The Rotterdam marathon is just a few days away and I\u2019ve been sick with some kind of virus which has kept me from running.\u00a0 I skipped my Sunday 10 mile run and it looks as if I may not be able to run on Tuesday or Wednesday either, which is hard. I feel stressed about not completing my training according to plan \u2013 which I rationally know doesn\u2019t really matter a week before the race. But it\u2019s also just frustrating because I like to run.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t run just because it helps me control my blood sugar levels and maintain my weight. I could achieve those things with much shorter runs and other forms of exercise (no one needs<\/strong> to wake up at 4:00 am to run 2-3 hours). I became a long distance runner because it\u2019s fun. Yes, it can be difficult, even very difficult at times, and it doesn\u2019t always feel like fun but ultimately, it is.<\/p>\n Every runner has the runs that he enjoys most. I love running in the rain and I love seeing knew places while I run (whenever I go somewhere new I always take a map and go for a run).\u00a0 I love the feeling of total exhaustion after a long race, the feeling of having overcome the challenge that lay before me.\u00a0 I feel like I\u2019ve won, even if I\u2019ve come in thousands of places behind the winner.<\/p>\n I love having time alone.<\/p>\n Diabetes, however, is not fun. While the challenge aspect has a lot in common with running – both are about discipline and self control – there is nothing fun about it.\u00a0 Ever.\u00a0 There is nothing fun about counting carbs and denying myself food that I love. (And poking yourself with needles isn’t fun either)<\/p>\n Diabetes and long-distance running both feel like struggles, but diabetes is a tough and life threatening struggle with very little glory, and one where the race never ends.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":129,"featured_media":53098,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1501],"tags":[82,575],"yoast_head":"\n