I want to be around with my wife for as long as I can. I must live a healthier life.
I quit smoking 6 yrs ago because I wanted to be more active. We wanted to go hiking, play Basketball with our son, go salmon fishing with our grandson and spend as much time enjoying life together before her disease says we can't do those things anymore.
My wife was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2008. It started off with migraines, blindness, numbness and the occasional foot drop or extreme muscle twitch. Currently these days are so unpredictable. There are days when she can not walk or get through a day without the pain of an "MS Hug" or Neuropathy. We cancel many scheduled plans with family and friends because of this crippling disease.
Today we volunteer weekly at our local MS Chapter and every year thousands of people know who we are at the Annual MS Walk/Run. In 2016, we will not only be at the walk but represented in the 5K run as well.
On November 18th I started C25K.
In my first week I got an injury and couldn't run for a week. I have healed and started again where I left off. I will increase my efforts in order to make the January 1st, 2016 Resolution 5K Run and Polar Bear Dip.
MY WIFE HAS NO IDEA THAT I AM RUNNING IN THIS EVENT.
She believes I am running to stay healthy, which is true. What she doesn't know is that I am Running for Her and that I will always run for her.
I will be running in a 5K each month for different charities to show our appreciation to those who have donated to our cause. This is the least we can do to thank the many who have joined us in our fight.
I know we exercise for our health and well being. But WHO do you run for? What motivates you? I look forward to reading your stories, post, trials, but most of all your successes.
My name is Scott and I'm Running4MyWife.
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Running4MyWife
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I am running for my health of course but l am also running for the mental boost it gives me. I don't have a great cause like you Scott. What a great motivation to run for love. Well done and good luck with the programme. It is super and you will find lots of encouragement here on this forum.
Thank You Cath for your kind words. I have not experienced any mental boost, but then, I am new to running. However, I have heard of a runners high and hope to experience that sometime. Healthy Wishes to You.
Lovely post, Scott, it was a joy to read. You have the very best of motivations for your running. Personally, I started because I felt I was just sitting about waiting to grow old. I had gradually become less and less active as my children grew up and, after a bout of depression related to my previous job, I bit the bullet and decided to get fit. Almost 2 years later, I can safely say it was one of my better decisions.
Good luck with your running journey, Scott. I'll look forward to reading about your progress.
Thank you Mum. It is great to hear that after 2 years of running you still enjoy it. I actually never really liked long distance running. I was a basketball, football and soccer player. However, I am finding it easy to run with my wife in mind.
I just read your post - it really touched me. Felt quite emotional. You are doing something amazing. Good luck with your running - and the polar bear dip(!) - and lots of healthy wishes to your wife.
I am running for myself to try and get fit - having not exercised properly for years - and so I can keep up with my kids a bit. It's hard going but I'm sticking with it - sticking (stuck) with week 5 right now
I understand the "Keeping up" with the kids. Also, Congratulations on making it to Week 5. I keep reading how tough it is. So I send you the Best "STICK WITH IT" JUJU. I know YOU will persevere.
Hi Scott - what a lovely post - my motivation was just to get fitter and lose some weight - I did C25K with my husband and it was lovely going out and having that time for just the two of us. Your wife is a very lucky lady. Good luck with your 5k runs.
Like you and your husband. My wife workout together at the company gym. Many of the exercises have to be motified in order for her to get the full benifit. It is nice and we get to spend more time together.
Hi Scott. Thank you for sharing your post. I found it very moving and I wish you every success and happiness with your aims.
I started running for my daughter. She wanted to do a 2k junior parkrun with me. I hadn't realised how shockingly unfit I was. I knew I was bad but not that bad! It has changed mine and my family's lives. We are all now regular runners. This weekend we'll be doing a Santa Fun run - hubby & son whizzing away for a fast time but me, my daughter, brother and 3 year old nephew plodding away in our santa suits having fun!
Best wishes for your resolution run and polar bear dip. I'm sure your wife will be delightfully surprised
Running can be a therapeutic experience and can benefit you in many ways. I once read somebody who said that you can't be depressed and run at the same time. It sounds almost a bit flippant - and I'm sure that there are many who would argue with that. But I can see where the writer is coming from . Running can be painful - IS painful for most -- but the willing perseverence and endurance of that pain helps us to endure other pains.
I wish you and your wife the very best - all of us only have this instant of time - yesterday is gone - there may be no tomorrow - there is only today
As for me - I started running when I was 67 -- I have never been able to run for all of my life - so I decided it was my time to learn how to!! I am really pleased that I started - and all I have to do now is to not stop!!
Thank you for your wishes. I have been told by others that there is an emotional and mental benifit to running. I am too new to running that the only mental I am familiar with is my mind telling me not to stop. Go all the way. I'm sure that I will receive the other benefits as I run more.
There is really no need to torture yourself when running - do whatever you want. There is no need to run non-stop - walking and running are both natural modes of human progression. Run a bit - walk a bit - run a lot - walk a lot!! Do whatever you need to do to 1. enjoy the day - and 2. keep on doing it!!
Your post is wonderful, I do hope that after your resolution run that you show this post to your wife, it is beyond wonderful when we have supportive partners in our lives.
I started running when I realised that I was too scared to leave my flat after my dad attempted murder on my mum during a psychotic episode- we didn't even know he had a mental illness. My mum barely survived and three years on I am still struggling with trusting strangers out on the street not to harm me when my own father did that. My mum is physically as recovered as she will ever be, but is very distrustful and the joy has left her eyes, for now at least.
So I guess I run to prove I can, despite being looked at because I'm obese, to prove that people on the whole are good and to try and prevent my mental health from deteriorating as much as my father's, as after 2 years of psychotherapy, it seems that an upbringing of violence by him and neglect by my mother means I have adopted behavioural patterns that are extremely bad for me.
I am lucky that my husband has stuck through this with me, even though the attack happened just three months after we got married.
I just wish my dad had been open and honest about his paranoia so it didn't get to the point of him doing what he did. I think the stigma of mentally ill people he had in his head stopped him and he has lost touch with most of my family now, as after the attack, the stories of my childhood came out.
Sorry to be so blunt with my post, I haven't meant to thread jack. I just want people to be aware of how it's good to get help early and that you can be safe.
Good luck on your running journey, you have my best wishes and all the good luck in the world to succeed.
Scott, all the best to you and your wife and thanks for sharing your story.
I run for my health but also because I have a lovely husband I want to enjoy life and be there for, lovely (grown up) children and a hope there may one day be grandchildren who I would want to see grow up. My own children grew up without knowing their paternal grandmother (she died during my first pregnancy) and I don't want history to repeat.
What a lovely, lovely man you are . Your post moved me so much, sometimes we take our health and lives so much for granted . We never know what may be around the corner for us.
I wish you and your wife all the very best . You are both amazing ! xxx
Hi what a lovely post...your wife is 'lucky' to have a such a 'thoughtful' husband ❤️& inspires the rest of us to run for love & loved ones -my Dad died of MND & I hope to one day to 'run' in his name & raise some funds for MND!
Thank you for your kind words. For me, running 4 my wife makes it a little easier. Almost as if I feel lighter, easier to stride.
I am pleased that I have inspired you to run in your fathers name. I encourage you to set that date and make it a goal to run for your father. Please let me know when you run.
I am unfamiliar with MND. But I will become more aware. I will also find a local charity here to see if they have a run. I'll keep in touch.
Thanks Scott & I pray u never have 'intimate' knowledge of Motor Neurone Disease! We as a Family do a lot of walks for MND Scotland..... Like a lot of of the 'horrendous' life changing conditions-there is no government funding....so we do what little we can... Maybe a wee run one day--how Dad would laugh at me 'running' x
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