Guest commentary: Keep an eye out for me, the slowest jogger you've ever seen

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Lisa Alvarez, a family medicine doctor in Santa Rosa, California, shares her journey of returning to jogging after having one of her lungs removed. Despite feeling self-conscious about her slow pace, she is learning to embrace it as part of her recovery process and honor her mother's approach to warding off death through running.

Why it matters

This story highlights the personal challenges and mental hurdles that people face when trying to regain their physical abilities after a major health setback. It also touches on the intergenerational influence of using exercise as a coping mechanism, and the importance of self-acceptance during the recovery process.

The details

Alvarez describes seeing the "slowest jogger" she had ever seen, an elderly man on the side of the road who was barely moving but still trying to run. This inspired her to embrace her own slow pace after having one of her lungs removed due to cancer treatment. She bought a Garmin watch to track her progress, only to discover she was running at a 15.4 minute per mile pace - much slower than she had hoped. Despite feeling self-conscious, Alvarez is determined to keep jogging as a way to ward off death, just as her mother did with her own severe scoliosis.

• Alvarez had one of her lungs removed after cancer treatment.
• She set a goal of running a 5K race.
• On the day of the 5K, Alvarez decided not to participate due to her slow pace.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Alvarez plans to continue her slow jogging routine as part of her recovery process, despite feeling self-conscious about her pace. She is considering getting a special shirt that says "I have one lung; this is actually really good!" to help embrace her unique situation.