Episode 162: Karen Kirkpatrick - Lupus Warrior Princess

⁠Karen Kirkpatrick⁠ and I met originally on Instagram, but we've since met in person for this interview and for a run.During this episode, sponsored by ⁠Goodr⁠, we talk about:Her Flying Pig Half Marathon recap — the hills, the soreness, the soreness going up and down stairs at work, and nearly PR'ing (seven minutes off!)Being a self-proclaimed "one and done" racer — she's done 28 halfs and almost never repeats a raceThe Disney Princess Half Marathon she did five times when she lived in Fort Myers, Florida — and how she's done nearly every RunDisney race on the calendarRegistering for the Disney World Marathon from her laptop during a teaching conference and nearly screaming out loud when she got inGrowing up in Columbus, Ohio, going to Bowling Green State University for photography and then education, and — surprise — playing ice hockey for the BGSU women's club team (she learned to skate to join)Her diagnosis journey: five doctors told her it was in her head before the sixth (a woman) took her hands and said "I don't think you're crazy"What it's like to live with lupus — the fatigue, the joint pain, the butterfly rash, the lesions, the immune compromise, and how it affects her every day at schoolSelena Gomez as a public face of lupus and why her story resonatesHer mom being the reason she started running — watching her mom do half marathons for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society in her 60s (with a knee replacement) was the nudge Karen neededHer very first half marathon at Columbus in 2014Finding ⁠Carmel Runners Club⁠ through a ⁠Run(317)⁠ event in 2019 and the community she's found there⁠The Rally app⁠ and how messages from her great-niece Evelyn and other family members carried her through the Flying PigTraining for her Disney World Marathon on the Monon — using the Jeff Galloway run/walk methodGetting her Mickey marathon finisher ears — the thing she cared about more than anything elseHer five dogs (Oreo, Morgan, Zelda, Milo, and Zoe) and one Flerken cat (Blondie from Captain Marvel, obviously)Flying Pig being her 28th half — and why she chose itDoctors now telling her she needs to stop at 10K distances, and what her final three races will beBeing tested for multiple sclerosis on top of lupus — tremors, dizziness, balance issues, and what the next steps look like medicallySWTHZ as part of her recovery — infrared sauna + 20-minute cold plunges (yes, 20)Her next two finish lines: the Indy Marathon at Fort Ben in October (for the veterans) and the Columbus Half Marathon to close it all out — with her mom hopefully waiting at the finish line to put her final medal on herPrevious Guests Mentioned⁠Alex Baker⁠ - Episode 6⁠Abby Anderson⁠ - Episode 133Rachel Sinders - Episode 8Sponsor Details⁠Goodr⁠ - Use code ALLYB for $10 off your first order⁠Amazfit⁠ - Use code ALLYB for 10% offOther LinksFollow Karen on Instagram ⁠@lupuswarriorprincess⁠Follow me on Instagram ⁠@allytbrett_runs⁠⁠Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter⁠This is a ⁠SandyBoy Productions⁠ podcast.