by Dan | Nov 18, 2018 | Equipment, Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Wellness/Health
There is no question, my favorite sport for me to participate in is running. I do other exercises at different times just to help break things up a little, but end up doing more of these different activities whenever I am dealing with a running injury. One of those times is now. You start to realize how important your feet our for every day things, not just running. It is a continuous reminder all day long when your feet are hurting.
I have always tried to get good running shoes, and change them out frequently. Now I am trying some different brand shoes to see if this will be any better. Right now I am dealing with plantar fasciitis in both feet. The left foot I can contend with, the right one has been a pain, literally, now for the past 2 months. I have to get to the point where I have to take a break from running. Even if I only do our Wednesday and Sunday run club 4 mile runs, I am limping for the next 2 days. I guess my body is trying to tell me something.
For those of you who don’t know what plantar fasciitis is, this picture shows where it hurts. It is a disorder of the connective tissue of your arch, which supports your foot. It results in pain I the heel and bottom of the foot, and is usually the worst first thing in the morning when you get up. The causes are not really well known. It is believed to result from overuse, long standing or doing a lot of exercise, or in my cases, doing a lot of races. I ice, massage, wear night splints, better arch supports for my everyday shoes, different running shoes…I just have to give it a rest from actual running.
These are some of the different night splints I have been using. It keeps my arch stretched during the night so it won’t be so sore when I first step on it in the morning. They do help, but I guess I need more help with patience!
I have been on my elliptical and bike more because it puts lets strain on my foot. I have to try and get going on swimming as well…I am just trying to convince myself I don’t have to resort to swimming, but I am starting to realize I am losing this battle! I want to get back to running, and I suppose now in the Winter time is a better time if I have to back down things. The other activities get boring, and is harder to motivate to use. I am keeping my exercise streak intact though…it will take a lot more than this to bring that to an end. I want to get back on the “racing circuit” with Sarah and the rest on run club. I am still planning on doing the Turkey Day 5K…slow…then recover again after. Will see how it goes. It is not fun staying back from running when you see other people, especially your friends, out running, and you can’t be with them! To all my friends in run club…keep holding down the fort. I have to take a break for awhile, but guarantee will be back, and ready to go again. We have all had to deal with injuries at one time or another, and they are always tough. Running and exercising are tough, but not doing it is even worse! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 4071
by Dan | Oct 28, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Holidays, Motivation, Wellness/Health
The annual Halloween Hustle put on by the Prairie Lakes Hospital Wellness Center took place on Saturday morning. Costumes are encouraged for this event, so it is a great way to truly go out and just have fun while getting some exercise. You could run or walk, and the distance was at most a 5K, 3.1 miles. We had several characters out there: Batman for me; Super Girl for Sarah; Buzz Lightyear for Jason; and the McElroy clan was Sleeping Beauty and 3 good fairies!
We had great weather, and the sun was shining. It was a great time to get out and either run, or walk. Who says you can’t have fun, and still exercise? The kids loved it, but so did the adults! They gave prizes away for the top male and female finishes in each category, but the main point of this one was to see you could be the most creative with their costumes…and still be able to run or walk in them. Try it next year. It is a great way to get some activity. Bring out that inner “child” in you for all you adults. And for the kids, well…just be yourself…just get your parents out there with you. It truly can be a family event. What are you waiting for? Keep moving everybody! And have fun along the way!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 4049
by Dan | Sep 22, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Today marks another milestone in the consecutive exercise streak: Day #4000! In less than a week, I will have completed year 11, and moving onto year 12 of not missing a day of exercise. A lot of different things have gone on over all of these years that could have created a lapse in this record. But as I have said many times, it would have just been another excuse otherwise. Again, I don’t know how long this will go, but it will keep going as long as I have a say in it.
Over the years a lot of people have helped me in my consecutive day quest, and you have seen many pictures of them over the years, but a huge shout out goes to all of them as well to help keep me going. Hopefully, I help keep you going too!
But today, there is more for me to be jumping up and down with, and celebrating. My twin daughters, Molly and Megan, also turn 24 on this milestone day! Now that to me is what is really worth celebrating! With Megan living yet in Virginia, I don’t get to see her as often as I would like, but we talk multiple times a week, and text daily. Molly I get to see more often, but I am gone this weekend, so I could not celebrate her birthday with her. I am definitely thinking of you both, and will make up for it again the next time I see you both!
This is when they were 6 months old! A lot has changed since then. I love them and care about them even more now. I will always be their Dad! I love spending time with them. When all 3 kids were home the first week in August it was wonderful. I hope we have many more times like that.
Even many things have changed since you graduated from High School. The one thing that has not changed is how much we care about you! I hope they always remember that too! Sarah and I have tried instilling the right way to do things as they have grown up. We have always been very vocal on staying active. We love running with them! And Megan, we are going to start working on our swimming within this next month, so there may be some joint swim time to spend with you on this also! But the person who has helped me the most with my consecutive exercise streak, and my life in general, is Sarah!
We run together, spend time together, work together…be together. I love you and thank you for everything you do and have done for us, and our family. The competitive nature does not quit over time either. We are always ready to take on the next challenge, and you are always right there with me!
So I say “Bring it on”! I will keep going as long as I have the support from you Sarah! I want to be around more to spend time with you and our family, and our friends.
So for the rest of you, keep putting one foot in front of the other, and just make sure you “get out of bed, get out the door, and get moving!”
After all, there are a lot of things in life yet to go see, and do, and people to spend it with. Be in control of your health as much as you possibly can be. Strive to Survive! Happy Birthday Molly and Megan! Love you! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 4000!
by Dan | Sep 16, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Sarah and I have been Family Physicians in Watertown since 1994. We have gone through many transitions during that time, clinic changes, family changes, countless patients. When you look back at all of it, you start to realize how fast things go. At the pace of how things go each week, it is no wonder things go by fast. This week had started out in SF with the two of us doing the Half Marathon in SF, along with many of our running friends from Watertown. I have lost count how many Half Marathons I have done, but have counted the marathons, which is at 16. The number for all of them really does not matter. The reason we run is what is important. We spend each day, day after day, trying to tell patients that they need to do more to help take care of themselves. I am a firm believer is living by example. If I am going to tell my patients they need to watch their diet, and be more active, then I better be doing it myself.
I hear many times how “crazy” we are with all of the exercise that we do. For me, it is not only about being healthy and taking care of myself, but also about having some time to myself. Time to think, time to unwind. Time to decompress from all of the issues from the day. This week was no different. We spend all day in the clinic seeing patients, handling one crisis after another. You go from one room where you are seeing an infant who is 5 days old, to the next person who is 98 years old. Diabetes, Hypertension, Heart disease, anxiety, depression, insomnia, fractures, lacerations, or someone who acutely needs to be set up for emergency surgery. I had to tell one patient, who I have taken care of for years, that it is time for him to be in the Nursing Home. Tears flow from everybody. I have to help be there for the next patient whose wife passed away a month ago, and he does not know how he can go on. I get to break the news to someone that they now have terminal cancer, and the battle ahead is not going to be easy. I do my best to try to stay on time, but some patients just need more time to figure out what is going on with them. Then I have to try and calm down the next patient who is angry because they had to wait while I was dealing with someone else’s emergency. Some days I wonder why I do this. All of the medical record documentation, the quality measures for insurance and Medicare, not to mention all of the requirements just for Medicare. Some days there is not enough time in the day to get it all done. But I became a Family Physician because I care about Family. Family is the core of everything. When we take care of a patient, we are also taking care of the Family, or helping this patient attempt to be able to spend more time with their Family. That is why I/We do this! That to me is also what defines whether someone is a good physician or not.
Take care of the patient who has the problem/disease, not just the disease! We are all individuals, and we all handle illnesses differently. A big part of our practice to teach…to teach not only our patients, but also other health care professionals. So this week we started off with a new group in our Strive to Survive program, attempting to teach them how to help take care of themselves. This, of course, after teaching this to my patients 20+ times a day. Thursday morning Sarah and spent teaching Pediatric Advanced Life Support to health care professionals to help take care of pediatric patients. Then Thursday night I spent on live TV with the TV Program “On Call”, answering any questions that were asked by patients calling in for an hour! Much of this education also revolved around taking care of yourself, and helping with your diet and increasing exercise. The more you can do on your own, the less medications you may be on later, and the healthier you can be. Of course, sports also come into play, and was on the sideline Friday night for the football game to help out in any way possible to ensure safety.
I don’t have an answer to everything. Some things cannot be fixed. But that does not mean you don’t do anything about it. You have to help your patient come to terms with their issues. To help them figure out how to cope with it, adapt to it…live with it…or how to cope with the fact that they are going to die from it.
The more you can keep working on it yourself, the better things can be. You keep going, just like I keep telling my patients. “Don’t quit”. “Dig deep”.
These are the reasons I run. I practice what I tell my patients to do. It helps keep me organized. It gives me the energy to put in these longs days to help with my patients…to help “keep me going”.
Life as a Family Physician is a lot like running an endurance event. Put my head down, concentrate, push through, come up with a plan, and then finish! Then onto the next. Each day is different. That is what makes Family Medicine enjoyable. No two days are alike. Some things are more predictable because we see it a lot, but many times you have no idea what you may encounter when you walk into a room.
Spending time exercising makes it easier for me to concentrate and focus…and to spend time with my Family. Those moments go by quickly, so don’t waste them! There is nothing that makes a Family Physician happier than seeing our patients work on things to help themselves. We can help instruct, coach, sympathize, empathize with you, but we cannot do the activity for you. I had a physician teacher when I was in medical school who was a smoker, and weighed over 300#. The cigarette pack would be in his shirt pocket hanging out, and he would tell his patients that they needed to lose weight, and quit smoking. How many patients do you think actually listened to him? I often times wonder how many times my patients listen to me! I keep trying, showing, and living it. This interaction is also a “team effort”. I can’t do it alone, and neither can you. Together, we have a much better chance of success!
Sarah and I finished another Half Marathon. We worked at it together, and with the help of training with our run club members. We all work together, but we all have to make the individual effort as well. You need both aspects. We as Family Physicians want to help you spend more time with your Family. Meet us half way, and make the effort to work on what you can, and we can help guide through the rest. The combination can create a very productive “A Team”! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3994
by Dan | Sep 2, 2018 | Exercise, Family, Goals, Heart Health, Holidays, Motivation, Wellness/Health
It has been a busy Labor Day weekend! We went down to Huron to stay with Sarah’s parents, and of course, there was a 5k race on Saturday morning that we ran in. We have done this race many times in the past. Andy’s Annual Road Race. My daughter Molly and her fiancée Tanner also joined us. Then we spent rest of the time at the SD State Fair, and went to the Night Ranger/Foreigner concert Saturday night. Wow! All the music from our days growing up. Great time. The running has become part of the tradition for this family. Whenever we go somewhere for a vacation, or a break, we have to see what running races may be going on.
Andy’s is a race Sarah grew up with when she lived in Huron. It is also the first race I did with her when we first starting going out, with the first one being after we started dating for a month. It brought back a lot of memories. This time one of our kids was able to run it with us. Great job Molly and Tanner! Tanner, you are starting to figure out first hand what it will be like to be a part of this family!
Tanner is wearing the shirt from the race. Very nice colors, and will be great for running! Tanner took 3rd place for his age group, and Sarah and I each won our age group divisions for the 5K. Bringing home more medals is just icing on the cake! Later that morning Tanner, Molly, and I went to the Fair. Sarah stayed home with her mom and spent the rest of the weekend quilting. Nothing is going to get in the way of quilting!
Then Saturday night came for the concert. Night Ranger was good, but nothing like Foreigner! All of the songs were hits when we were growing up, and they did not miss anything that night. Incredible concert! We loved every minute of it!
Every song was great listening, but the last one hit it home once again. It was a good way of summing of everything in life so far. “I gotta take a little time, A little time to think things over. I better read between the lines, In case I need it when I get older. In my life, there’s been heartache and pain. I don’t know if I can face it again. Can’t stop now, I’ve traveled so far, to change this lonely life.” And then of from there. We all face adversities. We all face challenges. But we need to take the time to spend with our family and friends. That is the only thing that matters. The relationships you make. The people you meet. We all need to learn how we have “gotta to take a little time” to be with those that are important to us, doing things that are important to do! Stay active, stay healthy, live life, with all of it ups and downs, with no regrets when we look back in time. Just keep looking forward, and enjoy the scenery, the adventures, and the ride! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3980
by Dan | Jul 8, 2018 | Exercise, Goals, Heart Health, Motivation, Wellness/Health
When I first started to see how long I could keep going with my consecutive exercise streak, I had no idea where it would take me. I was striving to see if I could maintain if for a year. I had no idea it would still be going yet…over 10 1/2 years, and counting. Some days though, it can be a real challenge to get out. Some of you may think this would be easy by now, but it is still an ongoing challenge. Trying to fit it in my daily schedule, with all of life’s twists and turns, can make it more challenging. Believe me, there are days when I don’t want to exercise. I could come up with many excuses to not go out. But, as time has taught me, I feel much better after I do. I need that stress reliever. I need that time to unwind, and either use it to get ready for the day ahead, or try and decompress from everything that life threw at me that day. “Uff Da” sums it up!
There are multiple things in life that pull at you for your time. You have to make the priorities and decide what is best for you.
There are always deadlines, pressures of work, and demands of people for your time. There are always hills to climb. But you have to face them. What do you do when you encounter this in your day? How do you handle the pressure of it all? Do you have any secrets to share with the rest of us? I would really like to hear from you! I certainly don’t have all the answers. I am trying to push myself, not to be better than anybody else, but to be better than I used to be. I only need to prove that to myself, and nobody else. Hopefully, over the long term, this will help me to be around a lot longer to spend more time with my family and friends. But you have to make if fun, or you won’t continue with it.
Sometimes I like to run, or walk, or bike, by myself. It gives me some time to clear my head, and think. The only one pushing me is me! I don’t have to wait to hear somebody else tell me advice, or try to expect an answer of help from someone else. I just need some time for me to process all this. Then there are those days when I really enjoy working out, or exercising with other people. What challenges are they facing? Maybe they have some advice or suggestions for me, or vice versa! I enjoy hearing how everyone else handles things in their life. We all have challenges, and we all work at them in different ways. How we go about it is individual to each of us. There are no two of us alike. We are unique to ourselves, and we have to figure those things out.
It sure makes it nice on those days when you are not by yourself, to have someone reliable to confide in, to bounce things off, to vent with, to exercise with! We all need those social times together to support each other, but we also need some of that alone time, to think and process things. Why do we do the things we do? The challenges we create really are of our own making. Turn them into a positive thing, and not another pressure of life. Sometimes I wonder why I continue to keep exercising everyday. I wonder what really is this proving. Then, after walking, or running, with time to process, I realize I am still doing this for me. I am the one benefiting by this. I am the one setting the tone for me. If maybe this helps get somebody else moving, and taking care of themselves, then great! If anybody has any ideas of what works for them to help get them motivated to exercise, please tell me! I always am willing to listen. If it works for you, then maybe it can work to help somebody else too. As individuals, we alone do not have all of the answers. As I wrote about several weeks ago, we all need to keep learning. But, we can also help teach each other things too. We all have something to offer, and we all have the ability to learn. Just do it! I can’t wait to hear ideas from you, so please, fill me in, and then I can help pass them on to. Some days I need help staying motivated as well to “keep my streak alive too”! We all need to help to keep moving!
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 3924
