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A Running Doc’s Life: Striving to Survive!

It has been a busy couple of weeks. Using exercise to help promote different things, both for the community, and for myself. First, we had our annual awareness walk/run for suicide prevention. Another great turnout by close to a total of 150 people. I helped map out the course, and helped create the event to be kept locally here. Suicide affects everybody in one way or another, and by promoting awareness of this, we can also promote wellness to those of us here by helping to take care of ourselves as well. That is just as important. We need to keep taking care of ourselves, and by doing this, then we can feel better about ourselves, and about life in general. We can then also give back to others at the same time.

Here is part of the route taking off from the zoo, and then me giving some instructions prior to the start.

The runners took off first, followed by MANY walkers. The idea was to get as many people out to participate, not only in remembrance of someone they may have lost, but to bring awareness to the issue of suicide to start with.

How much more can you strive to survive? We can help remember somebody else, and help take care of ourselves, by walking, and remembering…it was a great turnout, and hopefully we will have even more next year.

Then 4 days later I ran the Sioux Falls half marathon…13.1 miles. That is why I did not have a post on here last Sunday. I was busy doing this. I am in the large group of Watertown runners who are going to be doing the Twin Cities Marathon in 2 weeks from today, running for charity as well to help raise money for research and a cure for Friedreich’s Ataxia, of which I have written about recently as well. This was to be my last long run getting ready for the marathon. That Sunday was supposed to be my last 20 mile run. What I ended up doing was do 3 miles first, then did the half marathon, then another 4 miles after that. I got my 20 miles in, and some speed work, as my time I was actually very happy with, 1:48:59…running the 13.1 miles with an 8:19 per mile pace. Even though I was training for the marathon coming up, and again for charity, this run was for me. I needed some confidence to know what I was capable of for finishing. I was striving for a time I wanted…a goal I wanted…and did it. Over the years if I have learned anything, it’s that you can do a lot for promoting wellness, and improved health, but it means so much more to practice what I preach. I encourage people to do this everyday, just like I encourage myself to. I don’t just talk about exercise, I do it. I had an attending physician I followed for a month when I was a second year medical student. He was very overweight, over 300 pounds, and was a smoker. He would have the cigarette box hanging out of his shirt pocket, and would tell his patients they had to exercise, watch their diet, and quit smoking. Now how many patients do you think actually took him seriously? How many do you think actually listened to him? He could not, or would not, do it himself, why would they listen to him? I have said for many years, lead by example. You hold more credibility if you actually do what you try to have your patients do.

Lead the charge! I may tell my patients to work on their diet and exercise more, but I also show them too. This kind of goes along with the theme we had for our suicide awareness walk/run. “Walk in the path of hope”.

This could have other meanings as well. Hope in that you can believe in yourself. Hope that you can do more than you are capable of…including not only taking care of yourself, but helping to take care of others, and making awareness stand out for you and others. Believe in yourself. Confidence goes a long way in achieving this goal…the goal of you, and what you can do to become a better you. And by becoming a better you, you can help somebody else become better.

There are days when you may exercise by yourself, but those times that you are in a group, the effort becomes much easier to handle…to the point where doing some of those workouts by yourself may not have gotten done had you been by yourself. Both of these events made it come to light even more by showing it is easier to get things accomplished when you work together…workout together…to support each other. A lot of things we do we have to rely on ourselves, and sometimes the stress of doing this can be overwhelming. But even more so, we can’t be afraid to rely on others for help, encouragement, and friendship. We are all here for a purpose, and you want to make the most of that purpose. Strive to survive for yourself, and for those around you!

Keep moving everybody!

Dr. Dan

Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3641

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