Just Get Going

This past weekend I completed my 3rd half marathon. This race took place at the Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, FL, and was a really great experience. I had been training for this race for some time, and while I didn't run quite as fast as I had hoped I would, I did finish with a new personal best time.

Along the way, I even had time to stop for a pictures with a couple of the coolest guys ever.




These races at WDW are always such a great motivator for me, because there are always runners of every shape and size imaginable. There are people that finish these races, some even faster than me, that look like they would struggle to complete a 5k, let alone a half or a full marathon.

The amount of inspiration you can get from some of these participants is incredible, and they really show that whatever excuse you have for not exercising really is a nothing but that--an excuse.

This weekend I passed a guy that was running the half that had both of his legs amputated. He was out there running with two prosthetics and enjoying the experience, when no one would have blamed him for sitting at home feeling sorry for himself.

Two years ago, a soldier ran the full marathon wearing full army fatigues, carrying his pack with him as he ran in honor of all the other soldiers serving overseas. Every person that passed him thanked him for serving our country, and he just humbly deflected all gratitude to those soldiers far from home.

This year I had some friends run that have never considered themselves runners, yet they all managed to finish their races. One actually wasn't planning to run until the day before the race when another person got sick. She hadn't trained and had every reason not to run, but instead she just went out and did it. She may not have been the fastest person out there, but she finished.

And when you finish something you never thought was possible, you feel so proud of what you accomplished, and it also helps you realize how much more is attainable. I love going to these big races to remind myself of what is possible when you convince yourself that you are able to do anything you put your mind to.

So whether or not you ever run a marathon, or even a 5k, please don't ever tell yourself you can't do it. Because you can.

And afterwords your muscles might be sore, and your joints might ache, but you'll have done something that can never be taken away from you.

And you'll know to never doubt yourself again. Ever.

You're Never Too Old to Run

Sometimes people say things, and all you can do is stop, scratch your head, and say "huh?"

I feel like the time that this happens most often to me is when the topic is me running another marathon. While saying I'm a marathon runner might be a bit of an untruth, I have successfully finished the only two races I've ever attempted, which is an accomplishment I'll be proud of for as long as I can still lace up my Asics.

While I was training for my first marathon two years ago, I had one of those head scratching "huh" moments while talking with my parents. My dad said something to the effect of "Are you sure about this? You know, people die from the stress of running marathons."

Huh? Sure, every once in a while a marathoner dies while completing a race. And if legend holds true, the Greek soldier did drop dead after running from the Battle of Marathon to the assembly in Athens. But really, dad, let's compare the ratio of marathon running fatalities to that of those who die of a sedentary lifestyle.

I think I'll take my chances with running.

Turns out, I'm not the only person willing to take on the "inherent health risks" associated with marathon running. According to Joy Johnson, 84, the "risk" of running isn't enough to keep her from continuing her streak of 24 consecutive New York City marathons. "I want to keep running as long as I can and drop in my running shoes when the time comes," she recently told Janice Lloyd from the USA Today. Joy is one of 2,634 runners age 60 or older that is running New York this year.

The positive effects all this running has on these elder runners is impressive, to say the least. Ms. Johnson's bones are so dense after 25 years of distance running that Stanford researches thought the results of a recent bone density test can back wrong. Not only were the results correct, but the strength of her bones is directly attributed to her healthy diet and physical exercise, as Johnson takes no bone strengthening supplements. Running, as well as most any type of higher intensity activity, has also been shown to improve cholesterol levels, muscle strength, and body composition, as well as a host of other effects. While there can be some aches and pains associated with running, the positive effects far outweigh and far outlast any negative ones.

The moral of the story is simple, you're never too old to start running. As with anything, there will be some growing pains, but they are nothing that can't be overcome. And whatever reason you may be hiding behind is just an excuse. Asked about the aches and pains she experiences, Ms. Johnson replies that she does have a little arthritis, but "who doesn't over age 30?"

Kind of hard to argue with that logic, eh?

To read more about Joy and other older folks running for their health, check out the article here.