Miles and Miles
I find I am best about exercise if I set myself up with a challenge. Unfortunately, I am realizing repeating a challenge doesn’t do it for me.
Back in the days, I was marathoning, I dreamed of running a marathon in every state. With ten marathons I had successfully done:
The Marine Corps Marathon in DC (multiple times)
The Country Music Marathon in TN
The Wine Glass Marathon in NY
The NYC Marathon also in NY
The Rock and Roll Marathon In CA
The Baltimore Marathon in MD
The Disney Marathon in FL
The Virginia Beach Marathon in VA
So, only 6 states and DC. When I had the momentum it was great. But then I decided to go back to school for my doctorate. Unfortunately, with the course load, I gave up running and took up stress eating. With the doctorate complete I tried to get back to running but have never been able to motivate to train again.
My next challenge for exercise was P90X. Again, I completed the program with gusto. But when I try to do it a second time, I don’t even make a week before losing interest.
The detour in life with brain surgeries and cancer has wreaked havoc on my exercise routines. Particularly, the surgery where they took out the vestibule. Having to learn to walk again has created a tremendous desire to run again.
I’ve signed up for another challenge – to walk/run 2020 miles in 2020. I’ve knocked out nearly 500 miles but I am finding it consumes too much time. To be successful in this endeavor I must average 5.5 miles per day for the entire year. The most difficult days are when it’s windy. The greatest challenge since the surgery is that my left eye doesn’t blink spontaneously. Consequently, walking in the wind causes the eye to dry out terribly. Thus, on windy days I do my walks inside. I’ve done as many as 10 miles without ever leaving the house.
This last week in spite of the wind I decided the walks had to be outside. We were on Hilton Head Island, at our rental place and the temperatures were perfect. I was able to get my miles in on the beach. Miles and miles of beach, with the waves rolling in and out. The ocean sounds made tolerating the wind completely worth it. Legacy moments on the Hilton Head beach will be a regular occurrence in the years to come.
