I believe that I have established the fact that I am passionate about running. It is an integral part of who I am. So, when I am not able to run, I do not feel like I am myself. And in the middle of all the turmoil in my life right now, not being able to run is driving me batty.
I have always had issues with my back since being injured in a severe car accident at the age of 15. Every once in awhile, it would act up more than others. I would visit a chiropractor, have some adjustments, and then everything would return to normal. Several years ago, my lower back started causing me even more difficulty. It would start to “go” more often. There are two specific incidents I can remember that foreshadowed the current conditions wherein I now find myself. The first was when I was rolling my compact refrigerator from my regular classroom to the room where I would be teaching summer school. There was a slight step up from the hall into the class. I went to lift the cart up slightly and felt a sharp pain in my lower back. It shot up my back and down my leg, but after stretching for a bit (once I recovered from the pain), it seemed to be okay. Then, right before New Year’s Eve a few years ago, I went to get out of bed and felt a pop. At the same time, pain shot from my lower back all through my body. I was unable to move. Thank God I had my phone right next to me. I texted my daughter, who was across the house in her room. I still remember how the color drained out of her face when she walked in my room and saw the pain I was in. It took almost 45 minutes to get me from the bed to the car. Then, the first walk-in clinic I went to wasn’t that helpful. I then spent the next few weeks going to the chiropractor three times per week getting my back fixed. However, I never visited a medical doctor, and that was probably a costly error on my part.
Fast forward to 2011. In October of that year, I ran the Atlanta Marathon. Somehow, the fact that Atlanta was so hilly had escaped me during all my training. I don’t like looking at course maps in too much detail because I don’t want my mind to start envisioning worst-case scenarios. I don’t pay too much attention to the elevation because I’m going to run the course anyway so why freak myself out? However, up until that point, I had ran (mostly) only flat courses. I had driven through Atlanta, but had never walked through the city. So I had no frame of reference for this race. It was 26.2 miles of grueling hills. I remember how disappointed I was at the finish because I didn’t set a new PR. Little did I know that that should’ve been the least of my worries.
After the race, I took off a couple of weeks to rest. Yet, once I started running again, something wasn’t right. I felt achy, but different from the normal, “I just ran a marathon,” achy. My running was sporadic at best, even though I had an upcoming half-marathon. Although I knew I didn’t train properly for that race, it was my favorite course, I had already registered, so I was running it anyway. Probably not the best decision. At the end of that race, I fell to the ground in such pain I knew I had to give in and go to the doctor.
Long story short, I eventually found out that I had two “severely ruptured” discs in my spine: my L5 and S1. My running, and all other physical activity, came to a screeching halt. I went through physical therapy and epidural injections. After what seemed like an eternity, I was cleared to “run” again. I had to start with strict walking and work my way up, just like I do with brand new runners that join my cross country team. I also started going to yoga as soon as I was cleared by my sports doctor. At this point, I have been running fairly consistently for almost a year, but not without setbacks. When they occur, I try to keep perspective, but sometimes it’s hard. Right now, my back seems to be hurting more than usual. The pain that runs down my right leg has been acting up quite a bit. So, I have tried to be smart and not force anything, but it’s hard. With everything in chaos around me, I yearn for the open road. Yet, since I want to run for the rest of my life, I will be patient, rest, stretch, and take care of my body. Therefore, if you are a runner, count your blessings and go run one for me today.
Tag: yoga
Packing Pressure
Moving is never fun. Even when the move is a happy occasion, the actual act of moving is something we all dislike. Sorting, cleaning, packing, loading and unloading boxes…it’s exhausting! Last year, I had the daunting task of packing up eight years’ worth of belongings to move across town. The house I left was the first house I had owned. It was also the longest time I had ever lived in one place. I had forgotten about how terrible moving was. Plus, I was downsizing. Therefore, I had to decide what to keep and what to discard, give away, sell, etc. This time around, I am moving across the country. I actually am moving all my belongings into storage for a month before I then load it up in the Uhaul to lug across state lines. Even then, I will first go to my daughter’s new apartment at her college, unload her half of the items, unpack her storage, and drop her off before I ultimately end up at my destination. Once there, I will then have to put my things back into a storage unit until I find a permanent residence. By the time this is all done and over with, I will have moved enough to last me for quite some time. Craziness. I know in the end this will all pay off, but right now, the sea of boxes and piles of belongings is just a little ridiculous. It also can be just a little stressful. That’s where the running and yoga take over. I have tried to maintain a consistent schedule with both, even through the chaos, because I know that if I don’t, I will probably spontaneously combust. Just today, I realized I was feeling slightly more agitated than usual. I also realized that I haven’t had a good long run for awhile. There have been short jaunts and (almost) daily yoga classes, but nothing long enough to work the kinks out. So, that has been added to the top of my to do list. I know I need to hit the road to release some of the pressure I am feeling. Out there, it’s just God and me. I pray, meditate, reflect, and just let myself be. That is why I agree with the words of John Bryant, “My feeling is that any day I am too busy to run is a day that I am too busy.”
School’s Out for Summer
This past Wednesday was the last day of school. Even though I had already spent quite a bit of time going through file cabinets and bookshelves, it still took me almost two days to sort through my belongings and pack up my room. You can only imagine how difficult it is to go through a decade’s worth of teaching material. Plus, I do not yet know what I will be teaching (or if I’ll be teaching) when I move, so of course I don’t want to get rid of anything. I did put together a couple of boxes that I am donating to new teachers, but everything else is now sitting in the corner of one of the portables on campus until I actually move at the end of July. This is also the first summer ever that I have not taught summer school. So now I find myself with 8 weeks to alternate my time between the beach and getting ready for my move. I have some really great plans: spending time with my family and friends before I leave them, reading all the books that were neglected during the school year, continue job hunting, and training for another half- marathon. The first one that I ran post-injury was in March. While I accomplished my primary goal of completing the race, my body definitely wasn’t anywhere as strong as I would’ve liked it to be. Shortly after that race, I recommitted to my yoga practice. I will say it has helped tremendously. I am excited to see how this race compares to the one I ran in March. I’ll keep you posted. 🙂
Reclaiming Saturdays
I have recently fallen in love with Saturday mornings. Anyone with children knows that Saturdays tend to be as hectic as a weekday. You get up early, maybe do some housecleaning before you run to the grocery store or take the kids to whatever activities they have going on that day. Then, your kids hit the point where they can drive themselves to their activities, but as their mom you are still obligated to attend. However, not too long after that, they reach a point where they no longer have activities for you to attend. At that point, you wake up on a Saturday morning and think, “Wow, I have nothing going on today.” Although I work nights at my part-time job on the weekends, I am currently at that point, and I don’t feel guilty admitting that I’m enjoying it. I wake up on Saturday mornings, go to yoga class, and then go run the causeway spanning across the river. Often, I am rewarded for my efforts with the sight of dolphins playing in the water. Occasionally, after I’ve put in all that hard work burning calories, I’ll stop at the local coffee shop and enjoy what they call an iced heroin (with skim milk AND whipped cream. A girl’s gotta have priorities!) At those moments, I feel so refreshed, in tune with myself, and at peace with the world around me. If your children are currently at a stage in your life where Saturdays are a whirlwind, don’t worry – your time will come. It will happen faster than you could ever imagine, though, so cherish your time with them while you can. For those who are facing those empty Saturdays, use them to find yourself again. Go for a run, take that painting class, or curl up in the hammock and read a book. Above all, don’t feel guilty for being happy to have those moments back to yourself. You deserve them. Namaste.
Words from the Long Run 