It’s been a while since I wrote a blog post here. Almost a year.
The last time I wrote, I had to stop marathon training, because I had a fallen arch. Ouch!
It was hard for me to have to stop marathon training and let my arch heal. It definitely was a set back.
Around this same time last year, I decided I was going to start my own business. I’m an accountant by day, and spent many months getting that ready, to start my own accounting business. My busiest time is January, and I was working 80, and 90 hour weeks. Right as it started to slow down, my arch was feeling better, I was in a car accident.
It wasn’t the drivers fault- I was the passenger, but someone was trying to make a left turn, and didn’t have enough time. They crashed into us, head on. As a result, I had a lot of shoulder, neck pain, and whiplash.
I worked for several months with a chiropractor and acupuncturist. I could run for about 2 miles, every few days, or my shoulders and neck would have a lot of pain.
Sometimes it seems like one step forward two steps back. I was struggling to run 2 miles. A marathon seemed like a lifetime ago.
I did amp up my bike riding. I really liked that. In my heart, I knew I wasn’t done running, but I had to get healthy again.
So…. I’m back. I’m healthy. I’ve had no arch pain in months. My neck and shoulders are healed from car accident. I’m back to running. I’m not as fast as I was, but I’m back out there.
I’m sadly, not wearing minimalist shoes- my Vibrams. I loved them. But my arches need more support. I’m currently running with my really old, torn up pair of North Face Ultra Killowatt. They are a minimalist shoe. I took out the insert and replaced it with the green Superfeet insert, and my feet feel great.
All this time, I’ve not given up on my running. I knew I would be back. I just didn’t know how. But I do now. For now, a marathon training is too much for me. I am really busy with my business, and my kids. I feel in my heart, I will run a marathon one day, but right now, just isn’t the time.
The distance I’ve always loved, and excelled at was the 5K. However, I’ve ran so many 5K’s, I got burnt out on the racing. But I love the distance. I really think that is my race. The distance is challenging, so is being fast, and pacing yourself to be fast. The 5K is what got me running in the first place. After I had recovered somewhat from my thyroid cancer surgery and treatments. The 5K has a special place in my heart as a runner. It’s the distance where I learned I could do what I wanted. My body, could achieve what I wanted it to do, and cancer didn’t define me.
I decided running a few weeks ago, I’m ready again. Ready to see if I can place in a 5K distance. I’ve never been able to achieve that before. On some race days, ironically, if I had been YOUNGER, I would have placed. But you have to run the race, that day, in your age group.
I’m going to be 45 in October. I can’t think of a better 45th birthday gift to myself, to be out training again, increasing my speed, watching myself as runner, mentally preparing….to see if I can place for my age group.
I’m going to visit my sister in Seattle my birthday weekend. That is where I’m going to run the 5K. I’ve always wanted to run a race at sea level, since I’m in Colorado. No better time than the present. But Seattle is not an easy running ground. Lots of hills. It gives me motivation to dig deep and find that place in me again…where I want it. Where I’m willing to do what it takes to place.
I’ve realized, life and running should be fun. I’m having fun on my runs. I wouldn’t be caught dead without my Garmin before. Now, I seldom use it. If I’m running a new route and want to know the distance, I’ll take it. Or on interval runs. But these days, I’m not running to a watch. I’m running for me, and just taking it all in. Happy and appreciative I can.
Life has its up’s and down’s. We never know what is around the bend. Good or bad, expected, or unexpected. I still feel the freest when I’m running. It’s just me and what I decide I can do. It feels good. This is me. I’m back.
I receive the notices that X amount of people viewed blog and FB. I really appreciate it. I’ve not written in almost a year. To know that people check in. It’s very inspiring. Thank you. I’ve always tried to run for people who can’t. It’s a huge motivation for me.
I plan to blog about my training for this 5K in October. I will be honored if you follow my journey. I hope you keep reaching for yours too. No matter what. It’s only ever done, if you quit. Life is too fun to quit on your dreams. They may not come in the manner or time when we thought, but everything we do, to achieve them, is not wasted.
Set a goal, and work towards it. No matter how long it takes. That is the journey, that is so fun. I believe for myself, if I have fun along the way the goal will be achieved. How could it not?