Today I completed my personal 5k training. This is about the 3rd consecutive weekend I have done this. In continuation of my posts related to Lymphies who live their lives to the fullest with LE, I have to share my personal motivation.
To my family and friends, it may seem like I just took up jogging/walking out of the blue. I mean the last time I ran track was 8th grade. It was more for the participation, as I wasn’t very good. Seriously, I was mediocre at best.
Over the summer beginning in June, I met a fantastic group of people in an on-line support group. One of them was a woman named, Karen. I was on a number of threads with Karen discussing various aspects of Lymphedema, and soon I learned that she had primary bilateral lower extremity just like me. I was initially impressed by the level of knowledge she had on LE. Later she posted a picture that would forever change my attitude about running and about primary bilateral LE – period.
Now up until this point, I had been interval jog/walk training for months but very nervous about taking my speed up to 4 mph in class. I was also fearful of going any kind of long distance.
Karen obliterated my fears. Her 5K participation pictures just blew me away. I was floored. Over the summer I gradually increased my max speed to 4 mph and then 5mph in August. Last week I trained doing 4 mph for 5 solid minutes and six sprints at 6mph for one minute each. Of course walking in between sets.
If I had not seen Karen’s post, who knows what potential I may have left untapped? FEAR was limiting my progress.
Thank you, Karen, for your inspiration and for showing the world what can be done in spite of LE.

Please watch the following video – Help Shrink Karen’s Leg. You will be amazed.
–Veronica
Wow! truly inspiring!
Indeed! 💜😊