Most medicine either tastes bad, and/or has ugly side effects. And the only kind that ever makes you feel good, also usually happens to be addictive.
And it's for these reasons that people often avoid taking it. It takes a certain amount of discipline to take what you know you need in the long run, but which makes you feel crappy in the short term.
Sometimes my workouts feel like medicine, especially long runs. But I do em anyway, cause I know I need them in the long run (no pun intended). My workouts are my defense against illness. Physical illness of course, but even more importantly, emotional illness.
The difficulty with long term illness is that it's usually not in your face today, and as such it is hard to remain motivated to take your medicine regularly.
My motivation is the races I sign up for. I can positively assure you that if I had not signed up for the marathon in 3 weeks, that I would not have taken my medicine today.
And today's medicine came in the from of 35 kilometres in the rain, with the temperature hovering around 10 degrees Celsius.
And while I am feeling some of the short term physical side effects right now, I am also feeling pretty good from the neck up.
It was a re-affirming workout as I completed my 35k in 2:58 for an overall pace of 5:05/km. I'm extremely happy with that, but even happier with the way I felt. A little soreness over the last 10k but the end was never in doubt. With a good enough reason I could have ran a marathon today.
Of course conditions were ideal! Yup! You can't really ask for better. Once you get past the first 10 minutes, the cool rain is about perfect. I only lost a couple of pounds, and I was peeing shortly after I got home.
And further to my medicine analogy I remember being warned by the head shrinker some 3 years ago that I would regret coming off the anti-depressants. She was wrong! While those drugs were important to me at one point, the side effects were much worse than running 35 kms, and the long term effectiveness much less satisfactory.
And I know that it's not the solution for everyone but I am convinced that in many cases a strong prescription of exercise, perhaps in tandem with drugs, can be a very effective strategy for those suffering from mild to moderate mental health issues. Not once did my doctor encourage it!
You know of course what the problem with that is? Many of the drugs make people feel listless and lethargic, which is not very conducive to getting ones ass off the coach. Believe me I know.
And I'm not touting myself as some kind of hero that had the courage to quit drugs and take up running. It just so happens that the necessary support structure was present in my life. That combined with previous positive experience. I dared to challenge the doctors advice because of those elements. For that I remain grateful.
Oh and I can't wait for next weeks long run! It is gonna be very special but I will keep it under wraps for now.
(run 35 kms, 2:58)
"Formerly, when religion was strong and science weak, men mistook magic for medicine; now, when science is strong and religion weak, men mistake medicine for magic."---Thomas Szasz
And it's for these reasons that people often avoid taking it. It takes a certain amount of discipline to take what you know you need in the long run, but which makes you feel crappy in the short term.
Sometimes my workouts feel like medicine, especially long runs. But I do em anyway, cause I know I need them in the long run (no pun intended). My workouts are my defense against illness. Physical illness of course, but even more importantly, emotional illness.
The difficulty with long term illness is that it's usually not in your face today, and as such it is hard to remain motivated to take your medicine regularly.
My motivation is the races I sign up for. I can positively assure you that if I had not signed up for the marathon in 3 weeks, that I would not have taken my medicine today.
And today's medicine came in the from of 35 kilometres in the rain, with the temperature hovering around 10 degrees Celsius.
And while I am feeling some of the short term physical side effects right now, I am also feeling pretty good from the neck up.
It was a re-affirming workout as I completed my 35k in 2:58 for an overall pace of 5:05/km. I'm extremely happy with that, but even happier with the way I felt. A little soreness over the last 10k but the end was never in doubt. With a good enough reason I could have ran a marathon today.
Of course conditions were ideal! Yup! You can't really ask for better. Once you get past the first 10 minutes, the cool rain is about perfect. I only lost a couple of pounds, and I was peeing shortly after I got home.
And further to my medicine analogy I remember being warned by the head shrinker some 3 years ago that I would regret coming off the anti-depressants. She was wrong! While those drugs were important to me at one point, the side effects were much worse than running 35 kms, and the long term effectiveness much less satisfactory.
And I know that it's not the solution for everyone but I am convinced that in many cases a strong prescription of exercise, perhaps in tandem with drugs, can be a very effective strategy for those suffering from mild to moderate mental health issues. Not once did my doctor encourage it!
You know of course what the problem with that is? Many of the drugs make people feel listless and lethargic, which is not very conducive to getting ones ass off the coach. Believe me I know.
And I'm not touting myself as some kind of hero that had the courage to quit drugs and take up running. It just so happens that the necessary support structure was present in my life. That combined with previous positive experience. I dared to challenge the doctors advice because of those elements. For that I remain grateful.
Oh and I can't wait for next weeks long run! It is gonna be very special but I will keep it under wraps for now.
(run 35 kms, 2:58)
"Formerly, when religion was strong and science weak, men mistook magic for medicine; now, when science is strong and religion weak, men mistake medicine for magic."---Thomas Szasz
Love
Peter
Great post bro. I once heard a shrink say that exercise was the best anti depressant known. I guess one of the reasons it is not more widely encouraged is that the drug companies can't make money from exercise.
ReplyDeleteIt's great that you have figured out that it works well for you.
Love old john