My First 13.1 Miles

I think I got the bug. My friends warned me about the bug. 

I walked my very first half marathon on Sunday and the very next day I wanted to go for a walk. And two more days later, I've found myself looking up future races that I might want to sign up for. I love the idea of working towards a goal a few months out that will motivate me to train and regularly walk long distances while connecting with friends who will most likely do the race with me. It’s about wellness, discipline, movement, and friendship. 

I have always loved walking. It gives me time to reflect and collect my thoughts and emotions. It’s soothing to me. But I had never ever considered walking a half marathon! Then in April, one of my coaching classmates, Dena started talking about doing a half marathon in September and her enthusiasm was contagious. Several of us decided to sign up so we can have a little reunion a few months after our coaching certificate classes were completed. I signed up and then didn’t really think about it, because it felt so far away. Then luckily, Dena checked in and asked how our training was. 

This was kind of a new concept for me because the year before I did my first official 5K for my friend, Sarah’s birthday celebration, but that didn’t require as much training since I already walked 3 miles pretty regularly. Dena gave us a training plan which really helped break it down and make the concept of a half marathon so much more tangible. I’m so grateful. So the first goal was to walk 6 miles by July 1^st. Then 10 miles by August 1^st. Once we got up to 10 miles, we were practically there and the additional 3.1 miles would work itself out. 

So I wrote a visual to keep the half marathon goal in mind and put it by my work computer. It listed the date of the half and then the number of miles I needed to walk by a certain date. Of course, there is always room for humanness. I didn’t quite get up to 6 miles by July 1^st but sometime in July I was able to. And then I got up to 8 miles several times in August but didn’t get up to 10 miles until early this month. But I did it! I walked a half marathon this past Sunday! 

It didn’t quite hit me until the morning of that 3 years ago I wouldn’t have been able to even fathom walking so far. My chronic pain made it difficult to even stand for more than 10 minutes without getting achy and dizzy. It nearly brought tears to my eyes to think of the healing that has occurred since then. It may have been slow at times, but steadily I’ve gotten stronger and healthier. And now look what I can do! Wow!

A New Perspective on Pain

Three years after major abdominal surgery to relocate a compressed renal vein as a result of a rare syndrome named after the Nutcracker for its “nutcrackering” or clamping down effect on my vein and 125 hours of transformational life coach training later, I successfully managed my cyclical pain without Western medicine this month! This is a big feat for me on so many levels. I’m no longer dependent on pills as my savior when I’m in pain. This summer I’ve been focusing on prevention and self-care before the pain hits, which involves whole-life changes and new healthier habits the whole month long, not just when I’m in pain. I have significantly reduced my intake of:

• gluten because of its connection with inflammation which is known to cause more pain
• soy because of its ability to increase estrogen in the body which increases blood flow and when you have residual varicosities from the Nutcracker Syndrome, excess estrogen is not your friend
• corn due to its links with inflammation and consequently increased allergies, which I’m learning are most likely a result of my body being so inflamed over a long period of time
• sugar—especially refined—because of its connection with greater inflammation in the body as well—this one is especially challenging for me and one I could reduce even more with greater discipline and practice
• dairy, which I had already reduced quite a bit due to gastrointestinal discomfort that started over 10 years ago but which I sometimes still doctored or put a bandaid over with a Lactaid pill
• caffeine because it constricts blood vessels and raises tension levels which can result in increased pain

It’s a big undertaking and that’s why I think it’s been possible for me because of my life coach training. Of course I trained to coach others but I also reap the benefits, and taking on major life changes like this are beginning to seem much more manageable with experience and the tools I’ve learned. I am also incorporating suggestions that my naturopath made a long time ago that I finally feel like I can take on and by adding these self-loving activities into my week, I build up my resilience to stress and my response to pain comes from a calmer place. I remember to breathe through it and not resist or tense up. Through quick morning meditations, lymphatic dry brushing, Epsom salt baths, walking barefoot on the beach, and massage and acupuncture, I am beginning to find regular ways to ground myself into the moment, into gratitude, into trusting. It makes a big difference. It also helps me consider that pain is in our lives for a reason; it’s a messenger and I’m grateful for its message to focus on showing my body move love and dedicate time to improving my health and well-being.

Deciding to Rewrite My History

Recently I read a great line from Tess Marshall of The Bold Life on rewriting our history and I felt compelled to reflect on this and write about it.  I spent much of 2012 dealing with some quite challenging health issues and feeling a bit beside myself and at times sorry for myself because of the chronic, debilitating pain I experienced before having open, abdominal surgery and the acute, agonizing pain I felt post-op due to an infection and open wound as a result, that took 4 long months to heal.  

But what if I chose to rewrite that history for myself?  What if I chose to view and remember all the wonderful things I learned from these challenges and also all the wonderful things that happened at the same time as all these challenges?  Wouldn’t last year’s traumas then have more value and meaning for my overall story and life experience? I think so!

If I shift my focus and instead of remembering all the pain, instead remember all the love I received and was able to give, 2012 is illuminated in a whole new light. A light of learning to trust with all my being and falling deeply in love with my soulmate and now husband, of being gentle and loving with my other soulmate--me!--and of returning to my childhood home to be cared for so tenderly by my dear, sweet, patient mother.

I get a little teary-eyed and start to beam with love and light when I reflect and remember ALL THIS LOVE that filled my life last year. I would MOST definitely prefer to remember all the love, rather all the pain! So here I begin. To rewrite my history. It feels good. It feels positive. Proactive. And fills me with thanksgiving. Like a gratitude journal for the past. That's it! So whenever there is a painful part of your past that might return to haunt you from time to time, remember what you were grateful for during that time. Even if it seems hard. I know there's something. If you have trouble, remember you're alive. That's a BIG something to be thankful for, isn't it?

Photo taken today in Lake Forest Park, Washington by yours truly, la Ecua-Gringa.