Come Back Kid

If you've even been remotely connected to me for the last four months, you know that I've been trying to make running a permanent part of my life.

I signed up to run a half marathon race in five weeks on the morning of my 37th birthday.  I've been devoted to my training program.  And I ran two mini races prior to the big one.

And then, around a month ago, I came face to face with shin splints and knee pain, my nemesis.

To be completely honest, I used to think that people that had back problems or joint issues or fill in the blank were just sort of sissies, pansies, attention seekers.

And now I get it, I'm a moron.  When you live with chronic pain and it affects your quality of life such that you can't do that which brings you joy...you get pissed off, and rightfully so.  And, I have been pissy, negative, down in the dumps, bitchy, pessimistic and on a god damn mission to figure out what in the hell is going on with my body.

After hearing multiple people say, I think it's your shoes and I'd already had brand new shoes...I thought, what the hell, I'm going to the running store to have them analyze my gait and help me figure out if I'm a loser runner.

When I arrived, they watched me walk, run, and observed my arch, pronation, stance, and form...and you know what the verdict was....you look perfect, except, I think your shoes are a smidge too small which means that your shock absorption is going up your shin into your knee and leg.  WTF?? 

Did you know that your running shoe is typically one full size larger than your regular shoe?  Yep, me neither.  So, they swapped my old ones for a free pair and I went for a run.  Just a mile and a half.  But it felt good.  I hadn't forgotten.  I hadn't lost my ability to keep the breath or the cadence.

Now, I just have to slowly, very slowly ease back into it.  And, I'm hopeful that in 5 weeks...I'll be dawning my number ready for my first half marathon race.