh, mikey, he was also doing a challenge too. He gets challenged by his friends at school because a lot of them are pretty athletic, they're into soccer, basketball, you know a lot of sports, right and uh, he was wanting to do 100 push-ups a day. I was like, all right, let's do it. I said, well, I got challenged by a buddy to do 150. Let's do it together. So for months we were doing it together. Like, literally, we just drop on the floor in the living room and my wife and daughter looking at us doing push-ups right before dinner.
Speaker 3:And then Mikey's tracking like oh, I got to do it and he was keeping his track on his iPad and writing down the date.
Speaker 1:Oh, wow.
Speaker 3:Yeah, more than me. I just knew to do it every day, but he actually tracked it, so that was really cool because he runs with me also in track and cross country, by the way. So he's not old enough to be on the team but he joins, so all the kids know him. So he's already pretty fit based on that. Pretty fit based on that, and he actually run pretty well right and um. So this was just an added element for him and I to keep bonding too. So there was that benefit that stemmed from that. And, uh, we always talk about mikey, we got to do our push-ups. Yeah, dad, we got to do our push-ups. So we're like that's each other in check. So that that was really cool. Yeah, so that's really kind of the physical side, the, the, the mental side. I really didn't think about that until recently, but I started.
Speaker 3:I'm a big proponent of consistency and it started creating the consistency that was lacking for for several years, whether it was running or whatever physic. More physically, you know, and I rather enjoyed that, because I was always mentally thinking I gotta do my push-ups, I'm plugging away here at work on my desk and it's really easy to go an hour or two hours not even getting up, right, you know, I got my drinks here, that's fine, but when I run out of drinks I'm in the middle of something. Maybe I stopped drinking so I'm not hydrating. Well, I got to walk around, take a break, you know, and usually I would just just keep on going through.
Speaker 3:Three hours later I'm like, oh my God, and like I gotta gotta get a glass of water. I gotta, you know, I gotta get up. You know I haven't done done anything, you know, physically. So it actually forced me to do that. I actually was starting to think, okay, I gotta get up and do pushups, I was just do it real quick and um, so it started creating that consistency that I really, I really needed, I think. And then I started to challenge myself and I told you this. I said you know, hey, what I'm not going to do? Just 150. I'm going to add in 150 crunches, right, beast Crazy.
Speaker 1:Why am I doing these?
Speaker 3:And so that now it's just not a big deal. Now it's just like not not a big deal, it's just like I needed to do that and I felt good to to kind of get back in there. So even if I'm not running, I actually feel really good, like I feel physically good. I'm not in the running shape yet that I want to be, but that's okay, I'm not harder myself and you know. So that's kind of where I'm at right now, I think, and just trying to, um, you know, be well, um, keep moving, uh, eat right, you know I'm focusing on diet and just be positive. You know, like I I think, I think I'm already pretty positive.
Speaker 3:But you know, with this I had some negative feelings that were, you know, coming around a lot, you know, resentment about why me, um know, um, you know and and yeah, for for all intents and purposes it was probably an it couldn't quit easy. Nothing is easy, I shouldn't make light of it but an easy cancer to recover from right. And there are a lot of people that have more serious cancers that have to go through treatment and chemo. A lot of people ask me about that and like, are you going through chemo? Like no, I don't have to go go through through that, you know. So I'm really grateful for that.
Speaker 3:Maybe if it would be a different situation if I, if I was I don't know 80 years old and I had the same cancer, but I didn't know Right, and um, you know, I, I would treat it differently, you know. But um, I, I was able to recover from it and and um, I feel pretty happy about that and I can relate to people that, um, you know that, have it, that, the fear of it, and um, you know, trying to be healthy and so all of that.
Speaker 3:It's kind of where I'm at mentally, you know, right now, physically, you know it, it's a hobby to run and all that Um and I will get there. You know that's. That's kind of my thing.
Speaker 1:Oh, it's coming. Man, everything takes time, everything's a process and so, but, tony, what an awesome story and what a great story you know, with so far a great. You know we're not at the ending because you got a lot of life to live and I can hear the nuggets and the wisdom you took going through. You know, when you get diagnosed and you go through the process, you come out the other side, you take on 150 pushup, 150 day challenge with your son and, uh, you're rocking life. Man, it's a great example of of setbacks to comebacks and you're still in your comeback, brother, like that's the cool thing is, you know, there I don't know that you'll finish, it's just, you're just in comeback season and comeback life and I can see you striving and striding and just getting shit done and it's, it's just awesome and we're so grateful to have you on the show and share your story the way you did and thank you for being so transparent and vulnerable and open with us and our listeners.
Speaker 1:There's a lot of wisdom in here and it's just. I hope they listen carefully, take notes, cause, man, we're all gonna. We're all gonna come up against something, whether it's cancer, whether it's losing a job, whether it's losing a marriage, whether it's losing a kid, whether it can be all kinds of stuff, man, but how you live your life, what are you preparing for? What are you doing in your life now? That's some of the things I got in your stories Because of the way you lived your life previously, whether you knew it or not, it kind of prepared you for this, physically and mentally. You know, because you were in such good shape, because you were in such good shape and because you were mentally in good shape, you know you were, you were much more apt to deal with what was handed to you at a much higher rate than the average couch potato. Right, it's like you know, it's like, hey, you, you were ready to rock and roll and uh but uh, it wasn't.
Speaker 1:Uh, you know there was. There was some parts that it sounded like it was. It got a little dark and and uh, but for the most part, man, you got through it like a bad-ass brother. So thank you, Thank you for sharing that. Uh, daryl, do you have any last questions before we wrap up? And would probably say is dad family?
Speaker 2:man always involved. That's Tony in a nutshell, and I remember popping over you were a couple weeks, maybe about 10 days, two weeks into recovery and went over there and I was just chatting with you and spent some time there and you know, you and your wife, the two things I took away from that was you just kind of explain where you're at.
Speaker 2:The decision and it was such a. You know, your wife actually came and talked to us. It seemed like you and your wife it was a family decision. I know it was you, but you're like hey, I'm doing this for my family, I'm going to make a decision, I'm going to go on, and you had, you had a, really, and I came back and I was talking to Josephine about it and she's like you need to have him on the show, you need to make sure we tell his story, right, Um, and everything else. And when we were talking, before we started recording, you mentioned something I want you to hit on. You talked about you're kind of like redefining some of your goals as you go forward. That was those were the words you said. You were like, hey, it used to be like this super competitive and everything else, but you're kind of redefining. Maybe say a couple words about that kind of retrospectively and then we'll hit the quote card.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I really I talk a lot, maybe too incessantly about it, but I talk a lot about the coaching thing and, like I said, it's a completely volunteer thing. Know, there's an admin side to it that I I am very comfortable with. I got to create spreadsheets and a roster and all this other stuff. You know, I got to prepare these kids for um meets, upcoming meets and all that. But you know, the competitive side of me is is now plugged into their success, right. And so I uh, I take a lot of novice runners, some that are already really good runners, but kind of just fine tuning their their. Some that are already really good runners, but kind of just fine tuning their, their skills, uh, but also motivating them. Right, there's a lot of uh apprehension in some of these kids. They're all wonderful kids, right, and uh, they're all different and they all have different skills and they, they, they're all motivated differently. So some people don't think they can do a certain event or a race where there's cross country or track. Some people are really confident about that, which is fine. But I'm just trying to, you know, kind of fine tune their, their, their kind of technique and stuff. So I think my, I've redefined how I want to be competitive.
Speaker 3:I really, I think, maybe because of the COVID thing, I haven't done a race in quite some time and I was thinking about that too. And it's like I, I kind of got out of that a little bit. I didn't, I wasn't doing races a lot and I I didn't. I didn't do like a million races, but I did quite a bit of them and I, I, after some time I just got kind of bored. You know, like I, that's why I switched to cycling, but I wasn't really fulfilled. You know, like I'd done that race, I got that PR and and in my adult years I PR in my 5k, 10k and half marathon time and I really happy with that.
Speaker 3:Like I worked really hard and busted my ass for so many years to do that and I and I PR multiple times. And I think I can't get to that point because I know that the time commitment takes. So what did I do? I shifted my focus to the coaching, redefine that goal, and now my juice is into the kids. I'm like all right, you got to do this and and and they're the, they're the physical instrument and with my coaching and my guidance, and and it works out great because my, my knees are shot to shit.
Speaker 1:So they can handle it. They're young kids.
Speaker 3:So I, I find that is so fulfilling and um, you know, and really motivating them. And I got a really uh, we had a meet on sunday and, um, I, we had the best day. Kids were pr-ing and they did amazing and they had great attitude and they're having fun and you know that's paramount, having fun. And I was just texting some of the parents after the meet and um, saying hey, they did great. I took some pictures while I was there and and one of the parents after the meet and saying, hey, they did great. I took some pictures while I was there. And one of the parents said you know, you are a wonderful coach, you're very supportive and encouraging, and I thought that was just really. I showed this to my wife. I thought that was really nice. I mean, people don't often say that and they get a lot of compliments from the parents too, but this is a new parent whose kid you know kid is new to the team, right, I just thought that was really warm and that really made me feel good about that.
Speaker 3:So I've redefined what's important to me, you know, and shifting my efforts towards something different. So if I can't do a run, I used to be really kind of, you know, used to be kind of butt sore about like not being able to go for a run today. I'm like I'm going to get my run in today, but not like not being able to go for a run today. I'm like, ah, I'm gonna get my run in today, but you know, that's fine. You know, like I'm okay with that as long as I get prepared for these kids to get prepared for their meets and enjoy the seasons. That's kind of where one of my main focuses is in redefining, so that's beautiful man.
Speaker 1:I love, I love how you're evolving, tony, just keep showing up, man, because, uh, you're doing amazing stuff. I wish when I was a kid I would have had a coach like you who had that kind of passion, you know technique and stride and all that stuff that that would have been. Uh, that that's, that's a wonderful gift you're giving, brother. Keep on showing up, thank you.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, no, and and uh, it gives back. You know, I really I that feedback at, you know, from the kids and the parents. You know it makes me feel good. So, uh, yeah, it's both ways for sure, cool, cool.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you for spending some time with us, tony. We appreciate it.
Speaker 3:Thank you for having me Really appreciate it.
Speaker 1:Well, you're going to hang out for just a few more minutes. We always close our show with what's called the quote card, and this I did last week, and so that means it's Daryl's turn. You're going to throw out a quote to, to, to me and you, and we will just give our thoughts on the quote and then we'll end the show.
Speaker 2:All right. Okay, this is from a Japanese writer and I'll put the full version of the quote in, but we flipped a coin and we're going with the shorter version. Okay, when you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked into it. That's what the storm is all about. One more time when you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person you walked into it. That is what the storm is all about.
Speaker 1:I love that. That's a man. Wow, what a fitting quote for today, man, and for this season. That is that. I love that quote there. I love that too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, tony go ahead, tony what?
Speaker 1:uh, what's hitting you when you hear that quote?
Speaker 3:Um well, I'm going to bring up the nerd side of me and that that's very much like Luke Skywalker and empire strikes back.
Speaker 3:All right, he goes into the tree he sees Darth Vader. I don't know if you guys I mean this is a. Well, you know, you know, but it's not really Darth Vader, it's an image of him and it's this fear challenging it and he, he comes out differently from that tree. And so I look at it like you know what the storm is, your is your challenge, right? Whatever it is, it could be your daily grind. It could be, you know, a singular event and it will change you, and you know whether positive or negative. It will change you, and you know whether positive or negative. So, um, I think, and I I think to add to that, whether it's a positive or negative really is dependent upon you.
Speaker 3:But things, I believe in isaac newton's uh theories where things have an effect on each other. Right, I'm a big science guy and what we do, we may not realize that it affects other people, but it does, and so if I say something to you, you're going to react to that. If I don't do anything, that can invoke a reaction as well. So I'm very conscious and mindful of that in in my own actions, because I don't want to adversely affect other people's. You know attitudes, but I know I can only control myself. So, um, if I ever in a situation where I come to a challenge or something or interaction or whatever, and I go into that storm, if I come out, you know, a different person, then it's up to me, I feel, to be positive about it or negative, right, right. So, but yeah, that's how I feel about that, I think.
Speaker 1:Nice, nice. Well, mine is. You know, as a listener to Tony and just kind of recapturing the quote in my mind, just a simple little thing has come to me, and it's the storm is on purpose. The storm is on purpose. If you're not happy with where you're at, step into the storm, it's on purpose. That's all I got, daryl, and that's a damn good quote. I'm going to remember that one.
Speaker 1:I like that one too. Yeah, that's a damn good quote. I'm gonna remember that one. I like that one too. Yeah, that's a damn good quote. But uh, that's all we got today. Uh, peach podcast land thank you for being with us today, tony, again, thank you, thank you for having me. I'm gonna, I'm gonna sign out like I know.
Speaker 2:Hold on, hold on I, I got. I got one correction. Um to tony, you mentioned something about seven minute miles. Um, you meant kilometers, right? Um, I, I do kilometers in seven minutes. So I got to go recalculate everything. I thought it was a seven minute kilometer.
Speaker 3:Well, I can't do that now. Let's just be clear that that was several years ago. I'm striving to that. That could still be a personal goal. I don't want to get fast again.
Speaker 1:We got to go look up his, his, his, uh. Stats on strava daryl see what?
Speaker 3:oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, go back five years, go back five years?
Speaker 1:yeah, we will. We will all right, brothers and sisters. Well, I'm gonna close out like we always do and say god bless and peace out peace.
Speaker 3:We're out, we're out.