I had no business signing up to run 178 miles over a week…

I wasn’t really much of a runner. The farthest I’d ever run without stopping was four miles. I had MS. I was a busy mom of two toddlers. I worked full time. My list of excuses for NOT applying was endless. But I felt a tug in my soul to push my limits and pursue a challenge that gave me a deep sense of purpose, so in October 2020 I signed up to be a segment runner for MS Run the US, a coast-to-coast 19-person relay that raises money and awareness for MS.

Flashback to when I was first diagnosed with MS in 2015 — I was 26 and engaged to my now-husband, and felt like I had my whole life ahead of me. As soon as I got the news, I immediately thought of all the ways my diagnosis would limit me and hinder my future plans. It took me a while to fully come to terms with the fact that I would forever live with a chronic illness.

Saying I finally “accepted” my diagnosis is an understatement. I shifted my perspective and I embraced it. Yes, it brought hardship and uncertainty and a long list of symptoms, but it also shifted my perspective on everything. I stopped taking my mobility for granted; I stopped taking my cognitive and communication skills for granted; I stopped taking life for granted. What was once the worst thing that ever happened to me became the best thing that ever happened to me.

I flipped the script and decided that I was going to use my MS as a launchpad rather than let it be a limitation. I used to take a class at the gym that would start out with an 800-meter outdoor run and I would use my MS and my reaction to the heat as an excuse to stay inside and get on the elliptical for a few minutes instead, but the truth was that running was always hard for me to even before my diagnosis. I used to let myself think there were other things in life I couldn’t do because of my MS. I’ve since stopped doing that because I am stronger and tougher than I even know and I’m the one who ultimately decides what my body can and can’t do; my MS can affect that decision, but it can’t make those decisions for me.

This brings me back to the 178-mile run. I applied for a spot on the relay team and I told Ashley, the founder and director of MS Run the US, that even though I had little-to-no running experience, I fully believed that I had the discipline to do the training and to get it done. On June 2-9, 2021, I ran a marathon a day for a week from Denver to Wray, Colorado. I endured a bad sunburn, daily heat rash, blisters, and legs that were constantly stiff and tired, but I did it. I did it for my fellow MS warriors who can’t. During my toughest moments, when giving up felt like the easiest option, I reminded myself that there were people out there who would give anything to feel this tired from running. Running had become a privilege, not a dreaded obligation.

During any challenging situation, I’ve found you can almost always flip the script and give it a positive spin. For me, among many other things, I’ve learned to make my MS a launchpad rather than a limitation. Whether you’re dealing with your own MS diagnosis, a flare-up, or some other setback, step back from it, use a lens of positivity, and see how YOU can flip the script in your own life.