COLD...RAIN....BRRR....all 4 letter words....

I do not like the cold weather....with cold weather, those of us with Fibromyalgia really feel it...our muscles tighten up more than they usually are...everything that kind of hurts really hurts...so this weather the past few days has created a challenge...I have about 48 days until the half-marathon...that's about 24 running days....so, I need to keep at it...do I allow the weather to keep me in, or do I keep going? If I stop, I've learned how hard it is to get back to the level I need to be running to make a decent effort...but it's hard just to get through the day...but I ran...on Monday....and Wednesday...my long run is supposed to be this weekend....I'm thinking Saturday morning...it's supposed to be sunny...now, sunny. That's a nice word....it has 5 letters....much better...so much, much better....I think I can, I think I can, I can I think....that's where I'm at....I find myself questioning why I've even considered running this...but have been pushing those thoughts out of my mind....I'm usually very determined to finish something once I've committed, but with Fibro, sometimes I can't control what the outcome is....so, maybe this race will be good for the mental aspect as well....I'll continue to post....I'll continue to run....

Is pain truly a four letter word?

Pain...just the thought of it makes me shudder...I have Fibromyalgia, which is chronic pain. I've had it for over 10 years, and it has changed my life. And not for the better. Some days are bad, some are worse...but lately it has been manageable. But pain and I are not friends.

Running causes me pain...and I wonder why I would do something that causes more pain. But during today's run I discovered that I can push myself further than I thought I could. I would pick out a landmark and tell myself I could keep running until I got to that point...then I found another further, and so on. I kept going. Now, I admit, I do have walk breaks. I'm not at a total running level...yet. I may never get there...but, I am running more. And I feel better than I have in years.

Is there a correlation between my running and that pain, and my reduction of Fibro pain? I hope so. I'll endure the occasional pain for 1 hour to have a decent quality of life. It's fun to watch the children play where I run, and see them run and run and run...what happened to that? We used to go from sun up to sun down, playing outside. Now, I strive for one hour of exercise a day. Out of 24 hours. But, that's more than I used to exercise, so I'll take it.

Pain is indeed a four letter word...just as the words "like" and "star" and "hope"...not all four letter words are bad...some evoke bad ideas, but many teach us to believe, to dream, to strive. Pain will no longer be a bad thing in my day, merely something I have to get through.

The half-marathon is 7 weeks from tomorrow. 49 days. Of Pain.

Maybe I should change the name of this blog to "I CAN run a half marathon, can't I?" Because I can and I will. Pain will not stop me.

Motivation...is it for sale?

It's another dreary, cloudy day in San Diego ~ seems like the entire summer has been like this...and I am a sunshine kind of person...I get gloomy just like the weather. So, I am seeking motivation. I wonder if Amazon has any for sale...if you google the word "motivation" ~ there are plenty of people willing to sell you their secrets...just buy the book! But, I'm looking for real motivation..in the form of a tablet or a drink...and it's just not there...so, round two.

I've discovered that motivation can't be bought, can't be sold, can't be shared, can't be given away ~ it's up to me to decide to be motivated or not. I can read a thousand books, all the while not being motivated enough to run or exercise...it's kind of like reading about how to diet while eating a banana split. Sure tastes good, but why? What have I accomplished? So, round three.

I can fool others and tell them that I ran today, or biked today, or did my WII Fit...but who am I fooling? Myself. No one else would question it, but I would know. So, once again, I am discovering that motivation and the wanting to accomplish a goal must come from within. I've heard it before...deep down I know it....but I wanted it to be easier...to not hurt so much...the bottom line is that I didn't want to work for it. So, final round.

Motivation is free...it's within every one of us, including me. I just didn't know it. I never would have been where I am had I not read Barbara Hannah Grufferman's book "The Best of Everything after 50." I encourage anyone, whether you're 50, over 50 or almost 50 to purchase this book. Barbara has done the work for us. She has given me the closest thing to "free" motivation, as she has traveled this journey and found health, happiness and a positive quality of life. Barbara didn't ask me to "plug" her book...I just did it, since it has made such a difference in my life.

So, I will find some way to exercise today, it's not a running day, but I have the goal of working out 6 days a week until the Marathon...and after. I'm not just training for the half-marathon...I'm training for life...even if I can't buy motivation, I'm going to be looking for it within me every day...it's there...the weather won't stop me. I'm running a half-marathon. In December. Wow ~ that almost sounds like I'm motivated!

SO not a runner...

Ok, I turned 50 in May...I am SO not a runner....my hubby runs...my daughter runs...I do not run. Or....maybe I do! Maybe I can! I have decided to train for the Rock and Roll half-marathon in Las Vegas. It is being held the first Sunday in December....some 55 days away. My longest run so far has been 30 minutes ~ but my middle daughter got married, and I stopped running for 10 days ~ what was I thinking!!!

This blog is for those of us over 50...to show what we can do. It is for those people who don't think they can begin an exercise program. This is for people like me who don't think they can be a runner. I've heard it, and I'm sure those of you reading this have heard it as well "anyone can run." I'm going to prove this to be true...over 50...SO not a runner.