A Story of Resilience
900 Minutes
Movement as Medicine
How one woman used the power of physical movement to fight through breast cancer — and came out stronger on the other side.
Order the Book
Movement as Medicine
How one woman used the power of physical movement to fight through breast cancer — and came out stronger on the other side.
Order the BookBeth ran, hiked, swam, mountain biked, road biked, gravel biked, skied uphill, skied downhill, Nordic skied, kayaked, windsurfed, sailed, climbed mountains, wrote a book, taught high school history, coached ski mountaineering, traveled, and raced in many different events — all through 18 months of breast cancer treatment. She used movement as medicine; Beth exercised on average 900 minutes a week, far above the 150 minutes recommended by the American Heart Association. In the middle of her treatment, she completed one of the most challenging ski mountaineering races in the United States, with her son Daniel by her side.
Beth pushed through treatment with the help of movement — and by following the advice, encouragement, and support of two incredible friends: one who endured two bouts of breast cancer, and the other who had surgery to remove a brain tumor. This book recounts the ups and downs of anyone fighting cancer or any other trauma — and how exercise and community serve, sustain, heal, and nurture you.
When Beth Krasemann was diagnosed with breast cancer, she made a decision: she would not just survive — she would thrive. Fueled by a deep belief in the healing power of movement, she laced up her boots, hit the trails, and refused to let the illness define her.
Her story is one of extraordinary resilience — a journey measured not in miles, but in minutes, and in the quiet courage it took to keep moving through every treatment, every setback, and every hard-won day.
As Beth's physician, I have had the rare privilege of witnessing her journey in the clinic and in her life. I was there the heartbreaking day we learned she needed more chemotherapy, when the response wasn't what we hoped. And I knew of the day she crushed the Power of Four — again and again — a feat that has defeated my fittest athlete friends. What struck me most is that she refused to stop living. She did not minimize her suffering, and the burden of treatment was profound. I witnessed the exhaustion, the frustration, the weight of each appointment and each result. And yet alongside every hardship, she found her meaning, her true North, in her runs, her races, her family, and herself.
Beth reminds me that healing is never purely biological. It lies in movement, and the willingness to feel everything at once, and still click in, gear up, and head uphill. She showed extraordinary candor and courage, writing and reflecting on a treatment that would have leveled most. She simply would not surrender.
Beth Krasemann's remarkable journey through breast cancer is a powerful testament to resilience, grit, and the healing power of movement. Her story inspires us to believe that even during life's greatest challenges, we can do more than survive — we can thrive.
In the middle of her breast cancer treatment, Beth completed the Power of Four — one of the most grueling ski mountaineering races in the United States, ascending nearly 12,000 vertical feet across four Aspen-area peaks. She finished the race with her son Daniel by her side.
"Wow, only two hours. That's all you got, cancer?"
In 900 Minutes, Beth Krasemann takes readers inside her journey — the fear, the determination, the mountains climbed, and the lessons learned along the way. A powerful read for anyone facing adversity, and a blueprint for using movement as a tool for healing.
For the fourth pillar of cancer treatment: movement, and all the family and friends who climbed mountains with me to prove it.
And to my body — who absorbed every treatment and every relentless mile I demanded of it, and never once stopped showing up. I pushed you harder than you deserved. You carried me further than I had any right to ask. Thank you.
Have a speaking inquiry, book club request, or just want to share your story? Beth would love to hear from you.