A week ago I completed another marathon. Toughest one yet. Worse than the NYC marathon where I had broken a few ribs due to my Scoliosis and finished the race like that. But one thing I am proud of, besides finishing the runDisney WDW marathon last week, is how my running formed improved throughout the year.
I trained SO HARD for this race. 2019 did not go in my favor. Spending most of the year in and out of the hospital. But training for this marathon was so hard. Trying to battle what I am going through with my health, try to get the pain under control, find out what is going on, AND train for a marathon at the same time…..guess it wasn’t the best timing. But I was happy with my results. Why? I’ll tell you.
About 3 years ago I had a small stroke, I was left with a weird feeling in my right arm and hand. A bad feeling that got worse when I would run. My arm would automatically drop to my side and no matter what I did, it would just stay there. It was super frustrating! I tried to fix it with massages and KT Tape to reduce the stress it was causing on my trap and upper back muscles. I trained with my arm that way and continued to run. I did a few halfs and 2 marathons with my arm like that. Let me tell you….it was HARD, difficult, and painful. I just thought that it would be another pain, another hurdle that I would have to get used to. So I started to try and get use to my “new running form”. But I wasn’t happy.
My massage therapist wasn’t having it. He introduced me to Egg Weights. They are exactly what you think it is. Small hand held weights to increase intensity, burn more calories, and get faster results without causing injuries or stress on the body. I have been using them for a while and they have made a HUGE difference in my running form.
I know that my goal for this past marathon was just to finish, but I also wanted to run my heart out and I didn’t get that chance due to the heat and humidity. Plus, there was soooo many people walking, they blocked the whole path. But when I did have a chance to run, I was so proud of myself to be able to run as normal as I can be. Still have work to do but I got it as good as I could for the race and I was pretty happy with what I saw! And comparing it to the past marathons, it is a pretty big difference:
Using and training all year with the Egg Weights made a massive difference. And the photos are proof. I use them while I run on the treadmill. And I love them. They have improved my form, my speed, and my confidence. If it wasn’t for my massage therapist, I wouldn’t have ever came across them. So thank you Desmond for suggesting I try them. It has reduced the pain in my arm and hand and helped recover from the small stroke. I rely heavily on Egg Weights and I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without them!
-g
Empire Unleashed 