Dear Diary,

 

I can’t believe it has only been 2 and a half years since I met Susan. When Bryan (my hubby) suggested that I should learn to run from a professional I never thought I would meet such a great coach. I was so nervous going that first session of Susan’s “Learn to Run” course but before I knew it she had me running 6kms without any problems. And since then I have not stopped running – SLOW mind you! One could say I am NOT the world’s fastest runner but I get there in the end.

 

I have a condition called Primary Lymphoedema. This is when a limb swells up to a massive size (and stays swollen) and makes mobility extremely difficult and the limb becomes very heavy and uncomfortable. And as you get older it gets harder to move around. Most people who have primary lymphoedema normally have it in one limb only. My body decided at the age of 16 that I needed a challenge - I have Lyphoedema everywhere – legs, arms, torso, neck and face so everything swells.

 

This condition is not something that can be fixed only maintained so the Dr’s advised me that I needed to take extremely strong medication (one Dr said that I would not make it to 30 – I am now 36!); wear 2 layers of compression garments 24 x 7 (I so love Summer – NOT!!!); do complex physio therapy on my body every day and do some light exercise to help with my mobility and for pain relief in my legs. So I started walking then running. At the time my specialists were very much against high impact exercise but I found that it had a positive affect on my condition. Since I started running I have never felt so good and my swelling has dramatically gone down. The reason why I tell you this Diary is so that you know how far I have come since I started running with Susan.

 

I am a person who likes challenges so like a lot middle aged people I decided to set myself some life goals. Three of which involve running. One I have already achieved (completing a half marathon – since making my goals I have completed 3 half marathons); another goal I am about to achieve (completing the Gold Coast Marathon on July 4) and the last goal is not yet on my radar (to complete an ultra marathon of 80km or higher). When Susan asked me what I wanted to achieve from running I said I would like to one day complete a marathon. Not thinking that it was really possible I waited for her kind “letting me down slowly” reply. And when she said “Oh yeah, that won’t be a problem” I was shocked and then the nervous excitement kicked in.

 

Susan slowly started to prepare me for different races. I started with the Mother’s Day Classic and then went on to prepare for the City to Surf (Heart Break Hill still gets to me even now!). Then Susan said “I think it’s time….you could complete a half marathon”. I was so excited and very happy about how far I had come. And now three half marathons later I am in the final stages of preparing for my first marathon.

 

Just to make it clear Diary, I am still the slowest runner in the group. New people join the group and blister past me. Initially I was upset but it definitely taught me that running is an individual sport and not everyone has the natural ability to do it well. So now I love watching people get faster and better at it. And they inspire me to keep going.

 

At the moment I am suffering from the “Pre Race Blues”. I just want the race to be NOW! I guess it is the fear of the unknown. I had the “Pre Race Blues” when I was preparing for my first half marathon. But at the start of last half marathon that I recently completed I had absolutely no fear at all. I absolutely knew that I would complete the run (unless I became injured) and so I just kicked back and enjoyed the run. Crazy huh?! I am not a person who is really into times, I am a person who is just into completing the race…. so stay tuned to see if I can cross off running goal number two off of my list in less than 2 weeks.

 

Rose