Running is a mental sport. All runners are insane!.

I think I have told you in previous blogs that I hated running when I did it for 25 years - hated every step of the way, but I kept doing it (that is the OCD in me). Finally, when diagnosed with PD, for some reason I stopped running. I think it was because I was afraid of falling. When I experienced my "PD Walk &Fall" back in the winter - you know the one, where you try to catch up with your centre of gravity which inexplicably moves beyond your body and you end up falling - I became more nervous. I tried jogging once when I was in Miami Beach and got about 300m before I stopped. I was slightly pleased with myself but decided I would just be a walker.

But, summer has finally arrived and not far from us is a stately street called Wellington. It has two - four lane routes separated by a wide boulevard, down the middle of which is a running/walking path. My writing is inadequate to describe the beauty of this street with its multi-million dollar homes, years old elms, oaks and other species lining the boulevard and hiding the houses.....But I digress. I am not a travel agent. The importance of Wellington to me and what brought on this mild description of its elegance is that, with the warmer weather, the path is loaded with runners and I am jealous! So, the other morning I decided I would give running another chance. Now I hadn't run in a year and a half approximately. Off I went and I lasted a mile followed by a 2 mile walk. My lungs were burning and I was short of breath, but I did it. I actually ran - well sort of - truth is, my daughter's mascara runs faster than I did on my first day back. But I plan to continue.

My exercise regime now consists of: everyday, 5AM, 15 minutes of stretching. Day 1, a half hour of weight training using only 10 pound dumbbells and power ribbons. Day 2 a half hour on the stationary bike pushing my heart rate above 115. Day 3 - either a walk or a run (a walk takes an hour - it will be a while before I know how long the run is going to take. Day 4 I begin the 3 day cycle again and on the 7th day I rest. As I have said before, I believe exercising is keeping the PD at bay.

Now let's hope I don't drop dead from exhaustion or a heart attack or something more insidious.