BLOG: Keeping your New Year's resolutions

[ActiveMSers]

For most people, New Year’s resolutions go the way of fleeting fame, re: the Man with the Golden Voice. (Forgot him already? Rewatch his viral video from 2011 here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rPFvLUWkzs). Resolutions start out with the best of intentions and then after a few weeks (which as the formerly homeless radio announcer discovered may or may not include a visit to Dr. Phil and a trip to rehab) they crumble into fine dust and skitter away in chilly late January winds. There has to be a better way. It turns out there may be...

Blog Encore:
http://activemsers.blogspot.com/2014...solutions.html

So, what are your resolutions? Post here!

[Marinadca]

Well my resolutions was to eat more Thai food and keep drinking beer. I am still going strong!

[AMFADVENTURES]

I’m with you Dave, I pretty much resolve not to make resolutions. But, having said that, it just so happens that the early part of the year corresponds to early season bike training. It’s kind of a pain in the a** because there seem to be a lot of people who do make “New Years Resolutions” thus filling up the clubs and classes to the point that an old MSer might have a hard time getting the cycling related exercises in that he needs. Unfortunately it also tends to be way too cold to go outside, at least on a bike, so I’m kind of stuck. I know from past experience that this will only be a problem for about six weeks. After that, most of the “New Years Resolution” makers will have given up leaving behind only those of us who are just trying to get a head start on our usual summer activities.

Another problem with the whole silly idea of “New Years Resolutions” is that when I start my training, I stop drinking alcohol, I’m not a total fanatic about it but I really do try not to drink. Oh sure, births, deaths, weddings, and the odd happenstance that a long lost friend shows up on my door step, certainly demand a modicum of social participation, possibly even a bottle of rum. But, I generally do well enough at it that I get accused of having made a “New Years Resolution”. Totally untrue. Totally.

Now if I WERE to make “New Years Resolutions” they would probably be along the lines of Marina’s. Stuff like see more movies, eat more Indian food, take a road trip, finish writing that novel I’ve been meaning to start, etc., etc. etc.

As far as the motivational power of the Active MSers forums, and like-minded friends, well, for everything else, there’s VISA.

AMF

[ActiveMSers]

Reposted this blog from 2011 with updated links. I look forward to all of us motivating each other in 2014! Happy New Year!

[garyp]

Run a marathon

Ok....was not planning on communicating this but Dave's post and blog have encouraged me to to so in the hope that it will help me actually do it.

My goal is to run a marathon this year - something I last did back when I was in college in about 1989 or so. I still have the shirt hanging in my closet to prove it

Given heat sensitivity - it needs to be a cold weather race (lower than 40F). I have my eye on the George Washington Marathon here in the DC area on Sunday February 16 - am hoping it will still be cold by then and that the current snow/ice disappear so that I can train some more between now and then.

Have not yet communicated this to my family - so please keep this quiet

[kristen.gallegos]

@GaryP- What an awesome goal!! Best of luck and keep me updated on your progress!

[ActiveMSers]

A marathon, Gary? Not like a Breaking Bad Netflix marathon, but one where you actually move your legs? Totally awesome. But only a month away? I hope you've been training.

Good luck and rock it out!

[ActiveMSers]

Oh, and do you have any time goals? Given enough time, all of us can traverse 26.2 miles (it would take me, oh, 13 days or so, ha).

[garyp]

Will be moving legs

Yes, will be one of those moving your legs type marathons - as opposed to sitting around eating chips during a Star Trek type marathon.

I have been training sort of - running when I can on weekends when it is both cold and no ice on the ground. Run during the week when I can prior to it going dark. Stretch often. Yoga often. Play indoor soccer once per week.

The event I would enter has a 6 hour time limit. As I ran a half marathon in 2 hours a couple of weeks ago, that should be doable.

It will come down to the temperature on the day itself. Anything about 40F and higher and will not be possible...prefer more like 32F or lower if possible.

If this all works out - may set myself the crazy goal of running a marathon on every continent (assuming can find a cold weather marathon for each continent).

Someone with MS recently completed 366 marathons in 365 days.Annette Fredskov runs 366 marathons in 365 days, 15,442km, 20 pairs of shoes, averge time 4h 58m. See link here http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/vi...dskov.cnn.html

[garyp]

Update on marathon attempt

Hi All:

Will likely not make the marathon after all - I had an MRI 10 days ago which showed a rather large lesion in the cerebellum area. Had a follow up MRI this past Thursday which showed a new lesion in the frontal lobe. Balance and strength have been ok-ish but not great the past week or so.

I went for run today in the cold to see if could shake this all out - but after about 2 miles my gait was starting to get a little wobbly really feeling it in my head so elected not to continue.

Next weekend might be at 40F or above anyway. Oh well, maybe next year