I wonder if a person can be literally and/or physically addicted to exercise...or is it more of an OCD type of condition? Last summer I developed a bad case of planter faciitis in my left foot and I literally had to stop running and even take a break from other types of exercise which involved being on my feet, so I thought 'ok, I'll take a little break and let it get better'... no big deal right? well not exactly. I actually got pretty depressed about it. One minute I was feeling sorry for myself and the next minute getting agitated about nothing. Finally I could not take it any more and had to just get back to it... I knew it was better for me to be in pain while exercising, than to deal with the mental state of NOT exercising because either way I was in pain! And this is not about weight gain or worries about physical appearance. I am not that stupid to think that a few weeks without exercise would cause a tragic set back in either of those areas, but I was completely losing my mind and found myself often on the verge of tears... like an addict without his fix to some extent. Or maybe I have a mild case of OCD and can't change my routine but to be clear, I change up the routine itself often. It's not just running, it might be exercise classes, personal training, biking or weights, etc.... but there is always something in the realm of exercise and it's pretty much several times per week for pretty much as long as I can remember except for after c-sections and thyroid surgery. With the foot thing, I should mention I did see a doctor initially, and got orthotics in my running shoes, but they actually made it even more painful since they are like running on hard wood which is so strange. But oddly once I got back to exercising, my foot eventually healed on its own which was a great relief. Which brings me to my next point that must be shared. I have discovered that my MIND is more willing than my body at times (case and point with running despite the foot pain) and I'm told that most people have the opposite problem... their mind gives out before their body would really have to do so. I guess this is very good news and then comes my last and final piece of bizarre - I have a seriously crazy visualization technique when I'm exercising and trying to push myself as far as I can go and here is what I do: I visualize that one of my kids in serious danger and if I stop running or stop lifting a weight or doing lunges or whatever the thing is before the goal I've set, I try to picture that they will not survive if I stop, so it forces me to take it to my ultimate limit! Is this crazy stuff or what?? Am I normal at all? Sometimes I am almost in tears because I make it so real in my head that when I finally do get to the point where I just can't do it, I feel so sad because it seemed so real. And of course, it does not work if the child I'm envisioning has recently gotten on my nerves, as you can probably imagine. I'm laughing right now because I should probably NOT post this since someone out there might feel they need to seek some kind of intervention or therapy for me... haha... but seriously you would be amazed at how far you can push yourself with this technique, I kid you not!! (Unless you don't like your kids very much.) I just read an article about my father's friend who is 74 and doing an ironman triathlon - and for those who don't follow the sport, that is a 2.4 mile swim, following by a 112 mile bike ride, followed by a full marathon - yes, 26.2 miles or running and yes, all of that in a row on the same day! That sounds daunting for a 24-year old, then add 50 years of good living! wowza he is my hero truly.
check out his story at the link below.... and I gotta wonder if he uses any visualization techniques?
http://www.northjersey.com/sports/165042336_Oradell_s_Roy_Lamendola_competing_in_triathlons_at_age_74.html
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