This morning my roommate Derek went out for a jog, as he often does. As he was tying his shoe laces in preparation, I thought about all the people in my life who run and how they each have a leaner, healthier-looking body than the average person. I thought about what it would be like to get up and go jogging or running without fear of injury, and what it would be like to have a runner’s body if I did, if I could.

Ever since a traumatic injury in 2004, I have believed what doctors told me immediately after the injury: Don’t run or jog. I took their word, without question, without re-evaluation…until today. When Derek returned from his jog, I bravely faced my fear and asked him if I, in this physical body of mine, can run, or if I should not.

Derek and I have known each other since we became neighbors in May of 2007, when I moved into a dorm apartment on the campus of the medical university where I would live for 20 months of undergrad and 12 months during work toward my doctorate. When we met, Derek was a first-year medical student at the same university, and lived down the hall in the same dorm. Dr. Derek has been my personal physician since shortly after he graduated with his first doctorate in 2010. Derek is a positive, spiritual young man who is a chiropractic physician, naturopathic physician, acupuncturist, and practitioner of Applied Kinesiology. He has been instrumental in my physical healing and spiritual-emotional healing, as well. This is why I asked Derek!

Derek was rather surprised that I would ask and his answer was, emphatically, “Of course you can!” I was equally surprised at this response. We then discussed mindset and neuro-pathways as it pertains to health and wellness, and why I “should go out and run. Right now. Let’s go,” he encouraged. I wanted to write this blog post first, capturing the before so my “after” would be more meaningful. So I have done. Now the run. Here I go.

(Continue to Part 2, here.)