Sick Chicks and overcoming the training partner problem

This picture is totally unrelated to the story.  It's funny because the sign says "No Motor Vehicles" and the only tracks you see are from snowmobiles!

Yesterday I attended a luncheon with a bunch of women from here in the Valley.  All of them had chronic illness of some sort.  It was such a pleasure to be in the company of so many proactive, chronically ill women who are active!  Sometimes I feel like a mutant because I am able to do so much some times and so little other times.  Being in the presence of others who experience the same things was really nice.

I didn't even know that some of the women who were chronically ill were chronically ill until yesterday.  They work, volunteer, ski and exercise and are all around active, they don't look sick!  It's nice to know that there are so many people out there that can do so much despite the obstacles we all face as women with chronic illnesses.  

Another thing I thought was interesting (and sad!) was that despite the disease the woman was living with, the complaints about the doctors were the same as what we as Addisonian's face.  The doctors tend to be clueless and misinformed about disease and treatment.  They don't tend to research drugs or recent developments in treatments but act as if they know everything and the patient is an idiot.  Perhaps this is only a problem when one lives in an isolated, rural area but I don't think so.

Anyway, I'll try to keep this short.  As many of you know I've had trouble finding someone to work out with.  Either they make a commitment and never show or will only work out on their schedule and never try to join me with mine.  I've worked around this and I'm enjoying it!  

Linda A signed me up with a virtual running team.  It's awesome!!!  You keep track of your miles and post them.  There's a forum for the team where members discuss running, races, family, mileage, etc.  Also as far as day to day running goes, I am getting used to my Garmin and although I go out alone, I feel like I have to try harder since I know exactly how far I'm going, elevation, and most importantly for me, how slowly I'm going!  Because I know my speed (or slowness as the case may be), I'm trying harder to go a little bit faster.  Since I don't have anyone to work out with at the gym and I've been making my own workouts for 4 years now.  I'm getting a little tired of myself.  We've got Netflix and instant viewing of movies through it.  I looked up exercise and, holy crap, there are more execrise videos that I'm willing to do in a lifetime.  I can do them anytime and now I can learn Pilates or yoga.  Yahoo!!

If theres' anyone who wants to join me on a run, bike ride (in my garage or yours), skate, ski at the hill or whatever, contact me.  Until I find someone, I'm pretty jazzed about my virtual training partners.

This picture is totally unrelated too but I couldn't pass up an opportunity to show this beautiful dog.  I love St. Bernards.  He's huge and sweet.