#running

Remember before starting any fitness program or different fitness regimen, always consult with a professional. 

Running has made a complete difference in my life and my recovery.  I do not know how anyone can go through life without working out, I know that is a bold statement, but with stress, and basically life, I don’t know how people can handle it without exercise. 

In the worst of my illness, the last thing on my mind was exercise, I was basically trying to survive, however if I could tell myself something during those days, I would have told myself to get up and workout, because it would have helped me greatly.  Eventually I did catch on though, and exercise became a key part of my life.

Many people say to me, I don’t know how you do it, how do you get the motivation?  And this is my response, it is definitely not that easy, I have a fifteen minute conversation with myself in bed every morning, it simply goes like this, “okay, should I run, no I can’t my body is so tired maybe it just needs to stay here, eat a bagel and watch the morning news.”  Then the conversation takes a positive turn, “I know I am very tired, however I will feel so much better after a run, I’ll feel just a little bit better, stronger and healthier and I might actually have a little bit easier of a day because of this run.”

Sometimes my mind does win, and I stay in bed, have a tea, eat breakfast, however most days, I get up, I put on my running shoes, and I run.  I am not saying you need to run a marathon every single day, I sometimes do three kilometres, I sometimes do running intervals of two minutes of running and two minutes of walking, and as long as I get in that fifteen or twenty minute workout, my mind is happy and I remember for the next time I try to talk myself out of running in the morning, I remember the feeling after my run, and I think to myself today might be a little easier because of my run.

Before everything that happened in the world, I signed up for my second marathon.  I sometimes like to sign up for races because it gives me a goal and pushes me to wake up every morning (I take one day of rest) and workout.  Having a workout goal is a great way to stay motivated. 

Exercise will help your mental health during this time or even just your health in general.  Working out might give you something to take your mind away from everything happening now, maybe just for a little bit.  Running definitely takes my mind away and reminds me of what is important in my life.

And like I said before, if I could tell my younger mentally ill self anything during the worst of my illness, it would have been to run and to workout, because working out will dramatically change the way you think.  There have been times in my life where one run has changed my viewpoint on a situation, where the way I would have handled the situation before the run is different and better after the run.  And like I said, I do not know how people get through life without exercise, because I do not know how I would get through life without running.

Am I ready for 42.2km, no not at all, (is anyone ever ready??).  My only goal is to finish the race, and even if I don’t finish, or if maybe there is no race (which is again definitely okay), at least I know that I tried, all that truly matters to me is that I trained for the race.  I got up, I put on my running shoes, I tried, and I trained. 

Stay safe, stay healthy and stay strong.

Sending love and positive energy to the entire world.