The LA Marathon ran through my neighborhood yesterday, a block away from my house. Every year I walk over for a while to check out who is running and cheer for the people who spent many hours training, just to say they did it. Here, at the 18th mile, they are still in the race, but usually have slowed down considerably. They still have a long way to go to finish the 26.2-mile race. All of them are winners.
There is no way I could ever have run a marathon. A 5K (3.1 miles) race was about my limit before Parkinson’s. I can’t run it now, but can walk it. I admire people like Jimmy Choi, who have turned PD into a challenge to be conquered through physical exercise. Jimmy, who was not athletic, had an ‘aha’ moment when he realized after a fall down the stairs carrying his son, that he had to get off the sofa and start moving. And move he did, eventually running marathons and becoming a finalist on American Ninja Warrior. There are many other people with Parkinson’s who push themselves to achieve extraordinary goals. Sometimes that goal is a marathon. Other times it is a walk to the corner. As long as we keep setting goals for ourselves that are achievable, we can gradually improve to reach those goals. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. You will get there!
One thing I have noticed is that the marathon is like a carnival that snakes its way through the city. Brightly colored team t-shirts are everywhere. Tutus, silly hats, and other costumes are abundant. Supporters stood on the side of the road, handing out snacks, water, and words of encouragement. People were friendly and just having fun.
And the dinosaur?
This year, a brave runner donned a Dinosaur costume and was still upright as he/she approached Mile 18 on a very hot day. He even had his number pinned on his belly! You gotta love it!
Photo by Sharon Krischer
The Iron Man Race
How fitting it was to have Dr. Sara Whittingham as my guest on the Twitchy Woman webinar yesterday. Sara, like Jimmy, became an endurance athlete after she was diagnosed with PD at 46. She has participated in several Iron Man competitions. With grit and determination, she started by swimming laps with her husband, who was training for the Iron Man. Eventually, she added the bicycle training and the 1/2 marathon to enable her to qualify for the Iron Man.
Twitchy McGrit
Sara and I talked about her new book, “Oh Crap: It’s Parkinson’s”. She decided that she needed a light-hearted way to guide readers through the book. She chose her dog and renamed him Twitchy McGrit to represent the most common symptom of PD. Twitchy McGrit wears red and white ‘Where’s Waldo’ socks so that he can be easily found on pages throughout the book. Since my husband is Mr. Twitchy, why not have a dog named Twitchy? We need to find a way to bring all of the Twitchies together – perhaps at the World Parkinson Congress in May.
I highly recommend Sara’s book for everyone with Parkinson’s. As both a physician and a person with PD, she brings a unique voice to writing about her lived experience with Parkinson’s. There is also a strong Care Partner component to the book, which adds a lot to the conversation.
The book is available only on Kindle right now, which you can order here. The hardcover and audiobooks will be out soon. You can preorder those on Sara’s website.
Here is the video recording from the interview with Sara Whittingham. Enjoy!
Next on Sunday Mornings with Twitchy Woman
Sunday, April 12 @ 1:00 PM EDT
Dr. Robert Cochrane will show his film The Boys of Summer: Short Stop
Join us for a viewing and discussion about the film. Watch the trailer here.
Registration required
Have a great day!
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