This is going to be a blog about my personal journey to get back into shape and the obstacles I face. A thank you goes out to Rene, a fellow December 2009 mommy and runner! She has a blog that I follow where she documents her Adventures in Running. Her blog motivated me to start this one! I initially posted my musings on weight-loss, running and health issues on my art blog, but it obviously did not belong there.
This is my back-story:
I started running in 2006, when a friend and his girlfriend invited Joel and I to do a Sweetheart/Valentine's Run 5K. I had never considered running a race, so I figured, WTH, and signed us up. Unfortunately the race course was totally screwed up and my pseudo-finish time was somewhere in the 23 minute range! Not bad for a beginner, right? haha Well, I "finished" before Joel (my husband, the former high school cross-country star). Needless to say the race was a flop for both of us, but it motivated me to sign up for more races and in turn, keep trying to beat my previous 5K time and also eventually run longer distances as well. During this time we also went to the gym regularly, too.
In 2009, I got pregnant, but somehow ran 5K PRs in my first trimester. I stopped running after pregnancy symptoms set in (not morning sickness, but fatigue and general laziness), but continued to walk and do light exercise until I was unable to see my feet. After I had Liam in December of that year, I was so busy with baby that I had no time for myself. But after we got into a routine with our lives with a baby, it actually was not that hard to get back into running, other than dealing with the fact that I had all this extra weight to run with - which was just motivation to do it more often. We did a few 5Ks in 2010, but one was not even chip timed and another had course issues which interfered with Joel's final time.
Later in 2010, we moved back to the DC area. I signed up for a half-marathon in November 2011. I was excited to be able to run and train in an awesome area. But my first run after a hiatus from running turned out to be my last of the year, as I experienced severe cramping and mild knee pains after that run. I decided not to run again until I was able to see a doctor. I had an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon who told me that my knees were perfect, but the cartilage was rubbing together which was causing pain. He also said that if I wanted surgery in my future, that I should continue to run. That news almost brought tears to my eyes. Almost as if someone had told me I only had a few months to live. (Well, not that bad!) He suggested I stop running and find other methods of working out. I bought a rowing machine and use it whenever I can. I gave my 1/2 marathon registration to a friend in Savannah. Also, we do not have a gym membership up here because we are stuck in a stupid contract with our former gym in GA! So needless to say, it's been a little bit of a challenge to stay in shape.
It was not until recently that I have been persuaded by friends to get a second opinion from a physical therapist. I am also trying to work out my legs to strengthen them to support my knees when running. I have not yet seen a physical therapist, but I hope to visit one soon so that he/she can help me manage and lessen the pain I may feel in my knees from running. And that is where I am today!
