Today is my rest day from training which leaves me with zero excuses to complete this webpage and publish it today. I have been working on it for a while now and I have found several reasons to not do so. Running, reading, running, Netflix, running…
Part of my MS story is that I have not been very good at sharing my story. It was easy when I was first diagnosed because I was in the hospital for a week so my friends and co-workers all knew about it. I have moved around for work quite a bit since then. I found myself not wanting to try and explain to people this crazy disease that most had never heard of. It is even tougher when you don’t look like anything is wrong with you. The looks I would get from people when explaining were much like the looks I get from people today when I ask them if they want to run 10 miles with me. It was just easier to pretend like nothing was wrong.
I believe that Facebook informing me about MS Run the US Relay was fate. A big part of what this organization does is to create an awareness of multiple sclerosis. I had no idea what MS was when I was diagnosed. I just knew I could not see out of my right eye and I wondered what that meant for my future. This relay is more than just the 167 miles I will run. It is about me learning how to share my story.
I have been blessed to still have the ability to run with this disease. I am running for those who can not. I am sharing my story for those who have not.