Yo Adrian, I’m runnin’ Philly!
That is, I’m running the Dietz & Watson Philadelphia Half Marathon November 23 and I’m proud to be raising funds on behalf of team In My Running Shoes!
Falling in love with running kick-started an overall journey to better physical and mental health for myself and I share my blow-by-blows in hopes to encourage my friends to find that passion for movement for themselves. If you’ve known me some time, you’ll know that it took years before I found that inner athlete. I also realize that my progress is a privilege and that “ease” of putting in a lot of physical work may not be afforded to those with chronic illness.
As you may know, I lost my beloved dad earlier this year. Without going too far into the personal weeds, we can draw a direct line from his decline in movement to his escalating loss of mobility, which ultimately precipitated the perfect storm of events that took him too soon. He was a sufferer of chronic illness, growing up with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and then severe RA in adulthood. I’m not sure if it ever fully went into remission, but it affected him aggressively in the last 20 years. Of course, he had a physically demanding job as a firefighter too and his chronic conditions eventually forced him into retirement. Eventually, the challenges became isolating and insurmountable. Ongoing movement and practical strength is critical in managing not only illness and injury, but independence too! Taking that first step isn’t always easy for the able-bodied, let alone someone with pain or conditions standing in their way.
In My Running Shoes recognizes the connection between physical activity and managing a lifelong chronic illness. Physical activities such as walking, running, yoga, cycling, hiking, group fitness classes, swimming, strength training and other fitness activities are important to promoting our physical and mental well-being and are often a source of our social networks. We are committed to helping people with chronic illnesses stay active and engaged in their communities, and we recognize that health insurance often does not cover all of those needs. Our goal is to bridge this gap. We do this by writing grants to help people with chronic diseases purchase the medical devices, athletic equipment, training or rehab they may need to stay active.
Bubba said he’ll send a holiday card of himself dressed as the iconic Italian Stallion to anyone who donates the rough equivalent of a cheesesteak.Takkun might touch the card with his butt, hard to say, he doesn’t quite understand how boxing works.
