Guilty as charged

For the second time this year, a sense of longing weakens me as I watch the people running along the streets. I can’t do that. Another calf muscle tear has set me back a step or two; no longer able to run … right now. Give it time. Recover. Go for a walk instead. My runner mindset cringes at the thought of going for a walk. Yay. A walk. It’ll take me twice as long to cover half the distance of my regular run. I won’t even work up a sweat, so it’s barely worth the effort or the time I’ll put into it. Such sour grapes. That’s the runner whining. My anger soon...

What I have today

I hope the neighbors didn’t see me punch our mailbox. On this day the solid black box, accented with its red arm and gold letters identifying it as belonging to Jennifer and me, served as a tangible representation of my Multiple Sclerosis. And he had it coming. OK, so I didn’t really punch it. I guess it was more like a smack. It was a my way of nonverbally saying, “So there! Take that, ya thug.” For as much as I hope the neighbors missed my pseudo-mailbox beating, I pray they didn’t see me crying. OK, so I wasn’t really crying. I guess it was more like a...

Our story in pictures

We wanted to share with everyone the link to an incredible multimedia package about us that is in the April 25 Morning Sun’s print and online editions. The project started when Morning Sun photographer Ryan Evon approached us about following us around to develop a photo essay for the area daily newspaper. This package represents more than a year’s worth of his work, and we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. We are grateful for the opportunity to share our story and increase MS awareness. Click here to see the story, photos and videos that tell our story...

Jennifer was right

Between a wall showcasing every major brand of running shoe in stock and a wall displaying the industry’s best wicking running apparel, the helpful salesman at Runners in Mount Pleasant squats and watches my feet as I walk back and forth on the uncarpeted section of the floor. His analysis of my gait determines that I’m a neutral, meaning my foot absorbs the shock the way it was designed to, as opposed to landing heel first or landing on the very outside of the foot first. He tells me what type of shoe I need. He smirks when I ask him to settle an ongoing debate...

I’ll show you mine if you show me ...

Many thanks to everyone for your kind words of encouragement in the weeks leading up to and following my 8K at the Crim Festival of Races! After sharing my race experiences with you, one of the comments posted by fellow blogger Patrick Leer of Caregivingly Yours got me thinking. He asked, “OK so what was playing in that iPod?” I’ll tell you in a few seconds, but first I’ll share with you my initial thoughts and ask everyone reading this blog the same type of question: What is playing on your iPod, in your mind, in your heart? I could recite in my sleep my running...

A race for my record book

I told Jennifer I’d be happy if I finished the 8K at Flint’s Crim Festival of Races in under 50 minutes. That was going to average out to a 10-minute-per-mile pace. This was slower than my normal pace, but I never had run a race of this distance before. Plus, I had heard horror stories about the “Bradley hills” along this route that have challenged even the most elite of runners – of which I am not. So, yeah, I was going to be happy if I finished the 5-mile route in 50 minutes. Jennifer and her dad, Vic, had made it up to the finish line at about the 48-minute...