Happiness is a warm run.

I received some inspirational words from a reader in Oregon and so I decided to run further today. Now keep in mind that this is only my third run and, even though the cherry blossoms are in bloom and everything is green, the weather here stinks. Over the next 3 days temperatures will range in the 5C to 14C (approx 40F to 58F), so my run would have been miserable except that the rain gods held off and the temperature temporarily rose to 15C (approx 60F), still not warm but it beats being cold and wet.

So, off I went and did the first .6 miles fairly easily but my lungs were burning and felt the force pulling me forward and down. Over the next 2.4 miles, I took it easy - one block walk followed by a 3 block run, etc. I actually felt like I had accomplished something. I may even be in better shape now than BPD (before PD). I am going to keep at it until I am able to run the entire 3 miles without falling or having a lung collapse. Call me a loon; I still hate running, but at least now I have a mission objective and I will accomplish it, or die trying. Hell, I will do anything to slow down the progression of PD and right now, vigorous exercise tops the list of my strategies.

My thanks to J of Grey Co----- for her inspirational email. Sixteen years into PD and J of Grey is still active at 67 with symptoms that are barely noticeable. She credits her drugs and her regular exercise.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.
So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover."

Mark Twain's philosophy can, and should, apply to all people with PD. We are not under a death sentence. The condition is manageable and we don't want to leave life with any regrets. So get up off your sofa and exercise. It's like chicken soup for a cold - might not help, but it can't hurt.

I will keep on keeping on,still hating running (actually "jogging" is a better word or more accurately "very slow jogging") but I will hate it less in the dog days of summer and particularly in the tropical warmth of South Miami Beach next winter.