Running with Fibro
“You’re not allowed to run”, she said.
“Watch me”, was my response.
I’ve never disagreed with my naturopath before. Since my diagnoses of fibromyalgia at 19, she has been the only person who has given me any hope. She has seen me through some horrible afflictions and helped me get to the other side. In reality, she is one of the main reasons that I am still here today.
I had always dabbled with working out. In fact, it was during a Zumba workout that I really started to feel the weird pain in my legs that I couldn’t quite place. I’d always been the big girl. Tall. Curvy. But I didn’t understand my body, the beauty of it, and I was always uncomfortable with it. Always trying to change it – for better or worse.
The decision to run came out of depression. A deep space that I didn’t know how to come out of. I was about 30 years old. I was very overweight. I knew I needed a change. Two things happened at this point – I joined Beachbody (I will talk about that journey later in detail – not with an intention to sell you on this company and their programs, just to share because it is a part of my story) and I started running.
When I’m going to start something new, I turn to my naturopath and run it by her. I trust her with my health explicitly. And she said no… but I knew, deep down, this was something that I needed to do.
So, I laced up and I started. And I hated it. I HATED it. Running is horrible, y’all! My guy asked me what I was doing the other day and I responded that I was ‘mentally preparing to go for a run’. He laughed at that and said ‘I love how you’ll climb a mountain at the drop of a hat but you have to mentally prepare to go for a run?’. YES. Because there’s no summit at the end! Running is just me, out there, with a podcast or music, pounding the pavement. Aware that every foot strike is going to be uncomfortable because of my fibromyalgia. But still, I do it.
I found relief in running. It’s pretty painful at first. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Running puts a lot of stress on your body and joints. I started slowly. 30 seconds of running, 1 minute of walking. And I built up. Eventually I was able to run an entire 5k and the first time that I did it, I cried.
I’ve now completed a bunch of 5K’s and two 10k’s. I’m working towards a half marathon and a triathlon.
So, you may ask, what is the thing that has kept pushing me forward? What drives me? The mental health aspect. I feel stronger mentally than I ever have before. And yes, it ultimately does have great other aspects. My legs are stronger and leaner. It’s helped me lose weight, which is something that I struggle with. I can push myself further and further. It’s a great feeling. But it’s the mental strength that I feel. That grit. That toughness. You reach a point where you think that you can’t keep going – and then you do. You push through.
If I can keep pushing through while I run, if I can break through that wall, then I can summit that mountain. I can complete that thru hike. I can lift heavy. I can face losing my beloved Mom to Alzheimer’s. I can face a future with constant chronic pain. I can go to work when I don’t feel ready for it and am exhausted. I can face adversity. I can work through my PTSD. And I can stay alive. Sometimes that’s the hardest thing. But I can do it. And so can you.
I do want to share with you two things that help me when I’m running and working out in general. I don’t summit a mountain, go on a thru hike or go for a run without these two things: Honey Stingers and Nuun tablets. Honey Stingers are little chews that I suck on while hiking when I need an extra hit of energy and I feel that my legs are cramping. They help me push through muscle and fibro pain to keep going. Nuun tablets are electrolyte tablets that help aid in the absorption of water and also help with cramping. Often times when I am hiking or running, I don’t necessarily feel thirsty, but I know that by drinking some Nuun, my body will feel better and I can push further as a result. Both come in a variety of flavors for you to try.
Every body is different. Just like every persons journey with fibromyalgia is going to look differently. That said, for me, these two products have been game changers.
If you’re looking to start getting active to help your pain, I highly recommend checking them out. You can get them at a variety of places, but below are two online links for easy access (full disclosure – clicking on either link will help me in a very small way, financially. Purchasing anything from either link will do the same. There is no pressure – I’m honestly just happy that you’re here and are reading this, so thank you for that!)
NUUN:
Honey Stingers:
