Walk On

Hi,

Just wanted to share.

I've been diagnosed with MS for a number of years.

The flu like symptoms and neurological pain in my feet, legs, and arms never really goes away.

Yet, last summer I walked over 1000 miles in a company health challenge. Before I started the health challenge, my feet, ankles, and shins were in constant pain. When walking, every step felt like walking over sharp small stones. One mile a day, turned into two, then three, until late into the summer I was walking 15 miles a day, sometimes 7 days a week.

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When I hit 1000 miles, I was ranked 11th in the run/walk health challenge.

Not bad for someone almost 60 with MS.

I average 16 - 20 minutes a mile.

So it takes about 3 and a half hours to walk 10 miles.

On a good day I do 10 miles in the morning, and 5 miles in the evening.

Takes about 5 hours.

One secret is lots of music on an iPod. It makes the miles fly by.

I also lost over 30 pounds, dropping from 186 pounds 154 by the end of summer.

Now the MS related pain and stiffness is still with me, but walking is my way of pushing back. I'd like to think, that the physical activity will help my body find new pathways around those broken by MS.

For 2013, I'm hoping to walk 3000 miles, 300 miles a month for 10 months. It would be like walking across the United States.

On target so far at 382 miles and counting.....

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