99 Cent Book Price Promo - The Hard Run

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It's that time of year when we bake cookies, purchase presents, wrap gifts and decorate our homes. We try extra hard to make it all perfect for ourselves, for those we love, and sometimes even for those we don't love very much. It can all become very daunting.

What happens when the perfection of the season is marred with illness, loss of loved ones, or loss of a job? Do we give up? Do we take the season off this year? Do we put on a happy face and act as if everything were just that - perfect? Perhaps we do a combination of all those things.

My book, The Hard Run: Painful Lessons from a Running Granny, takes a look at difficult things and explores when it's okay to take the season off and when it's best to put on a happy face and push through.

In respect for the challenges of the season, I'm offering The Hard Run on Kindle for $.99 December 8 thru December 15 (December 9 thru December 16 in the UK). Perhaps you know someone going through a difficult time who could use a little endurance perspective right about now. Perhaps that someone is you. Don't miss this opportunity to save on the Kindle version of The Hard Run: Painful Lessons from a Running Granny. Order the book, put your feet up, and munch on one of those special Christmas goodies you worked so hard to create.

Haven't made any goodies? It's okay, but if you need some ideas check out this blog post from seasons past. It has recipes for three of my favorite food gifts. 

Running Granny Green encourages women, especially grandmothers, to gain greater fitness by providing tips and inspiration to insure long years of joyful grand-parenting. The cookie recipes are a bonus!

Happy Running!

Carol - aka Running Granny Green

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Why did I write this book - The Hard Run?

 

Why did I write The Hard Run? Perhaps a better question is:  “For whom did I write The Hard Run?” Some might assume it was written for runners – after all, it is a book about running, right? Actually, The Hard Run is a book about pain and it is targeted at anyone who might need to better understand their relationship with pain.

A relationship with pain?  That might sound odd at first, but I believe we all have relationships with pain, just as we have relationships with food, money, clothing, and entertainment. To understand one’s relationship with pain, she must first understand that all pain is not equal;  therefore, our reactions to pain should not always be the same.

For instance, the section of the book titled, “When Pain Means STOP!” deals with those kinds of pain that should be stopped or avoided. Some people have a relationship with pain in which they feel ALL pain must be stopped or avoided.  They often miss out on great opportunities for growth. Others tend to ignore pain – ALWAYS – ignoring those things that are truly causing damage to themselves or others.

The section of the book titled, “When Pain Means DON’T  STOP!” examines those kinds of discomforts that are actually good. Enduring these creates growth and experience. As I have written in the book, I have learned that pain is more often friend than foe. However, it is a mistake to think that ALL pain should be endured.

The last section of the book, “When Pain Means PROCEED WITH CAUTION!” looks at the pains of life that just happen.  Many of them enhance our experiences.  Many of them are beyond our control.  Learning to appreciate the discomforts that are simply a part of life, like sore muscles after a fun physical exertion, or brief setbacks that help us appreciate days of ease and plenty, will increase one’s enjoyment of her mortal existence.

Do you have a healthy relationship with pain?  Do you avoid it at all costs or ignore warning signs that are meant to keep you safe? Can you think of times that pain brought a sweet smile to your face as you remember the joy that preceded it?

If you would like to learn more about the lessons I’ve learned about pain and discomfort through running, you can find the book on my AmazonPage, or obtain a signed copy through my Etsy shop.
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Happy Running!

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Book excerpt: When Pain Means STOP!

This excerpt from The Hard Run: Painful Lessons from a Running Granny, is the introduction to the first section of the book. Enjoy!

When Pain Means STOP! 

When I began running in my late forties I developed a new relationship with pain. I had opportunities to reflect on many new and unusual types of discomfort. It is not that I had never suffered unease before.  One doesn’t reach her late forties without a few of life’s bumps and bruises. The running pains simply offered new insights into the other kinds of pains that life presents. Running allowed me time to reflect upon the various things that cause discomfort, the relationship that I had with discomfort, and the need to endure or change the circumstances surrounding each kind of discomfort.

 Pain is a funny thing. It is difficult to measure, especially when it is being experienced by someone else.  Some medical caregivers have adopted a Smilie face chart to help identify the level of discomfort a patient is experiencing. They compare the expression on the patient’s face to a caricature on a poster in an attempt to assess the patient’s pain level. Unfortunately, caregivers are not always familiar enough with the patient to discern the nature of his or her expression. Perhaps, the patient is simply unhappy with the misfortune of being in need of care. Another tool used for assessing pain is a number scale. The patient is asked to rate their pain with ten being the worst pain they have ever experienced and one indicating no discomfort. These assessments can help, but pain and discomfort are difficult to compare from one individual to another. Some people are as disturbed by the anticipation of pain as by the actual physical irritation. Others have a high tolerance for aches and irritations, while some are uncomfortable with any divergence from their normal level of well-being. I don’t understand what makes you hurt, nor do you understand what bothers me most and that is what makes pain so difficult to measure.

I have learned that discomfort is mostly a signal that something has changed.  Something physical or emotional is different than usual and we don’t like the way it feels. Naturally, the sufferer wants the discomfort to stop.  In many situations, eliminating the thing that is causing the hurt is the best practice. Allowing a wound to heal, removing the offender whether it is inanimate or human, or taking the sufferer out of the uncomfortable situation are all ways that the pain can be stopped.

This section of the book is dedicated to sharing experiences that illustrate when and how pain should and can be eliminated by stopping the very activity that is causing the discomfort. The challenge is learning to discern when stopping is truly the answer.

You can find The Hard Run and other books by Carol M Green on Amazon, Kindle, and in her Etsy shop.

Happy Running!

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The Hard Run cover reveal

Here is the back cover of The Hard Run.  The book is available now on Amazon, Kindle, and in my Etsy shop.

 



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Happy Running!

Introduction to The Hard Run: Painful Lessons from a Running Granny

The view from Will's Hill

 

Introduction to The Hard Run ...

I have lived long enough and experienced life sufficient to say that I have gained an understanding of pain.  Some of it has been self- inflicted either purposely or as a result of judgment errors, while some was received very innocently.  Whatever the case, I have discovered that pain is not the crisis.  The failure to learn is the crisis.

I am a runner. This is a relatively new definition of me. I began running when I was middle aged. You can call me Running Granny Green.  I don’t especially love running. Running loves me.

Why I run …

Running is an affordable form of exercise. The only equipment needed is a good pair of shoes. No membership fees, no fuel expenses, nor any special gear is required. A few cute running shirts and pants are fun, but they are not critical to participation. Running is convenient. I simply step out the front door and I am on my way to better physical and mental health.

Running improves other parts of my life. I have greater endurance during activities such as waterskiing and snow skiing. These activities are important to me because they allow me to spend active quality time with my husband, children, and grandchildren.

Running makes me sweat and that has to be good. My son said this about stinky sweat, “That has to be good for you – getting all that stinky stuff out of your body!” I have a great blood pressure reading which is very important to me because there is a history of heart disease and stroke in my family. I am running away from age onset diabetes which also runs in my family.

What I have learned through running …

You'll have to wait for the book to read the rest of this Introduction!  Find it HERE.

Happy Running!