I didn’t achieve my running goal, but training taught me something valuable

For years, I had a big goal: to run a race, a trail, or maybe even a marathon someday. It wasn’t because I particularly love running, but because I wanted to prove to myself that, even though I live with myasthenia gravis (MG), with the right training, I could be just as capable as a healthy person. To push myself even further, I signed up for a charity run.

I never made it to the starting line.

The race was scheduled for May 29 and aimed to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. Since I have a long history of wanting to run races that I never managed to join, I thought this would be the perfect challenge to start with. It was only 5 miles (8 km), which seemed attainable.

The first reason I didn’t attend was beyond my control. The event took place during a religious celebration, and I had to travel more than 180 miles (nearly 300 km) with my family.

The second reason was much simpler: I wasn’t ready.

Recommended Reading

Jan. 30, 2025 Columns by Sarah Bendiff

Finding the perfect workout for myasthenia gravis

A different kind of victory

Still, training taught me a lot about my body. While I still can’t run 1 kilometer without stopping, something magical happened along the way.

I discovered that I could speed-walk more than 8 km without falling, losing my breath, or triggering a flare. For me, that’s worth celebrating.

I still remember my first training session, when I barely managed to walk 1 km. My legs hurt, and I felt dizzy, and that night, my muscles felt so heavy that lifting my legs seemed impossible. But after a good night’s sleep, the worst of my MG symptoms had faded. I was tired, but I wasn’t unable.

So I moved.

I returned to the neighborhood garden and walked again. I was ridiculously excited when my app showed 3 km.

My legs were sore, and I was short of breath. But deep down, I could tell the difference between effort and danger. I knew I was challenging myself without hurting myself.

So I kept showing up every other day. I even convinced a few friends to join me, which made things easier.

At night, I used a vibration massager on my muscles to reduce soreness. Whenever I felt unusual warmth in a specific area, I applied cooling patches because I was afraid inflammation would ruin my progress. To my surprise, it worked.

Of course, there’s another side to the story.

Some days, I was too exhausted to go to my workplace. I am fortunate enough to have a job that allows me to work from bed when necessary, and there were days I took advantage of that flexibility.

But overall, it was manageable. I may have had one difficult day out of 10.

While I didn’t make it to the charity race, when I reflect on my training, I realize something important: I didn’t run 8 km at the event, but I did walk 8 km on nearly 20 days.

And somehow, that makes me even prouder. Because every single one of those walks happened around 6 p.m., when my energy is usually at its lowest.

If someone had told me a few months ago that I would voluntarily walk 8 km after a full workday, I would have laughed, not believing it was possible.

The charity run never happened, but maybe that was never the real finish line. Maybe the victory was simply showing up, again and again, and discovering that my body is capable of far more than I had imagined.

Note: Myasthenia Gravis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Myasthenia Gravis News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to myasthenia gravis.